Table 1. Baseline Characteristics of Patients, by Group Allocation.
| Characteristic | No. (%) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Acupuncture group | Placebo group | Standard care group | |
| Patients, No. | 60 | 60 | 60 |
| Age, mean (SD), y | 31 (5) | 31 (5) | 32 (5) |
| Weight, mean (SD), kg | 85 (16) | 87 (20) | 87 (20) |
| BMI, mean (SD) | 30.4 (5.1) | 29.9 (6.2) | 30.8 (6.8) |
| ASA physical status | |||
| II | 55 (92) | 55 (92) | 52 (87) |
| III | 5 (8) | 5 (8) | 8 (13) |
| Multiple pregnancies | 4 (7) | 2 (3) | 3 (5) |
| No. of previous deliveries | |||
| 0 | 21 (35) | 27 (45) | 16 (27) |
| 1 | 25 (43) | 22 (37) | 27 (45) |
| 2 | 9 (15) | 8 (13) | 9 (15) |
| 3 | 4 (7) | 3 (5) | 6 (10) |
| 4 | 1 (2) | 0 | 2 (3) |
| No. of previous cesarean deliveries | |||
| 0 | 32 (53) | 37 (62) | 30 (50) |
| 1 | 20 (33) | 22 (37) | 22 (37) |
| 2 | 7 (12) | 1 (2) | 6 (10) |
| 3 | 1 (2) | 0 | 2 (3) |
| Weight of newborn, mean (SD), g | 3562 (500) | 3439 (614) | 3489 (638) |
| Type of anesthesia | |||
| Spinal | 60 (100) | 59 (98) | 60 (100) |
| General | 0 | 1 (2) | 0 |
| Duration of cesarean delivery, mean (SD), min | 36 (10) | 36 (18) | 39 (14) |
| Decrease of blood pressurea | 47 (78) | 41 (68) | 41 (68) |
| Administration | |||
| Vasopressor | 45 (75) | 41 (68) | 37 (62) |
| Atropine sulfate | 21 (35) | 13 (22) | 12 (20) |
Abbreviations: ASA, American Society of Anesthesiologists; BMI, body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared).
a
Decrease of blood pressure was defined as blood pressure reduction of at least 20% from baseline.