Effects of Electroacupuncture for Labor Analgesia on Maternal T Cell Subsets, IL-1β and IL-10
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54097/e834r449Keywords:
Electroacupuncture, Labor Analgesia, T Lymphocyte Subsets, Interleukin-1β, Interleukin-10Abstract
Objective: To explore the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) for labor analgesia on maternal T cell subsets (CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD8⁺), serum interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels. Methods: A total of 82 primiparous women with singleton pregnancies and cephalic presentation, who were hospitalized in the Department of Obstetrics of Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities from January to December 2022, were randomly divided into a control group and an observation group, with 41 cases in each group. The control group received conventional natural labor management, while the observation group was additionally given EA analgesia during the first and second stages of labor on the basis of the control group. The labor duration, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores and neonatal Apgar scores were compared between the two groups. Peripheral blood T cell subsets and cytokine levels were detected at three time points: when the uterine orifice dilated to 2-5 cm (T1), at fetal delivery (T2), and 24 hours after delivery (T3). Results: Compared with the control group, the observation group had significantly lower VAS scores at full dilation of the uterine orifice and fetal delivery (P<0.05), and significantly shorter duration of the active phase of the first stage of labor and the second stage of labor (P<0.01). There were no significant differences in the duration of the third stage of labor and neonatal Apgar scores between the two groups (P>0.05). At T2, the levels of IL-1β and IL-10 in the observation group were lower than those in the control group. At T3, the percentages of CD3⁺ and CD4⁺ T cells and the CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). Compared with the T1 time point, the percentage of CD3⁺ at T2 and T3, as well as the percentage of CD4⁺ and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio at T3, were significantly decreased in both groups (all P<0.01). Conclusion: Electroacupuncture for labor analgesia can effectively relieve labor pain, shorten labor duration, help maintain the balance of T cell subsets, reduce inflammatory stress, and may have a positive regulatory effect on maternal immune function.
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