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A Randomized Controlled Trial of Nerve Stimulation for Relief of Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy

From the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Morristown Memorial Hospital, Morristown, New Jersey; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson, Arizona; Woodside Biomedical Inc., Carlsbad, California; and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York.

Address reprint requests to: Todd Rosen, MD, Morristown Memorial Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 100 Madison Avenue, Morristown, NJ 07962; E-mail: todd.rosen{at}ahsys.org.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of low-level nerve stimulation therapy over the volar aspect of the wrist at the P6 point to treat nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy.

METHODS: Pregnant volunteers (n = 230) with symptoms of mild to severe nausea and vomiting between 6 and 12 weeks’ gestation participated in a 21-day clinical trial. Participants were randomly assigned to receive a device for nerve stimulation therapy or an otherwise identical but nonstimulating placebo device. The primary outcome measure was self-recorded symptoms according to the Rhodes Index of Nausea, Vomiting, and Retching (Rhodes Index). Secondary outcome measures were medication use, weight gain, and presence of urinary ketones.

RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were similar in both groups. A total of 187 women (81%) completed the trial. Pretreatment Rhodes Index scores for the entire population demonstrated no significant differences between study and control groups. The time-averaged change in Rhodes Index total experience of 6.48 for the study group was significantly better than the control value of 4.65 (P = .02). Study patients gained more weight than controls (2.9 versus 1.2 lb, P = .003). There were no statistically significant differences in medication use or urinary ketone measurements.

CONCLUSION: Nerve stimulation therapy is effective in reducing nausea and vomiting and promoting weight gain in symptomatic women in the first trimester of pregnancy.

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