By Hui Song, Senior Doctor, Nanjing Obstetrical and Gynecological Hospital

Fifty patients, aged 20 to 51 years, diagnosed with gynecological diseases including dysmenorrhea, hysteromyoma, pelvic inflammation, cyst and mass, endometriosis, menstrual disorder, infertility and chocolate cyst, were treated with foot Reflexotherapy on each or every other day, 10 sessions: one course of treatment. Duration of therapy ranged from 10 sessions to two years.  For forty-two (84%) patients, the symptoms completely disappeared - normal menstruation with no dysmenorrhea. For the remaining 8 patients (16%) symptoms had almost completely disappeared.

By Dr. Gowri Motha and Dr. Jane McGrath, Forest Gate, London 

Thirty-seven of 64 pregnant women, who were offered free reflexology, completed the set course of ten treatments. The effects of reflexology on labor outcomes were perceived as outstanding. Some had labor times of only 2 hours, some 3 hours. The 20 - 25 year olds had an average time of First stage labor of 5 or 6 hours. The 26 - 30 year olds seemed to have the longest labors. In total, the average first stage was 5 hours, second stage 16 minutes, and third stage 7 minutes. This is compared to textbook figures of 16 to 24 hours' first stage, and, 1 to 2 hour's second stage.

By Gabriella Bering Liisberg, "Tidsskrift for Jordemodre", No. 3, 1989.

Of 593 women who gave birth at Gentofte county hospital in 1988, 103 chose reflexology as an alternative to both pain killing drugs and to labor stimulating and inducing drugs. Of sixty-eight women who chose reflexology with no analgesic drugs, sixty one( 89.71%) stated that reflexology had helped reduce pain., six (8.82%) felt no effect, and, one had increased pain in spite of reflexology treatment. Four of the sixty-one women who were helped by reflexology also required pain medication. Of forty-nine women who chose reflexology to stimulate labor, twenty-four gave birth without additional drug treatment. Fourteen women who were candidates for surgical delivery, received reflexology treatment between 30 and 60 minutes of birth. Eleven (78.57%) were then able to discharge the placenta. The other three had it surgically removed.

All participants, except one, found the reflexology treatments extremely pleasant.

By Leila Ericksen, FDZ Research Committee, Denmark

To determine the effect of reflexology on infertility 108 women under 35 years with no previous children, and that had attempted to become pregnant for more than two years were selected from 260 applicants. Forty-seven of the 108 withdrew. The remaining 61 women were given sixteen 45 minute reflexology treatments over a 7 - 8 month period. Treatments were given 2 times a week for 4 weeks, then 2 treatments before ovulation. Nine women (15%) became pregnant within six months after starting treatment. Of two thirds of the women who had menstruation problems 77% experienced an appreciable improvement, with the majority totally getting rid of the problems.

Three quarters of all the women reported improvements in other ailments such as: muscle tensions, psychic imbalances, indigestion, poor circulation and general imbalance.