Acupuncture for Pregnancy
Acupuncture for pregnancy has been used for over 2000 years in China as a specialised treatment in pregnancy and beyond. It is a safe, natural and effective complementary treatment for a host of pregnancy ‘discomforts’ at a time when drugs may not be safe to use.
Acupuncture can help with a range of pregnancy related conditions, including:
- Morning sickness
- SPD – Pelvic Pain, Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction
- High/low blood pressure
- Anxiety
- Tiredness / insomnia
- Constipation
- Migraine and other headaches
- Back ache
- Varicose veins
"After suffering with very uncomfortable pelvic pain around 26 weeks into pregnancy, Katy recommended acupucnture to help relieve the pain and very promptly arranged a session for me the next day. Karolina was wonderful and really listened to what I needed, offering other ways to ease the pain too. The acupuncture certainly helped, much to my relief and I'm looking forward to some more sessions in order to manage it better. Many thanks Katy and Karolina." Suzanne, Crowthorne.
Acupuncture and Breech Presentation
Moxibustion (an effective herb compacted into a cigar shape) has been used for many centuries to turn breech babies. The end of the moxa stick is held next to the acupuncture point at the end of the little toe. Once demonstrated to the woman by a trained acupuncturist, the treatment is then carried out at home for 10 days. Research is ongoing and results so far are very promising and suggest an 80% success rate.
Imogen Hall our Acupuncturist has trained with Debra Betts in Obstetric Acupuncture and for further information on Breech Presentation and optimal foetal positioning please consult her website which has excellent information sheets which you can download. Thank Debra for being so generous with her information: www.acupuncture.rhizome.net.nz
Acupuncture for Pre-Birth Preparation
Acupuncture has been used widely in Europe to help women prepare for birth and is now being offered by Acupuncturists and Midwives who are trained in Obstetric Acupuncture. Pre-birth acupuncture is a series of treatments in the final stages of pregnancy starting at 36 weeks which helps the woman prepare for a safe and efficient labour.
Research demonstrates that the mean duration of labour in a group of women giving birth for the first time was reduced from 8 hours 2 minutes in the control group of 70 women to 6 hours and 30 minutes in the acupuncture group. It therefore helps women have a more efficient labour with midwives reporting a reduced rate of medical intervention. Research also shows that weekly treatment from 36 weeks gestation induces cervical ripening at term by shortening the length of the cervix.
Data on 169 women receiving pre-birth acupuncture was gathered by 14 midwives as part of their midwifery practice in Wellington, New Zealand. It was found that there was an overall 35% reduction in the number of medical inductions and a 31% reduction in epidural rates. There was no difference in the onset of early labour in those women receiving pre-birth acupuncture.
Acupuncture and Natural Induction
Acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment to encourage the natural onset of labour for post-term babies. It works by
- Working harmoniously with the delicate hormonal balance of late pregnancy
- Stimulates uterine contractions
- Dilates the cervix and
- Aims to promote efficient labour by invigorating and descending a woman’s energy to allow her baby to be born
A small observational study of 14 midwives over four months indicated acupuncture treatment before labour was beneficial in reducing medical interventions, compared to midwifery care without acupuncture.