Pregnancy and Acupuncture

Pregnancy is a time when most women wish not to or cannot take drugs to alleviate or reduce common symptoms of pregnancy and prepare for birth. Acupuncture is ideally suited .

World Perspective

Acupuncture clinics for pregnant women are available within the UK health system, in a clinic in New Zealand, in hospitals in Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland. Of course, it is commonly used in Asian countries such as China and Korea. For a time it was available in a NSW maternity clinic.

Commonly assistance was sought in these overseas clinics for labour induction, birth preparation, nausea and vomiting, depression and anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, back and hip pain, carpal tunnel, bleeding in pregnancy, breech babies, and constipation.

The information on New Zealand and UK clinics and the list of services they provide are only to allow clients to gain a view of how Acupuncture is being used in other countries. It is not representative of the conditions treated at this clinic. 

The aim of inducing labour is obviously to start the contractions, but we need also to encourage a successful labour, one that has minimal discomfort and progresses easily to delivery. In order to do this birth preparation may be part of the labour induction treatment chosen, guided by information from your midwife or obstetrician and your signs and symptoms. Labour induction can also be of help when contractions have started but are not progressing, contractions may be coming and going, have started but are now stopping, or coming regularly but not dilating the cervix. Treatment helps co-ordinate your contractions, and this is the ideal time to show your birth partner acupressure points to assist your contractions and provide pain relief. Sometimes the time needed by mother nature isn’t available before your induction is planned, but don’t despair should acupuncture induction not result in labour, its ability to help ready the cervix increases the chances of a successful and gentler western medical induction.

The 2017 Cochrane review by C Smith was unable to conclude acupuncture did induce labour partially because of a change in the definition of labour induction to 24 hours. It did note acupuncture increased cervical favourability. 4 studies within this review which used electro acupuncture (the method used in this clinic) reduced time to delivery, increase spontaneous labour and reduced c sections.

In 2015 this study showed the use of only 2 acupuncture points did not reduce labour pain or cortisol levels compared to sham acupuncture, but did reduce labour duration. Asadin, Maharlouei N, Khalili A, Darabi Y, Davoodi S, Raeisi Shahraki H, Hadianfard M, Jokar A, Vafaei H, Kasraeian M (doi:10.1016/j.jams.2015.08.003. Epub 2015 Sep 11).

A 2018 study by I Neri, L Pignatti, F Fontanesi, F Facchinetti (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jams.2018.06.001)  Found applied at term acupuncture reduced the rate of medical labour induction, and reduced oxytocin use.  

Nausea and vomiting often occurs in the first trimester of pregnancy, a time of rapid foetal development, and because of this many woman would prefer not to take medication. Questions around possible birth defects associated with the latest medication prescribed for nausea are making more women look at natural alternatives. Why nausea and vomiting occurs is not understood, and it can make daily life unbearable.

The effect of ligament softening hormones, weigh gain and changes in the centre of gravity mean that back hip and pelvic pain are common complaints in pregnancy. Discomfort can become so severe that normal daily activity can become impossible. Acupuncture has been shown to give better relief than physiotherapy, exercise and supportive belts for low back pain and pelvic pain.

Ranging from numbness and tingling at night to constant hand pain and an inability to grasp objects carpal tunnel is common in pregnancy, often related to an increase in fluid in the wrist (oedema).