Pregnancy acupuncture is generally considered to be safe but occasionally (as with all health treatments) may be associated with possible adverse reactions in individual cases.
It may be able to support women with symptoms that occur during pregnancy and it can also be used to maintain good health for mum and baby.
This is one of the questions we get asked the most in clinic and the answer is a definite YES! At the time of pregnancy, when you are limited in what you can take for your ailments, acupuncture can be a great addition to your health care plan.
No, you don’t have to have any health problems. A lot of changes take place in a woman’s body during pregnancy and the development of the baby over the 9 months is a very delicate process.
The woman’s lifestyle, diet and emotions all affect the baby and by paying attention to these aspects of her life the expectant mother can affect the baby’s development positively. We suggest women to be proactive and get an acupuncture treatment once a month during pregnancy to maintain good health and prevent any problems. At the final stages of pregnancy, in the last 4 weeks, we usually increase the frequency of treatment to once a week so that we can best prepare for delivery.
Some common health problems during pregnancy include:
Morning Sickness/Nausea, Constipation, Back Pain, Mental Health problems like Depression & Anxiety, Breech Babies, Labour Preparation & Induction
Morning sickness is often one of the one of the earliest signs of pregnancy although not all women experience it. In spite of its name, morning sickness can occur at any time of the day, although it is often more pronounced in the morning.
It’s a myth that you should be having morning sickness during pregnancy. It is often related to pre-existing digestive system issues. With acupuncture we aim to restore the balance in the digestive system and reduce the symptoms.
Constipation is a common complaint during pregnancy. From a Western perspective this is due to the relaxant effect of progesterone on the smooth muscles and also to the pressure of the enlarged uterus on the bowel. A common complication during pregnancy is the development of haemorrhoids.
Pain in the lower torso, lower back and pelvic girdle is frequently experienced by pregnant women. Researches in New Zealand have just conducted a study* and have found acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for low back pain during pregnancy. Acupuncture provides an important alternative treatment option during pregnancy.
* Soliday E. Betts D. “Treating Pain in Pregnancy with Acupuncture: Observational Study Results from a Free Clinic in New Zealand” Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies 2018;11 (1):25e30.
Research shows that up to 33 percent of women experience clinical depression or an anxiety disorder at some point during pregnancy. However not many women seek treatment because of the myth that pregnant woman must be happy. A lot of women feel ashamed to bring up their true feelings and suffer in silence. Acupuncture helping with anxiety and depression, acupuncture is a great way to relieve the symptoms of anxiety and depression and most woman find having acupuncture a very relaxing experience.
Under normal circumstances between 28 – 32 weeks the baby sinks down, head first into the pelvis in preparation for birth. Around 15% of all babies will be in a breech position, which means that the baby is presenting with its buttock, knees or feet pointing down. The majority of breech babies will turn spontaneously before birth. If the baby hasn’t turned by 34 weeks we use moxibustion treatment which may be able to assist to turn the baby. Moxibustion is an externally applied treatment using a herbal stick that is lit and held over acupuncture points on the feet. This can be done daily at home and during a consultation we will instruct women how to apply this technique safely.
At the final stages of pregnancy, in the last 6 weeks, we usually increase the frequency of treatment to once a week so that we can best prepare for delivery. Acupuncture can also be used at the time of labour induction.
