Month: April 2009

Researchers at Queen’s University and the University of Alberta in Canada, have investigated the effectiveness of acupuncture for assisting in the initiation and duration of labour.

Sixteen pregnant women at full term, were randomly assigned to receive acupuncture either at sites traditionally used to bring on labour, or at nearby sham sites. The results showed that women in the true acupuncture group on average went into labour 62 hours ahead of the sham group, and also experienced labours which were on average two hours and twenty minutes shorter. Patients reported that the experience of undergoing acupuncture provided them with a sense of control over the outcome of their pregnancy and that they enjoyed their interaction with the acupuncturists.

(Effectiveness of Acupuncture for the Initiation of Labour at Term: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial. Journal of Gynaecology & Obstetrics of Canada, December 2008.)

For breech presentation of a baby in the later stages of pregnancy, a common treatment from the acupuncturist’s stable of techniques, is to warm a specific acupuncture point on the foot, using a herb called moxa. The method is known as moxibustion, and if a case is suitable, I instruct a woman in how to do this herself or with her partner’s help.

A systematic review from Holland has compared the effects of such techniques, with normal management. Researchers looked at six randomised, controlled trials plus three cohort studies, and found that the proportion of breech presentations remaining after treatment averaged 28%, whereas in the control groups, it averaged 56%.

(Effectiveness of Acupuncture-type Interventions versus Expectant Management to correct Breech Presentation: a Systematic Review. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, April 2008.)