A study on acupuncture for pain in pregnancy undertaken at a New Zealand hospital, shows a clinically meaningful symptom reduction in women with lower back and pelvic pain. The observational study looked at data on 81 women with lumbopelvic pain, who received traditional Chinese acupuncture weekly. In all, 89% of patients reported a clinically meaningful symptom reduction following treatment.
The authors conclude that this study supports existing clinical trial results indicating the benefits of acupuncture in reducing symptoms. The nature and extent of adverse events were consistent with those found in reviews whose authors have concluded that acupuncture in pregnancy is safe overall. Tailoring the treatment to the concerns of pregnancy may help clinicians feel more confident in acupuncture as a safe and effective treatment.
(Treating Pain in Pregnancy with Acupuncture: Observational Study Results from a Free Clinic in New Zealand. Journal of Acupuncture & Meridian Studies, February 2018.)