Birth Preparation Acupuncture for Normalising Birth.

pregnant woman

Birth preparation acupuncture is a specialised approach within Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) designed to help prepare the body for labour and delivery. This treatment typically begins around 36 weeks of pregnancy.

What is Already Known About Birth Preparation Acupuncture? 

Numerous studies have demonstrated that acupuncture can support a healthy pregnancy and birth. The benefits include preparing the musculoskeletal system of the pelvis, promoting cervical ripening, enhancing the body’s natural release of oxytocin, and providing pain relief during labour.

A maternity acupuncture service within the NHS assessed its routine hospital maternity data from 2014 to 2016 to evaluate the effects of birth preparation acupuncture on labour and delivery outcomes. The analysis compared women who received birth preparation acupuncture with those who did not.

What Did The Study Find?

The results showed that women who received birth preparation acupuncture experienced several positive outcomes:

• Fewer surgical births,

• Less need for intrapartum analgesia,

• Fewer components of induction of labour

• Reduced length of hospital stay

Implications for Clinical Practice and Further Research

The study suggests that acupuncture may help normalise birth, potentially leading to reduced healthcare costs. However, further research is needed to determine whether acupuncture is cost-effective and to explore its role as a complementary therapy for improving birth outcomes and enhancing women’s experiences of childbirth.

Reference:

Lokugamage, A. U., Eftime, V. A. I., Porter, D., Ahillan, T., & Ke, S. X. (2020). Birth preparation acupuncture for normalising birth: An analysis of NHS service routine data and proof of concept. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 40(8), 1096–1101. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01443615.2019.1694878