Acupuncture During Pregnancy: Safe and Effective

There seems to be no end to the methods and practices used during pregnancy and in giving birth. Some like the modern day drugs, medicines, and cold steel of the hospital, others prefer a more natural method, relieving pain through breathing techniques or water, and others go eastern-through acupuncture.

Some women have doubted the safety of acupuncture during pregnancy, but this is without cause or reason. These same women probably doubt the safety of acupuncture at any time because they are afraid of the unknown and nothing more.

Acupuncture is not only a time honored tradition of Chinese medicine, but it has been proven to provide benefits and healing through scientific experiment and verification. This is no magic hocus-pocus, mumbo-jumbo. Acupuncture works and if more Americans got their mind around their unbased fears, we would be a lot healthier as a nation.

There are several stages of pregnancy where acupuncture can provide benefits. The first symptom, which comes early in pregnancy, is morning sickness, the nausea and vomiting that can occur at any time between the weeks 2 and 12 of the pregnancy. There is an effective acupuncture treatment for this, combined with the less-frightening and more accepted acupressure wristbands and herbal ginger tea.

Another malady that many women have during pregnancy is breast tenderness and engorgement. This can be uncomfortable and painful as the body prepares for the expected baby. Along with this are the cropping up of unsightly varicose and spider veins. These also can be treated through acupuncture.

Other discomforts that occur during pregnancy are bladder pressure during the later stages and raised basal body temperature. Also an increase in the mucous linings can play havoc with the sinuses. Again there are Chinese acupuncture treatments available that have been used effectively for centuries.

Acupuncture can also provide relief from lower back pain that is so common for pregnant women. There are also treatments for the fetal baby itself, such as low fetal weight. There are also acupuncture regimens to prevent miscarriages and to deal with placental previa.

One of the most effective uses of acupuncture is during labor itself. Sometimes, during the last stages, the stress may be too much for the mother and so induction is necessary. Andrew Orr, a professional in acupuncture labor induction claims that of 120 women that came to him for induction from the Royal Brisbane Hospital in Australia, 110 were successful, 90 after the first treatment, and 20 after the second treatment. If two treatments are ineffective, western medical intervention is called in.

The two best reasons for acupuncture during pregnancy are, first, it is a gradual and comforting process, whereas western medicine is more invasive and abrupt. Acupuncture keeps a patient calm and relaxed. The second best reason is that it is extremely cost effective. There are no expensive drugs or medical equipment needed other than the needles which cost about 15 cents each. An acupuncture professional is usually much less expensive for their time than a standard doctor as well.

If you have used acupuncture throughout your pregnancy, as many women have and swear by it, then you should go ahead and continue post-partum where treatments can eliminate remaining pain and bring back normal and elevated vitality and energy.

If you are pregnant now and suffering from the worst symptoms of it, you can safely try acupuncture and see how it works for you. Get over your fears, if they exist, and join the ranks of the millions that acupuncture has helped already.

Sources:

Daoshing Ni, "Pregnancy Care With Chinese Medicine", Acupuncture.com

Andrew Orr, "Natural Induction Using Acupuncture", Earth Mamas Web

Staff, "Acupuncture Points For Pregnancy", Maternity Acupressure