Late Pregnancy

Prepare your body for Childbirth

What is Pre-Birth Acupuncture?

During the final weeks of pregnancy many women choose to have acupuncture to achieve optimum health and prepare for an easier birth. Pre-birth acupuncture consists of  3 weekly treatments, from week 37 to 40, designed to shorten the time you spend in labour. Moreover, midwives report that it lessens the need for medical intervention (1). Pre-birth acupuncture is now accepted practice in many German hospitals.

Midwife and expert obstetrics acupuncturist Debra Betts, who teaches this meathod to midwives in New Zealand, explains her experience :

“The midwives suggested it should be offered to all
birthing women, reporting that it consistently increased the
chances of women experiencing a natural efficient labour.
They commented that the time women spent in active
labour was notably shorter than in those that did not receive
treatment, and felt that the effect of introducing pre-birth
acupuncture as part of midwifery care had contributed to
reduced intervention rates, including medical inductions
and caesarean sections.”(1)

Deb and Al always tailor treatments suit you as an individual. Points can be added to help your baby to take up the best position, address anxiety, boost your energy, or help with unwanted symptoms.

Research

Research carried out in New Zealand(2) into pre-birth acupuncture  has shown that it results in:

– fewer inductions

– less need for epidurals

– fewer emergency caesarians

 Sources

(1) The use of acupuncture as a routine pre-birth treatment – Debra Betts, Journal of Chines Medicine No. 76, October 2004

(2): An observation study by Betts and Lenox in 2004 looked at the effect of using prebirth acupuncture on 169 women as part of their routine antenatal care.
In the acupuncture group there was an overall 35% reduction in the number of inductions (for women having their first baby this was a 43% reduction) and a 31% reduction in the epidural rate when compared to the local population. When comparing midwifery only care there was a 32% reduction in emergency caesarean delivery and a 9% increase in normal vaginal births. Betts D, Lennox S. Acupuncture for prebirth treatment: An observational study of its use in midwifery practice. Medical acupuncture 2006 May; 17(3):17-20