Pregnancy

Acupuncture benefits during each trimester:

During the 1st trimester, acupuncture can help relieve nausea, improve mood, boost energy, and reduce constipation.

During the second trimester, evidence has shown that acupuncture can help relieve common pains associated with pregnancy and improve sleep.

During the 3rd trimester, acupuncture can help prepare the body for labor. It can also help encourage labor past the due date.

Recent research supports the use of acupuncture during pregnancy to relieve pregnancy discomforts. Two studies published in 2021 showed that acupuncture was safe and effective for lower back pain, other aches and pains, and improved mood. Another study in 2020 compared a placebo group to a group who received acupuncture. The acupuncture group was associated with a lower hospitalization rate and a lower pregnancy termination rate. The group who received acupuncture also exhibited less nausea and vomiting, fatigue, recurrence rate, and improvement in potassium levels.

Acupuncture can lower blood pressure, promote relaxation, reduce the stress hormones, and improve the circulation in mothers to benefit the baby’s health. Babies may also be influenced by "maternal" toxins that are known to cause higher fevers and skin problems. They can also be developed with a tendency for these conditions later in life.  Regular acupuncture during pregnancy can help expel these toxins, and nourish the mother and the baby. It can also prevent birth defects and promote the development of the infant's organs.
 

Acupuncture also helps mothers prepare for labor and reduces the rate of complications. Weekly sessions of acupuncture during the 36 weeks of pregnancy can help prepare the body for the birth of the child and promote relaxation. They can also help release oxytocin and hasten the onset of labor. Births have also been shown to be faster, on average shorter than an hour and a half. The likelihood of spontaneous labor also decreases dramatically when acupuncture is performed routinely, which means a reduced chance of induction. It also reduces the chances of medical intervention, such as C-sections. Contact us to discover acupuncture near you.

Poovadan Sudhakaran.Medical Acupuncture.Jun 2021.219-225.http://doi.org/10.1089/acu.2020.1499
 

Haizhen Lu, Chengwen Zheng, Yanmei Zhong, Linhao Cheng, Yi Zhou, "Effectiveness of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Hyperemesis Gravidarum: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis", Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2021, Article ID 2731446, 14 pages, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/2731446