The Safety of Acupuncture During Pregnancy

While pregnancy is a beautiful process, we are still aware of what women may go through and struggle with when this kind of life change happens. Pregnant women have reported feeling unorganized yet joyful, and tired but happy during pregnancy.

Thankfully, alternative medicine and treatments, such as acupuncture can help with morning sickness, back pain, and other diseases. For thousands of years, acupuncture has been used in Asian medicine. It is also widely used as a complementary therapy in the United States and around the world.

Read on to discover more about the safety of acupuncture during pregnancy.

Acupuncture for Pregnant Women

Acupuncture is performed by placing small metal needles into certain anatomical locations. These acupoints are stimulated by a practitioner to balance yin (cool, lethargic) and yang (hot, agitated) energies in the body, allowing qi to circulate (life force).

This therapy method may appear strange to newcomers. Acupuncture has been shown to alleviate chronic pain and headaches.

Acupuncture is occasionally used during insemination or IVF. A 2015 survey found that the majority of acupuncture research on pregnant women focused on morning sickness.

Pregnancy-related applications include the treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum (severe nausea and vomiting), pain, stress and anxiety, headache, insomnia, depression, indigestion, constipation, swelling (edema), preeclampsia, cephalic version (breech babies), and labor discomfort. It may promote labor.

The Advantages of Acupuncture during Pregnancy

Acupuncture can help pregnant women and couples achieve a lot from term to term. In these nine months, such advantages are related to:

• Breech Babies
  Acupuncture may also help breech babies.
  To turn newborns headfirst, researchers recommend activating BL67 and SI1 acupuncture points between 32 and 35 weeks. In this case, 30-minute moxibustion treatments were given three times a week.

• Depression
  Antepartum depression affects up to 15% of pregnancies.
  In 2010, a short study compared acupuncture with massage for depression. Acupuncture improved symptoms in women in a way that was comparable to traditional depression therapies. The eight-week, twelve-session therapy program was brief.

• General Soreness
  Relaxin loosens joints during pregnancy. In the second and third trimesters, such weight gain may cause pelvic or back pain.
  A study conducted in 2021 and 2018 found that acupuncture can safely relieve lower back pain. Acupuncture can help with many physical and emotional issues.

• Labor Pain
  A 2009 study involving over 600 pregnant women compared acupuncture during labor to transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and conventional pain medicines. With acupuncture, there was a reduction in the need for epidurals and other medications.

• Morning Sickness
  Acupuncture, according to studies, can aid with nausea and vomiting during and after pregnancy. A detailed review of the P6 acupressure point, also known as the spleen channel, was previously undertaken. Pointers believe P6 has an effect on digestion.
  Acupuncture relieved nausea and vomiting more effectively than medicines in non-pregnant tests.

The Safety

Acupuncture and pregnancy research is growing. Sources claim that acupuncture is generally safe during pregnancy and rarely causes serious side effects. Short-term side effects could include needle insertion pain or edema.

Specific acupuncture points should be avoided during pregnancy. The evidence, however, suggests that miscarriage, preterm labor, and early membrane rupture are all the same in the acupuncture and non-acupuncture groups.

The trimester does not matter, although it does provide prenatal, trimester, and postpartum care. It is also critical for specific pressure points to be avoided.

Before undergoing acupuncture, see your doctor.

The Risks to Yourself or Your Child

Surprisingly, no substantial correlation has been established between activating the limited regions and harming pregnant women or infants, according to research. Pain, redness, or bleeding at the injection site, infection, headache, weariness or difficulty sleeping, dizziness or faintness, irritability, nausea, and perspiration or overheating are the most common hazards.

However, because acupuncture can trigger uterine contractions and cervical change, you should consult your OB if you are concerned about premature labor or other pregnancy-related issues.

Conclusion

Acupuncture is safe to use during pregnancy, but further research is needed. As such, consult your doctor if you want to utilize acupuncture for pregnancy or general health. Acupuncturists who specialize in pregnancy may be recommended by your doctor.

Redmint offers acupuncture for women's health. Give us a call today and learn more about our treatments!