Before you conceive

Recent research has shown that having Acupuncture before you try for a baby, can increase your chances of getting pregnant. Many patients have found that Acupuncture support has contributed to conceiving naturally, whilst other patients undergoing assisted conception (IVF, IUI) have found Meridian Acupuncture® helpful during down regulation (in the control of mood swings), egg ripening, egg collection, as well as pre and post transfer of embryos.

Once you’re pregnant

Some women worry about staying pregnant, especially if they have miscarried before. Although there are many reasons for miscarriages, not all of which are preventable, Acupuncture can in many cases, stabilise the pregnancy and allow it to proceed to full term. [West Z. Acupuncture in Pregnancy and Childbirth. Churchill Livingstone; p2001]

During your pregnancy

Your body adapts to carrying the baby/babies, waters and placenta – which can place physical strain on the organs and muscles. Meridian Acupuncture® can help you cope with the enormous physical, chemical and emotional changes that will happen in a relatively short space of time.

Discomforts of pregnancy

Specific Acupuncture points can help to ease any of the following symptoms that you may be feeling:

• Heart Burn
• High Blood Pressure – Denise Tiran, Harry Chummun, Complementary therapies to reduce physiological stress in pregnancy, Complementary Therapies in Nursing and Midwifery Volume 10, Issue 3, August 2004, Pages 162–167
• I0000nsomnia and Exhaustion
• Nausea and Vomiting – Smith et al in 2002 published two articles from their research on nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. The first looked at the effectiveness of acupuncture [Smith C, Crowther C, Beilby J. Acupuncture to treat nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy: a randomized trial. Birth.2002 Mar:29 (1):1-9]. and the second at the safety of acupuncture treatment in early pregnancy [Smith C, Crowther C, Beilby J. Pregnancy outcome following women’s participation in a randomised controlled trial of acupuncture to treat nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy. Complement Ther Med. 2002 Jun; 10(2):78-83].
• Breathing difficulties
• Sinusitis
• Pelvis Girdle or Symphis Pubis Painb [Elden H, Ladfors l, Fagevik Olsen M, Ostaard H, Hagberg H. Effects of acupuncture and stabilising exercisers as adjunct to standard treatment in pregnant women with pelvic girdle pain: randomised singleblind controlled trial. BMJ 2005;330:761]
• Constipation
• Varicose Veins and Haemorrhoids.

Breech and Posterior babies

In caring for women with breech presentation, moxibustion (a gentle warming technique), can be offered to women from 33 weeks. Additional Acupuncture points can also help to turn babies that are in a posterior position, and thus assist in the baby having a more optimal position prior to birth. [Francesco Cardini, MD; Huang Weixin, MD, Moxibustion for Correction of Breech Presentation – A Randomized Controlled Trial, JAMA. 1998;280(18):1580-1584. doi:10.1001/jama.280.18.1580].

Birth Preparation

3 to 4 weeks before the due date, a treatment using Acupuncture points in your hands and feet starts preparing the pelvis and cervix for birth. This is followed by 1 treatment per week until labour begins. If you choose to have regular Acupuncture, you may find that you deliver more safely and quickly – in 12 contractions or less ! though it really depends on the position of the baby as every birth is different. [Rabl M, Ahner R, Bitschnau M, Zeisler H, Husslein P. Acupuncture for cervical ripening and induction of labour at term – a randomised controlled trial. Wien Klin Wochenschr 2001; 113 (23-24): 942-6]

Induction and During Labour

If your baby is overdue, Meridian Acupuncture® can offer a safe and drug-free way of promoting labour. Acupuncture is great for pain relief, and also helps to gently relax the uterus and ensure the cervix dilates gradually and fully [Terry C. Harpera, Remy R. Coeytaux MD, PhDb*, Wunian Chenb,Kathryn Campbellc, Jay S. Kaufmand, Kenneth J. Moise Jra &John M. Thorp Jra – A randomized controlled trial of acupuncture for initiation of labor in nulliparous women, The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, Volume 19, Issue 8, 2006]

Supply of Breast Milk

Sometimes breast feeding does not happen immediately, and this is where Acupuncture can help not only to relieve anxiety that new Mums may be feeling, but also naturally start lactation.

Ali is a member of the non profit organisation ACT Northwest (The Acupuncture Childbirth Team), a special interest group to promote safe, natural birthing services for pregnant women and also a member of the AFN (Acupuncture Fertility Network).

•