How Acupuncture Helps During Pregnancy

1Nausea

during pregnancy

Acupuncture is often very effective in reducing both the severity and incidence of nausea and
vomiting during pregnancy. Research from Australia (1) highlighted that women receiving
traditional acupuncture (where points where chosen according to an individual diagnosis)
experienced faster relief when compared to those groups receiving routine prescribed points or
sham acupuncture. This research also looked at the successful pregnancy outcomes for the
women involved, concluding acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for women who
experience nausea and dry retching in early pregnancy (2)

Muscular Skeletal Pain

Back pain, rib pain, sciatica and pubic symphysis pain are common in pregnancy and can all be
markedly reduced with acupuncture. Research from Sweden (3) concluded that when compared
to physiotherapy, acupuncture was the treatment of choice for pubic symphysis and sacroiliac
pain.

Breech and Posterior Babies

The practice guidelines for care of women with Breech presentation (4) recommends that
moxibustion may be offered to women from 33 weeks gestation. This follows research from Italy
(5) that demonstrated moxibustion can have a significant effect in helping to turn breech babies.
Ideally treatment is at 34 35 weeks, but can still be useful when used later in the pregnancy.
Techniques can also help babies that are not in the optimal position prior to birth, such as those in
a posterior position

Hypertension
Acupuncture can have an important role in assisting to reduce high blood pressure, especially if
treatment is commenced early when hypertension is first noted. The effectiveness of acupuncture
will be reflected in the improved blood pressure readings and blood tests used by midwives and
specialists to detect possible complications. As hypertension has the potential to escalate quickly,
ongoing medical monitoring remains essential throughout pregnancy.

Labor Preparation
Three to four weeks prior to the due date a treatment to prepare the pelvis and cervix can be
commenced. This is followed by one treatment per week until labor begins. Research from
Germany (6) indicated the potential for a more efficient active stage of labor. A New Zealand
study with midwives (7) indicated a reduction in women requiring medical intervention,
including medical induction and caesarean section.

Induction
Acupuncture can provide a gentle inducement to labor if the baby is overdue and can be an
effective alternative to a medical induction. Research from Norway (8) on the use of acupuncture
for women with premature rupture of membranes (PROM) concluded that Ideally acupuncture
treatment should be offered to all women with PROM and other women who wish to use this
method to facilitate their birth and keep it normal

Pain relief during Labor

Acupuncture offers drug free alternatives for pain relief during labor (9) Acupressure provides
vsimilar results (10) with the advantage that support people can use it during labor.

Other pregnancy problems

Treatment can be used to relieve a variety of conditions including:
Anemia Anxiety Bells Palsy Constipation Carpal Tunnel syndrome Heartburn
Hemorrhoids and Vulval varices Insomnia Edema Headaches Sinus problems
Threatened miscarriage Tiredness and exhaustion Thrush

Postnatal care
Acupuncture has techniques to promote recovery; these include mother warming treatments
that can be given by a partner, advice on diet and the use of specific strengthening and blood
building herbs. Other conditions that can be helped by acupuncture include; insufficient
lactation, wound healing and scar tissue repair, postnatal depression and urinary incontinence.
Acupuncture offers a safe, effective and drug free treatment option during pregnancy.

Food for Thought

Try to achieve a healthy balance of nourishing foods including:
Lean meat or fish see below for advice about which fish to eat.
Fresh fruit and vegetables, especially citrus fruits and dark green vegetables, which contain folic
acid.
Carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, grains, potatoes and cereals.
Milk and other dairy produce such as yogurt and cheese. See below for more advice about
which cheeses to avoid.
Plenty of water as pregnant women can become dehydrated easily.
In Chinese medicine we believe that food contains qi or energy and that foods that have been
heavily processed in a factory have been deprived of much of that energy and so are less
nutritious.
Consequently I ask my patients to eat as many whole unprocessed foods as possible and not rely
too heavily on frozen meals and pre-packaged snacks.
However it is important to remember that not all food preparation methods are detrimental. For
example, pasteurization makes foods much safer.

What Not to Eat

Fish is one of those controversial foods about which there is conflicting advice. On the one hand
pregnant women have been told to avoid it because of mercury toxicity and on the other hand a
recent article in the British medical journal The Lancet found that the children of mothers who
had eaten lots of fish during pregnancy had better communication and social skills.
There is no doubt that mercury toxicity in fish is a serious problem. Scientists have found that
mercury can be transferred to the growing fetus and cause health problems. Fish with the highest
concentrations of mercury are swordfish, shark, marlin, king mackerel and tile fish and these
should be avoided by pregnant women. Tuna can be high in mercury, but is also are a good
source of nutrition.
If you decide to eat tuna while youre pregnant, eat one serving or less a week. One serving is a 6
oz fillet or one can.

Fish that are low in mercury are shrimp, salmon, pollock and catfish and you can safely eat 2
servings or 12 oz of these fish a week. This way you will get the health benefits of eating fish
without exposing your baby to too much mercury. Incidentally the scientists believe that the
reason that fish seems to improve your babys intelligence is because it contains omega 3 fatty
acids which are important in brain development.
If you are concerned with fish, add a high quality fish oil to your daily intake.
In spite of the controversy about whether to eat fish or not all pregnant women should avoid
RAW fish, especially raw shellfish because of the risk of parasites. You should also avoid
smoked seafood unless it has been cooked for instance having smoked salmon in a creamy pasta
sauce would be fine. Canned smoked fish is also OK.
Dont eat liver and liver products while pregnant, as they contain high levels of vitamin A,
which can lead to birth defects.
Dont eat hot dogs, deli meats (such as turkey, ham, salami and bologna), refrigerated patties or
meat spreads because of the risk of listeria which can cause miscarriage or premature birth.
Canned pates are safe however. For the same reason you should avoid soft cheeses made with
un-pasteurized milk.
Examples are brie, camembert, feta, roquefort, queso blanco, and queso fresco. There is also a
slight risk of listeria from the kind of ready-to-eat pre-packaged meals you can get from the
supermarket so these should be served very hot.
All meat, poultry and seafood should be cooked thoroughly in order to kill bacteria. Likewise
you should wash all fruit and vegetables before eating, to avoid infection with toxoplasmosis, an
organism that can affect your baby. Its best to avoid sprouted grains and beans such as alfalfa,
clover and mung bean sprouts.
Dont eat raw or lightly cooked eggs because of the risk of salmonella.
Unless prescribed by a qualified herbalist you should avoid herbal supplements and teas.
Limit coffee to one cup a day and avoid alcohol all together.

Supplements
-Start taking a prenatal vitamin (important for more iron and folic acid).
-Fish or flaxseed oil, 1000mg 2 times a days (balances, hormone levels, fat and cholesterol while
reducing inflammation).
-Eat more alkaline foods such as non-citrus foods, vegetables, sprouts, wheat & barley grasses.
-supplement with L-arginine & L-carnitine (together, enhance egg quality, blood flow &
endocrine function. Take 500mg of each, 2x/day.
-Avoid stimulants such as coffee, alcohol, and nicotine.
-Avoid junk food, excessive stress and over exerting yourself as much as possible.
You can reach Andrew in his office at 917 843 3623