Acupuncture for Inducing Labor – Houston, Texas
Although the beliefs of Western science regarding inducing labor and acupuncture remain underdeveloped, acupuncture has been used as a means of initiating labor in many regions of Asia for thousands of years. A recent study performed by the University of North Carolina indicates that acupuncture may indeed have a positive effect on inducing labor.
The study included 56 women who were between 39.5 and 41 weeks pregnant. Half of those women were given three acupuncture treatment sessions, while the other women received no acupuncture. 70% of the women who received acupuncture went into labor free of medical intervention. 50% of those who did not receive acupuncture did the same. The study also showed that acupuncture treatments can improve the chances of allowing for a vaginal birth. 17% of the women who received acupuncture delivered by cesarean section, while 39% of those who only received standard treatment did the same.
Terry Harper MD, the researcher who oversaw the study, said that a larger sample size will be needed before results can be deemed conclusive. Another study is currently being conducted on inducing labor and acupuncture at the same university.
How Does Acupuncture Induce Labor?
During acupuncture treatments designed to induce labor, acupuncture needles are applied to various strategic locations in the feet, lower legs and hands. The acupuncture needles themselves are incredibly thin (approximately five of them could fit into the hole of a typical hypodermic needle). When the needles are inserted, pain is rarely experienced.
Acupuncture treatments for labor induction stimulate the woman’s body, and reprogram its energy to prepare it for labor. Acupuncture offers varying levels of effectiveness and immediacy for different women when used to induce labor. Some women begin labor immediately after a single treatment, while others require a few treatments before labor begins.
Acupuncture for Inducing Labor: A Safe Alternative
Many women use acupuncture to induce labor because of its safety relative to drugs commonly used for the same purpose, such as Pitocin. Pitocin is often used because it starts contraction immediately after application. However, the immediacy of a woman’s reaction to Pitocin can actually be a disadvantage for this treatment method, since the woman and/or the baby may not yet be ready for labor. In addition, Pitocin has several potential side effects, including pelvic hematoma, vomiting, nausea, cardiac arrhythmia, postpartum hemorrhage, anaphylactic reaction and fatal afibrinogenemia. Acupuncture has no harmful side effects, and is completely safe for the baby as the application points are distant from the woman’s uterus.
If you’d like more information on how Acupuncture can help Induce Labor, or to set up an appointment please contact us below. We are here to help!
