Is Acupuncture During Pregnancy Safe?

There are more than 2,000 acupuncture and acupressure points on the human body according to TCM, and only a few of them are traditionally considered “off limits” during pregnancy.⁴ Acupuncture is also a highly individual holistic therapy. So, your acupuncturist will ask you many questions before beginning to ensure they understand exactly what your needs are. That way, they can provide the most customized, relaxing, and therapeutic experience possible. That said, apart from the “forbidden points” to remember for acupuncture when pregnant, most of the other acupuncture points can be used as a drug-free option to treat the symptoms of nausea, back pain, headaches, depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and other problems experienced by many pregnant women.⁵ Some of the most commonly used points to treat a range of pregnancy discomforts include:

• P6 or “Neiguan”: This point is measured by about two finger widths above the inner wrist. It stimulates relaxation and can help reduce nausea from morning sickness.
• K9 or “Zhubin”: This point sits a bit above the inner ankle bone and can help reduce anxiety and sleep troubles. It is often used to reduce blood pressure as well.
• ST36 or “Zusanli”: This point is situated along the outer side of your tibia and it can help calm gastrointestinal upset and reduce swelling.
• BL67 or “Zhiyin” is used to help reorient a baby from a breech situation.

In addition to supporting a healthy pregnancy, acupuncture can be helpful in a variety of fertility situations. If you are a woman or a man trying to boost fertility just to get pregnant, acupuncture can help. Acupuncture can also help during the postpartum period after pregnancy in several ways, including providing relief for postpartum depression.

Benefits of Acupuncture During Pregnancy

As a drug-free, holistic, supportive therapy, many women are turning to acupuncture to find relief from the most common and troubling difficulties they experience during pregnancy and postpartum months. Acupuncture helps the body regulate itself naturally and can be especially beneficial in the following conditions:

1. Morning Sickness

Morning sickness can strike with nausea and vomiting any time of the day or night and is usually at its worst during the first trimester of pregnancy. If the morning sickness is particularly severe, it may be diagnosed as Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG), which may require hospitalization to prevent dehydration and keep nutrients flowing. Wide-ranging studies have found that acupuncture at the P6 point on the wrist can reduce the vomiting and nausea symptoms.⁶

2. Aches and Pains

As pregnancy progresses, the hormone relaxin starts loosening the joints to prepare the body for delivery. This can cause a variety of aches and pains, but the most common complaint is pregnancy lower back pain. Extra weight from the growing baby and a shifting center of gravity also contribute to this problem. Several studies have shown that acupuncture is an effective, drug-free pain relief option.⁷

3. Breech Babies

Breech-presenting babies coming out feet-first causes dangerous complications for both babies and mothers during delivery. Sometimes a C-section is necessary if the baby can’t be adjusted. However, some studies indicate that a combination of acupuncture at point BL67 combined with moxibustion (another TCM technique) done over 30 minutes for three days in one week can trigger some babies to adjust to a safer, head-first position.⁸

4. Labor Pain

6. Sleep Problems

Between the aches and pains, anxiety, “morning sickness” that can last into the night, heartburn, and frequent trips to the bathroom, getting a good night’s sleep during pregnancy is hard. Fortunately, there is considerable evidence that acupuncture can help pregnant women optimize their sleep time, so they can have more energy and a better outlook during the day.¹¹

Schedule a Session with a Licensed Acupuncturist

Pregnancy is an exciting, but often somewhat uncomfortable time. If you want to try acupuncture when pregnant, or any of our other holistic pregnancy support services in Chicago or Highland Park, schedule a consultation with our licensed fertility and pregnancy acupuncturist today.

References

1. Park, J., Sohn, Y., White, A. R., & Lee, H. (2014). The Safety of Acupuncture during Pregnancy: A Systematic Review. Acupuncture in Medicine, 32(3), 257–266. https://doi.org/10.1136/acupmed-2013-010480

2. Moffet, H. H. (2006). How might acupuncture work? A systematic review of physiologic rationales from clinical trials. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-6-25

3. Levett, K. M., Sutcliffe, K. L., & Betts, D. (2019). Using Forbidden Points in Pregnancy: Adverse Outcomes and Quality of Evidence in Randomized Controlled Trials—A Systematic Narrative Review. Medical Acupuncture, 31(6). https://doi.org/10.1089/acu.2019.1391

4. John Hopkins Medicine. (2019). Acupuncture. John Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/acupuncture‌

5. da Silva, J. B. G. (2015). Acupuncture in Pregnancy. Acupuncture in Medicine, 33(5), 350–352. https://doi.org/10.1136/acupmed-2015-010938

6. Lu, H., Zheng, C., Zhong, Y., Cheng, L., & Zhou, Y. (2021). Effectiveness of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Hyperemesis Gravidarum: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: ECAM, 2021, 2731446. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/2731446

7. Li, R., Chen, L., Lin, X., Zhen, R., Xu, Y., Huang, J., & Ren, Y. (2023). Efficacy and safety of acupuncture for pregnancy-related low back pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Heliyon, 9(8), e18439–e18439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18439

8. Neri, I., Airola, G., Contu, G., Allais, G., Facchinetti, F., & Benedetto, C. (2004). Acupuncture plus moxibustion to resolve breech presentation: a randomized controlled study. The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, 15(4), 247–252. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767050410001668644

9. Shen, X., & Bagherigaleh, S. (2019). Acupuncture and Pregnancy: Classical Meets Modern. Medical Acupuncture, 31(5), 248–250. https://doi.org/10.1089/acu.2019.29125.shn

10. Affairs, img src=’/content/sm-profiles/michelle_brandt/_jcr_content/image img 620 high jpg/profileMBrandtM jpg’ alt=’Michelle B. M. B. M. B. is the associate director for digital communications and media relations for the medical school’s O. of C. & P. (2006, May 10). Acupuncture lessens depression symptoms during pregnancy, study shows. News Center. https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2010/02/acupuncture-lessens-depression-symptoms-during-pregnancy-study-shows.html

11. Zhang, M., Zhao, J., Li, X., Chen, X., Xie, J., Meng, L., & Gao, X. (2019). Effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for insomnia: Protocol for a systematic review. Medicine, 98(45), e17842. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000017842