Can acupuncture help induce labour?
Acupuncture has a long history of being used to help to bring on labour naturally before 42 weeks of gestation. It may also assist with a more efficient labour and birth.
The aim of pre-birth acupuncture is to encourage Qi (our basic life force), along with baby, to descend. It also aims to prepare the cervix and pelvis for labour, by helping the cervix to soften and dilate. It may contribute to reduced rates of intervention, including medical inductions and caesarean sections.
A recent analysis found acupuncture may help to prepare pregnant women for labour by increasing the readiness (or ripeness) of the cervix (Smith, Armour & Dahlen 2017). The researchers examined 22 trials involving 3,456 women and assessed the evidence comparing acupuncture or acupressure with placebo or other labour induction methods. Overall, the researchers found acupuncture showed some benefit in improving cervical maturity.
Another analysis of 3,362 women found that acupuncture may be beneficial in reducing the rate of induction of labour, and that there was an increase in the spontaneous onset of labour rate favouring acupuncture versus no acupuncture (Zamora-Brito et al 2024).
We recommend a series of acupuncture treatments from week 37 onwards for the best outcome. This specifically includes weekly treatments from week 37 until delivery. Treatment frequency may increase to twice weekly from week 40.
These principles still apply if you are being induced, either for medical or non-medical reasons. Pre-birth acupuncture may still assist women in achieving a natural birth.
If you're past your due date, acupuncture offers a gentle alternative to medical labour induction. You may choose to try this first.
Also, acupuncture and moxibustion is well-known for helping to turn babies to the optimal position. If your baby is breech, we recommend weekly treatments from week 34 onwards. We also encourage you to perform moxibustion at home, and give you all the tools you need.
At your pre-birth acupuncture appointment, its also a great opportunity to treat any pregnancy-related symptoms you may have at this point in your journey. Acupuncture may be effective in managing lower back, hip and pelvic pain, sciatica, nausea, anxiety, reflux, constipation, headaches, muscle cramps, oedema (swelling), pregnancy-induced hypertension (pre-eclampsia), insomnia and fatigue. Acupuncture doesn’t have any side effects and is safe during pregnancy.
References:
Smith, C.A., Armour, M., Dahlen, H.G., 2017, Acupuncture or acupressure for induction of labour, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
Zamora-Brito, M., Fernandez-Jane, C., Perez-Guervos, R., Solans-Oliva, R., Arranz-Betegon, A., Palacio, M., 2024, The role of acupuncture in the present approach to labor induction: a systematic review and meta-analysis, American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, vol. 6, no. 2.