Acupuncture to encourage labour
Acupuncture is used to support women throughout all stages of their fertility and pregnancy journey. One of the most common treatments for pregnant women in clinic is to encourage labour. Acupuncture is well known for effectiveness as a safe, natural approach to promote the natural onset of labour for women with post-term babies.
From 40 weeks onwards, and ideally allowing sufficient time before any medical induction is scheduled, it is recommended that women requiring labour support receive treatment every second day. Acupuncture can facilitate natural contractions, and in most cases only one treatment is needed to encourage the natural process along.
The benefits of acupuncture for labour induction:
Influences cervical dilation and ripening
Naturally stimulates uterine contractions
Reduces time from due date to delivery
Reduces likelihood of medical induction
Reduces the rate of epidural anaesthesia
Provides relaxation in cases of emotional distress
Research
A pilot study conducted with 16 pregnant women in 2008 found that there was a difference in intervention to delivery interval of 62 hours in favour of the acupuncture group. Furthermore, women had shorter labours by an average of 2 hours and 20 minutes.
(Effectiveness of Acupuncture for the Initiation of Labour at Term: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial Laura M. Gaudet, MD, et al., 2008).
In a study of fifty-six women at 39 weeks or greater with a singleton gestation and Bishop score (a system for predicting whether induction of labour will be required) of less than seven were randomised to usual medical care or usual care plus three acupuncture treatments. Compared with controls, women in the acupuncture group tended to be more likely to labour spontaneously and less likely to deliver by Caesarean section.
(A randomized controlled trial of acupuncture for initiation of labor in nulliparous women. Journal of Maternal Fetal Neonatal Medicine. 2006 Aug;19(8):465-70).
45 women on their due dates were randomised into either an acupuncture group or a control group to assess the effects of acupuncture on cervical ripening. The study concluded that acupuncture can shorten the time interval between the women's expected due date of delivery and time of delivery. The time from the woman's due date to delivery was an average of 5 days in the acupuncture group and 7.9 days in the control group. Labour was medically induced in 20% of women in the acupuncture group compared to 35% in the control group.
(Acupuncture for cervical ripening and labour induction at term - a randomised control trial. 2001. 113 (23-24): 942-6.)
Your practitioner will address the underlying reasons why labour may be delayed, and help you feel more calm and in control in preparation for labour. Aspects such as the position of the baby, the presentation of the cervix and whether the woman is emotionally and physically prepared for labour will be taken into consideration.