Acupuncture for Labour Preparation and Induction
When the melon is ripe it falls from the vine. Success may well be a failure to induce labour because the melon is not ripe yet. Acupuncture only induces labour when the baby is ready as it is the baby which triggers the labour. In cultures where there is no induction the average length of gestation is 43 weeks for the first baby and 41 weeks for subsequent. Unfortunately, we live in a medical culture which is fixated on 40 weeks as the average length of gestation and then interventions keep the artificial statistical mean at 40 weeks.
As a practitioner specialising in women’s health the single most requested treatment is “acupuncture for labour induction”. This is often from women who have previously underwent a medical induction or women who want to avoid a medical induction.
Acupuncture can get you prepared for labour, relaxing your body and mind, relieving pain and reducing the stress associated with labour and birth.
Acupuncture can be very effective in helping a woman to relax prior to the natural onset of labour. It is important to understand here that acupuncture by no means mimics the medical labour induction that you might receive at a hospital when your mainstream medical health professionals are working to start the labour. This type of medical induction may be more invasive and may involve many more interventions.
Why Acupuncture for labour preparation?
It improves the chances that the expectant mum goes into labour closer to the EDD reducing the chances of a medical induction
It reduces the necessity of medical intervention potentially reducing the need for a caesarean section
Reduction in requirement for an epidural, indicating that labours were less painful
When should I begin Acupuncture for pre labour induction preparation?
Starting labour preparation treatments from 36 weeks gestation, 1-2 times per week, will gently encourage your body to start preparing for labour by stimulating uterine contractions to help the baby drop, and engage, soften the cervix for effacement and turning the baby if needed.
Starting treatments at 36 weeks will also allow you to get familiar with acupuncture, it will give you that necessary me time, relieving some of aches and pains associated with a growing belly and the strain it puts on the rest of your body.
This also gives us plenty of time to support you emotional and mentally, it allows us to address any fears and worries that you may have of the impending labour and birth. Relaxing the mind and body allows your body to produce more oxytocin and less stress hormones which favours a healthy labour and birth.
If however, you don’t get to us around the 36 week mark all is not lost. You can proceed with acupuncture even after your due date but ideally you want to get more than one acupuncture treatment per week.
If you are around 38 weeks – twice weekly acupuncture sessions are recommended until week 40, then every 2-3 days.
If you are starting acupuncture around your estimated due date or if an induction date has already scheduled – as often as daily if possible, or at least every 2-3 days.
According to a study in New Zealand, pre-birth acupuncture treatment can increase the chances of an efficient labour.
References:
Najafi F, Jaafarpour M, Sayehmiri K, Khajavikhan J. An Evaluation of Acupressure on the Sanyinjiao (SP6) and Hugo (LI4) Points on the Pain Severity and Length of Labor: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Study. Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res. 2018 Jan-Feb;23(1):1-7. doi: 10.4103/ijnmr.IJNMR_184_15. PMID: 29344038; PMCID: PMC5769178.
Hjelmstedt A, Shenoy ST, Stener-Victorin E, Lekander M, Bhat M, Balakumaran L, Waldenström U. Acupressure to reduce labor pain: a randomized controlled trial. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2010 Nov;89(11):1453-9. doi: 10.3109/00016349.2010.514323. Epub 2010 Sep 8. PMID: 20822474.
Mollart LJ, Adam J, Foureur M. Impact of acupressure on onset of labour and labour duration: A systematic review. Women Birth. 2015 Sep;28(3):199-206. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2015.03.007. Epub 2015 Apr 21. PMID: 25911499.
Raana HN, Fan XN. The effect of acupressure on pain reduction during first stage of labour: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2020 May;39:101126. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2020.101126. Epub 2020 Feb 29. PMID: 32379664.