Pre-Birth Acupuncture
Preparing for labour
The Lab Pre-Birth Acupuncture Program
The Pre-Birth Acupuncture Program is a series of weekly treatments for pregnant women starting from week 35 of their pregnancy until labor commences. Specific prebirth acupuncture points are used to help prepare a woman's body for birth, with an emphasis on preparing and ripening the cervix and uterus. Research suggests that acupuncture may also reduce the mean time of labor and the likelihood of medical intervention during labor.
The treatments aim to promote a healthy and natural birth to:
1. Boast the overall energy of the mother
2. Increase stamina necessary for a healthy labour
3. Ripen the cervix and assist effacement
4. Assist the baby in being in the best position for labour
5. Aid relaxation and stress relief
6. Soften the ligaments and tendons prior to labour
7. Aid in cervical dilation.
Research suggests that pregnant women who receive pre-birth acupuncture treatment either go into spontaneous labor around their due dates or respond well to acupuncture induction and move efficiently into natural labor. Throughout the treatments in the weeks leading up to birth, there is also an opportunity to treat late pregnancy-induced symptoms as well as to support posterior-positioned babies to move to the optimal position.
Labour Preparation treatment begins at 35 weeks and is weekly to full term.
What is the cost of the program?
The total cost of the program is $450, you will receive between 6 and 10 treatments until you go into labour.
How many acupuncture sessions do I receive?
We would usually see you weekly from 35 weeks, then twice weekly once you reach your due date.How long are the acupuncture sessions and how can I expect to feel during them?
The acupuncture for birth sessions are 30 -45 minutes duration. Many women tell us it’s a calming, soothing and deeply relaxing experience.What does research tell us?
Gestation at onset of labour, incidence of medical induction, length of labour, use of analgesia, type of delivery.
What did they find?
When compared with local population rates, overall, 35% reduction in the number of inductions (Primigravida 43%), 31% reduction in Epidural rate, 32% reduction in emergency cesarean delivery, 9% increase in vaginal birth.RESEARCH
Acupuncture for Prebirth Treatment: D. Betts & S. Lennox Acupuncture for Prebirth treatment: An Observation Study of its use in Midwifery Practice , Medical Acupuncture Vol. 3
Kubista E Kucera H Geburtshilfe Perinatol 1974;178 224-9: Pre-birth acupuncture reduces the mean labour time
Zeisler et al. 1998: Pre-birth acupuncture reduces likelihood of medical intervention during labour
Sue Lennox and Debra Betts, Acupuncture in Pregnancy and Childbirth Read more: http://acupuncture.rhizome.net.nz/acupuncture/research/prebirth/
About the Author:
Riccardo Galeotti (BHSc.Acu, Lic Acu.) is a rehabilitative acupuncturist and the founder of The Body Lab. He is a passionate, nationally qualified and registered acupuncturist, with special interests in women’s health, hormonal issues, digestive health, biomechanics and movement-based exercises to eliminate pain. .Learn more about Riccardo here.