Acupuncture for Pregnancy and Labour

[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” av_uid=’av-lx2ni1ng’ custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=”]

Acupuncture Treatment May Help During Pregnancy and Labour!

Acupuncture may be a useful treatment method to help facilitate a healthy pregnancy and labour. Acupuncture may be useful when you and your partner are attempting to conceive naturally or through IVF. It may also be helpful for many issues a woman may encounter during preganancy and to assist with the challenges of childbirth. Below are some of the ways in which acupuncture may be helpful throughout prenancy and labour.

Acupuncture for fertility, frozen embryo transfer, IVFYou’re Pregnant, What’s Next?

A surprisingly large number of women are burdened with infertility for various reasons. We understand that you may have undergone a whole load of medical interventions to get this far, or you may have found conception to be no trouble at all. Either way, the first few weeks of pregnancy may bring a variety of emotions. You are probably experiencing happiness, but may experience anxiety as well. According to traditional Chinese medicine and a scientific study published in Chinese journal of integrative medicine by Ying & Jing-zhi (2006), acupuncture treatment and Chinese herbs may help by reducing anxiety. Weekly acupuncture treatment for the first 3 months of pregnancy may also significantly modulate the immune system and reduce the risk of miscarriage.

Alleviate the Challenges of Pregnancy

Once you come to terms with the blessing of pregnancy, it’s time to sit back, stay healthy, and watch the tummy swell with life. But even mother nature needs help once in a while. Acupuncture may be helpful in addressing minor pregnancy disorders that may arise such as:

• Skin Rashes-

The final trimester is occasionally associated with itching, which can be quite uncomfortable and distressing. Rather than use antihistamines or steroids, pregnant women can seek the safer option of acupuncture.

Acupuncture may help relieve headaches and fatigue.• Pain-

Supporting a human being in your stomach is expected to take a toll on your body. Pregnant women may experience pubic bone pain, leg cramps, carpal tunnel syndrome, and sciatica. Acupuncture is a technique which may be used to manage these pains.

• Stress and Anxiety-

All medical practitioners agree that stress can have adverse effects on the baby’s health (immune system) and acupuncture may be a worthwhile intervention to reduce anxiety.

• Depression-

When your midwife, obstetrician, or general practitioner declares antidepressants as inappropriate or unsafe for your pregnancy, acupuncture may be a useful alternative.

• Haemorrhoids-

It’s fairly common for pregnant women to experience haemorrhoids, especially after labour. The combination of a balanced diet and acupuncture may help relieve the suffering associated with this condition.

• Varicose Veins-

Although acupuncture does not necessarily cure varicose veins in the vulva and legs, it may significantly mitigate the discomfort.

Pregnancy Diet• Excessive Weight Gain-

Acupuncture, exercise, and a healthy diet may improve metabolism and reduce the likelihood of weight problems and diabetes.

• Persistent Nausea or Vomiting-

Nausea and vomiting are common in pregnancy. Whether mild or debilitating, weekly acupuncture treatment may help to manage the symptoms.

• Fatigue and Anaemia-

Acupuncture, moxa treatment, and dietary measures may help women cope with fatigue and improve energy levels.

• Heartburn-

Up until the baby moves lower in the pelvis, soon-to-be mothers may experience heartburn, especially during the third trimester. Acupuncture and a carefully selected diet may help lessen the discomfort.

• Constipation-

If you are suffering from constipation, acupuncture, moderate exercise, drinking plenty of fluids, and a diet high in fibre may help.

• Headaches-

Acupuncture may ease the suffering from headaches or migraines during the early stages of pregnancy.

Labour:

During the last 4 weeks of pregnancy, acupuncture treatment once a week has been found to shorten the labour time, encourage cervical ripening, and reduce the rates of emergency caesarian. In a study published in the Medical Acupuncture journal, Betts & Lennox (2006) discovered that acupuncture treatment during the final weeks of pregnancy reduced the chances of medical intervention (caesarian deliveries, medical inductions, and epidurals) by up to 33% among 169 women in New Zealand. But if the membranes rupture prematurely, acupuncture may also be used to encourage labour and support a medical induction.
Therefore, acupuncture is an intervention that may make your pregnancy easier. Take care of yourself and your health and your baby’s health by visiting Centre of Balance, Hamilton.

Click to fill in the questionnaire now

References

Betts, D., & Lennox, S. (2006). Acupuncture for pre birth treatment: An observational study of its use in midwifery practice. Medical acupuncture, 17(3), 16-19.
Ying, L., & Jing-zhi, W. (2006). Effect of Gutai Decoction on the abortion rate of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer. Chinese journal of integrative medicine, 12(3), 189-193.
[/av_textblock]

Leave Comment

Monica

I am originally from Hebei province in China. I hold a NZ bachelor’s degree of health and science with a major in acupuncture. I am honoured to be an acupuncturist at Centre of Balance. Helping patients to alleviate their pain brings me the greatest joy. Chinese medicine emphasises the unity of human beings and nature. During the treatment, I hope to not only relieve your pain but also help you to understand the principles behind acupuncture’s effectiveness, as well as the significant impact of diet, emotions, lifestyle habits, and living environments on disease recovery. Self-healing is an ability that our bodies are naturally endowed with.

I studied acupuncture in New Zealand and completed one and a half years of supervised clinical internship before graduating. In the early stage of my training, I mainly worked with patients experiencing neck, shoulder, and lower back pain. Under the guidance of senior clinical tutors, I gradually developed hands-on experience and confidence in treating musculoskeletal pain conditions.
As my clinical exposure expanded, I began treating a wider range of internal conditions. Alongside traditional acupuncture, I was introduced to Umbilical Acupuncture and Tungs-acupuncture Points. What interested me most about these approaches is that they often do not require needling directly at the painful area, yet can still achieve very effective results.
I was especially inspired by observing my supervisor use Umbilical Acupuncture to treat common conditions such as insomnia, menstrual irregularities, and even rheumatoid arthritis, with very positive outcomes. Another supervisor was highly skilled in Tungs-acupuncture Points and achieved excellent results in treating pain, infertility, menstrual disorders, and a variety of women’s health conditions. After completing my studies and entering clinical practice, once I observed Dr. Szenan Phua using Tungs-acupuncture points to help cancer patients relieve pain, which further strengthened my trust in this treatment method.
I later completed training in Dr. Tan Balance Acupuncture, which had a strong influence on the way I approach treatment. One of the most noticeable features of this method is how quickly patients often feel improvement, especially with pain conditions. Dr. Szenan Phua’s New Balance Acupuncture combines meridian regulation with structural adjustment and internal organ balancing, including techniques such as pulse balancing and spinal adjustment.
From my clinical experience, pain is rarely just a local issue. It often involves underlying organ weakness or structural imbalance. When these aspects are addressed together, treatment can be more thorough and longer-lasting. I also apply this approach to internal conditions, particularly in fertility and women’s health. This includes supporting natural conception, IVF preparation and embryo transfer, pregnancy support, early-pregnancy nausea, and late-pregnancy labour induction. I combine these treatments with concepts learned from a few additional fertility training, which has given me a broader and more flexible clinical perspective. This has reinforced my belief that acupuncture should be adapted to each individual rather than applied through fixed formulas.
Two other areas of study that have been very helpful in my clinical work are Tongue Diagnosis and Dr. Zhu’s Scalp Acupuncture. Although tongue diagnosis is taught in my standard Chinese medicine training, further study allowed me to deepen and refine my diagnostic skills.
My first formal training was in Li’s Tongue Diagnosis, which looks not only at organ patterns, but also at how different areas of the tongue reflect the body’s structure. This system also explores personality traits and changes during pregnancy, making it both clinically useful and engaging. I later attended online lectures on Yin’s Tongue Diagnosis and studied the related materials independently. this learning has helped me make clearer and more accurate pattern differentiation, allowing my acupuncture treatments to be more targeted. It covers a wide range of conditions, including skin disorders, oncology-related presentations, mental health patterns, and joint or limb problems. In practice, tongue observation often provides valuable insight even before a patient begins describing their symptoms.
In addition to the methods above, I regularly use local bloodletting techniques, which can be very effective for improving circulation, reducing swelling, and relieving pain. I also incorporate auricular (ear) acupressure and stimulation, which I commonly use for allergies, insomnia, headaches, stress management, and various internal conditions.
In my clinical work, I value taking the time to listen carefully to each patient and to understand their overall health, lifestyle, and concerns. Based on each individual’s condition, I also provide personalised dietary guidance and lifestyle or wellness advice to support overall health and long-term wellbeing. I commonly support patients with musculoskeletal pain, such as neck, shoulder, knee, and back pain, as well as stress-related conditions, sleep issues, migraines, digestive concerns, and women’s health and fertility-related conditions.