| Acupuncture is the ancient Chinese method of using | | | | women would be more likely to recognize this |
| tiny needles to stimulate specific areas or "meridians" | | | | problem and refer the patient back to her |
| of the body and to rebalance the body's energy, or | | | | obstetrician. |
| chi. Because acupuncture is especially effective for | | | | The most serious risk of using acupuncture during |
| chronic conditions, many pregnant women are turning | | | | pregnancy is that it may stimulate labor if it is |
| to acupuncture to provide drug-free relief from many | | | | improperly applied. Choosing an experienced |
| of the unpleasant symptoms of pregnancy. | | | | practitioner reduces this risk to almost negligible levels. |
| An Australian study showed that women who | | | | In fact, many women have turned to acupuncture to |
| received acupuncture treatments regularly before | | | | purposefully stimulate labor when their baby is |
| their 14th week of pregnancy had less nausea and | | | | overdue. Some women have found that labor |
| shorter bouts of morning sickness than women who | | | | induced by acupuncture is gentler than labor induced |
| did not receive the treatment. Acupuncture has also | | | | by drugs such as Pitocin. |
| been used to treat the more serious condition | | | | In addition to benefits during pregnancy, labor and |
| hyperemesis gravidarum, which causes serious | | | | delivery, acupuncture has been used to promote |
| vomiting that persists throughout pregnancy. | | | | fertility and to treat infertility. In a small German |
| During the second trimester, acupuncture has been | | | | study, women who used acupuncture in conjunction |
| used to successfully treat heartburn and hemorrhoids. | | | | with in vitro fertilization had a 42.5% success rate |
| In the third trimester, acupuncture can provide relief | | | | compared to 26.3% in women who used in vitro |
| from sciatica, joint pain and carpal tunnel syndrome, | | | | fertilization alone. Fertility specialists attribute this to |
| which many women develop late in pregnancy. | | | | the overall improvement of health that comes from |
| Acupuncture has even been used to relieve pain | | | | receiving regular acupuncture treatments. |
| during labor and delivery. | | | | Finally, acupuncture may have some benefits in |
| Pregnant women seeking to use acupuncture to | | | | treating post-partum depression. Although no |
| treat conditions developed during pregnancy should | | | | research has been done to support the efficacy of |
| be sure to visit a licensed and experienced | | | | acupuncture treatments on post-partum depression, |
| acupuncturist. For example, although acupuncture can | | | | anecdotal evidence shows that some women do |
| be used to treat edema, or swelling of the ankles, | | | | benefit from its use. Because acupuncture does not |
| edema can be an indicator of a serious problem. An | | | | cause harmful drug interactions, it can be a useful |
| acupuncturist experienced in treating pregnant | | | | complimentary therapy. |