Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine in Pregnancy
Chinese medicine support at every stage of pregnancy
Early pregnancy
Congratulations, you’re pregnant! While you might be thrilled to bits, you might not yet be experiencing that “glow” everyone talks about. In fact you might be feeling bloated, nauseous and exhausted. Some women breeze through this stage of pregnancy but many find the first trimester challenging especially as it is often a time when women do not share this sacred news. Anxiety and apprehension about the weeks and months to come, especially if you’ve previously had fertility struggles or a miscarriage are very normal.
The great news is that acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine can certainly help alleviate many of these symptoms. Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine have been used for thousands of years and has been shown in scientific research to be effective and safe in pregnancy as long as given by a qualified practitioner who has been trained in the points and herbs to use during pregnancy and those to avoid.
Acupuncture for nausea
Some researchers believe that the heightened sense of smell and aversion to anything strong tastes and smells is an evolutionary mechanism to protect the embryo from food poisoning and environmental toxins such as cigarette smoke. This theory has merit as from an evolutionary perspective we did not have refrigeration for most of our evolutionary history!
Some women experience disabling nausea to the point where they can barely get out of bed and their diet becomes very restricted. If you are finding it hard to cope with morning sickness, acupuncture can be very useful. Research shows that those women having acupuncture in their first trimester were better able to function in everyday life than those who took the drugs for nausea.
Acupuncture to boost your energy levels
No wonder you are extremely fatigued in the first trimester, you have an entire human being formed in utero and the energy required to make this baby (babies) is enormous! Feeling extremely tired in early pregnancy may be another evolutionary adaptation that encourages us to rest during this time. However, women who have acupuncture during their pregnancy cope better with this extreme fatigue.
Clinically, patients report that acupuncture is very effective at gently boosting their energy levels. It is a time for forced relaxation and a micro-nap which is very restorative and balancing. An acupuncture treatment is personalised to each woman based on her symptoms, tongue and pulse diagnosis. Only points that are safe to use during pregnancy are used and no points are used near the abdomen. Very gentle acupuncture technique is used and sessions are very calm and gentle.
Acupuncture to calm your mind
Acupuncture is fantastic for calming the mind and harmonising the emotions. Many women find themselves feeling anxious at the change in their circumstances and wondering how they will cope with pregnancy, birth or being a mum. Acupuncture treatments, as well as have an experienced practitioner to confide in can be extremely beneficial. Incredibly, acupuncture can also help improve your sleep at a time when hormonal changes may be interfering with your night’s rest.
Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine to help protect against miscarriage
A major concern for most women is miscarriage. This is something no-one wants to experience. Most miscarriages are caused by chromosomal abnormalities in the embryo, and cannot be avoided as nature takes control of mistakes that may happen randomly. However, there are other causes of miscarriage which may occur due issues with the embryo implanting in the endometrium of the uterus. So, particularly if you have had more than one miscarriage, acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine may be of benefit.
Animal studies have shown that acupuncture and herbal medicine may help counteract an over-active immune system or aid implantation by increasing blood flow to the endometrium. There has not been much research done on this in humans, but one study of 250 women who had become pregnant after IVF showed that those who took Chinese herbal medicine as well as a standard medication (progesterone) to support the pregnancy had a significantly lower miscarriage rate (13% miscarried) than those who just took the progesterone alone (23% miscarried).
There are several acupuncture points that can be used which may reduce the chance of miscarriage. I recommend that women who’ve had previous miscarriages, especially if a chromosomal cause has been ruled out, have acupuncture weekly from conception (preferably before, as part of a pre-conception program) until about 12-13 weeks. Herbs may also be useful in this situation.
If you do experience bleeding in pregnancy, as alarming as it seems, remember that reasons other than miscarriage are often found, such as bleeding from the implantation site and hormonal changes affecting the cervix. Get checked out medically (see your obstetrician or ask your GP for a referral) and also see your acupuncturist as soon as you can, and hopefully your mind can be put at ease.
Acupuncture in the 2nd trimester
Congratulations on making it through the enormous changes of the first trimester and welcome to the 2nd trimester where you will start to feel much better, with energy levels picking up and nausea subsiding and your pregnancy glow may now emerge! Acupuncture during this time focuses on any symptoms that may appear such as poor digestion, heartburn, bloating, constipation, poor sleep, musculoskeletal pain, headaches and immune support.
Acupuncture in the 3rd trimester
You can now feel your baby kicking and your excitement to meet this new special person is building. Acupuncture during the 3rd trimester helps to prepare your body and mind for delivery and the post natal period. Pre-birth acupuncture can assist with cervical ripening and can relax tendons and ligaments in the pelvis. It also increases blood flow which improves nutrition to the baby via the umbilical cord and decreases stress which allows the mind to prepare for labour. Research shows that regular acupuncture from week 30 significantly decreases the risk of a medical induction, emergency caesar, forceps delivery, the need for epidural and decreases the length of active labour.
Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine in the 4th trimester - the post natal period
This is a time of massive growth and learning for every woman and her partner as you embark upon parenthood. Support by an experienced Chinese Medicine Practitioner can help with post natal recovery, breast milk production, sleep, energy and hormonal changes that may effect mood.
Written by Mandi Azoulay
Mandi Azoulay is a Doctor of Chinese Medicine with an innovative approach to diagnosis and treatment. With a special interest in women’s health, Mandi supports patients though all life cycles by integrating the philosophies of Traditional Chinese Medicine with the research and modern advancements of Western Medicine.