The Many Benefits of Acupuncture Treatment for the Inducement of Labor

Throughout time, the Eastern medicine healing tradition known as acupuncture has been determined to be a very good way of treating a vast number of health problems and surprisingly, it is also used to help speed up labor in women. How is that possible?

To a lot of mothers, going into labor can be an undesirable and difficult experience. Anyone who has ever experienced being in labor can only relate how painful it is and there are no words to describe the excruciating pain pregnant women have to endure prior to giving birth.

Being in labor is such a terrible agony and worse, it may last for hours or even days. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to expedite labor. If you are one of these who fear going through the stage of labor of pregnancy, acupuncture can help you go through it quickly and without pain.

How Is Acupuncture Done?

Acupuncture has been around for thousands of years. It revolves around a belief that the body consists of channels or meridians which serve as the vessels in which life energy called chi or qi flows throughout the body. Diseases begin to develop when these meridians are blocked.

More and more pregnant women through the years have gotten to know acupuncture’s power in helping them get through labor and delivery simply and successfully. A growing number of physicians are now recommending acupuncture before delivery since this Oriental art of treatment does not have negative side effects. It was found in one study that acupuncture can help turn a breech fetus shortly before delivery.

Acupuncture, from the viewpoint of Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has the power to provide physical and emotional support to women when they are in labor. It does not have any side effects to mother and baby compared to Western pharmaceutical medications.

These days, several women have relied on drugs that induce labor when delivering a baby. Pitocin, which is an induction medication, has side effects that can be very dangerous to both the mother and the baby. Some of the side effects can be serious and can include postpartum hemorrhage, cardiac arrhythmia, anaphylactic reaction, fatal afibrinogenemia, premature ventricular contractions, and pelvic hematoma.

Acupuncture Treatment for Labor – Its Benefits

Acupuncture assists in accelerating the process of labor. It can also limit the possibility of C-section surgery and reduces complications. With acupuncture, you don’t need the use of oxytocin that can help speed up labor. The treatment also lessens the need for painkillers before giving birth.

For pregnancy that has reached beyond 40 weeks, acupuncture can also play a vital role in inducing labor and in strengthening and increasing the frequency of contraction. In truth, the treatment aids in labor induction within 48 hours in women who were deemed by their doctors to be overdue. It also can be helpful for issues related to labor and giving birth like anxiety, fatigue, fear, and the management of pain.

Acupuncture’s effects may not be that immediate in spite of its effectiveness in inducing labor. A lot of hospitals often encourage the patient to get in and out of labor the natural way. But since hospital stays can cost a lot, it is practical to get well faster to bring your expenses to a minimum. To help you get well quickly, it is recommended that you start getting acupuncture treatments prior to the arrival of your due date. Qualified acupuncturists are able to give you complete information on how long you ought to wait before your labor begins.

Acupuncture Points That Can Help Bring About Labor

Pain associated with labor usually comes when the cervix is starting to stretch. Acupuncture during the start of labor will increase the amounts of endorphin that assists the mother to cope with the labor related pain.

Helping influence the muscles of the uterus that can aid in strengthening contraction is the stimulation of acupoints known as the “Forbidden Points.” These points are called forbidden points since they should not be activated in any other times except during pregnancy.

Some acupoints on the ear can also be stimulated and can be a good way to increase uterine contractions and reduce pain. Stimulating the ear acupoints can also help provide adequate amounts of energy that, in turn, can help prevent prolonged labor besides its ability to relieve pain.

A lot of acupoints for labor reside in the ears. When you stimulate the ear acupuncture points with mild electrical pulses, acupuncture can help accelerate contractions particularly when labor has started to slow down. The stimulation of acupuncture points can also provide a relaxing sensation besides its ability to provide relief of pain.

Amy-SuiQun Lui, L.Ac.
Asian Health Center
27059 Grand Army of the Republic Hwy
Cleveland, OH 44143
Tel: (440) 833-0983