A pregnant body is constantly changing, leading to well-known and unknown pregnancy complaints. Many women experience nausea, constipation, and a significant hormonal imbalance. Read on to see what acupuncture during pregnancy can do for you.
Can you use acupuncture during pregnancy?
Unlike many conventional medicines, acupuncture during pregnancy is completely safe. The hormone and energy balance in pregnant women are often disturbed, and this is precisely what Traditional Chinese Medicine focuses on. There are several acupuncture treatments that can restore the energy balance during pregnancy. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, a different organ is central in each phase of pregnancy. Treatment is tailored based on this philosophy. The acupuncture treatments are entirely painless for both mother and child.
Pregnancy complaints that can be treated with acupuncture
Nausea (often due to the stomach being squeezed by the uterus), headaches, lower back pain, fatigue, sleep problems, Braxton Hicks contractions, high blood pressure, and restless legs can all be treated with acupuncture during pregnancy. Nausea is the most common complaint for which acupuncture is used during pregnancy. Acupuncture may also be a suitable treatment for other health problems for which you are not allowed to take medications because you are pregnant. Feel free to contact one of our specialized acupuncturists to discuss your complaints and wishes.
Trying to conceive? Getting pregnant with the help of acupuncture
A woman's hormonal balance plays a significant role in fertility. The cycle indicates whether the hormones are in balance or disrupted. When the menstrual cycle is mapped, acupuncture can be used to enhance fertility.
Acupuncture to boost fertility (fertility enhancement)
German research shows that acupuncture, in addition to IVF treatments, significantly increases the chances of pregnancy. It has not been demonstrated why the number of pregnancies with IVF in combination with acupuncture is much higher than with IVF without acupuncture. It is plausible that the acupuncture treatment points counteract uterine contractions that normally occur during the insertion of an embryo, thereby increasing the chances of pregnancy. Additionally, it improves the blood circulation in the uterus and reduces stress in women. Besides treating the woman, the man can also receive acupuncture treatment to enhance fertility.
Acupuncture in IUI (Intra-Uterine Insemination)
Besides IVF, acupuncture can also help with IUI, or Intra-Uterine Insemination. In this treatment, the man's sperm is introduced high into the woman's uterus just before her ovulation. If IUI does not seem to work, the next step can be IVF. Acupuncture is an excellent method to increase the success of insemination with IUI.
Acupuncture for breech babies
Are you pregnant, but the baby is in a breech position? Then acupuncture can help turn the baby. From week 34, acupuncture treatment for breech presentation can be applied. This treatment can be continued at home with an additional acupuncture technique, the heated Moxa stick.
What is a breech presentation?
When a baby in the womb lies with its head up and buttocks down, it is referred to as a breech presentation. Breech presentation occurs in about 3% of pregnant women. The cause of the breech position is often unknown but is more common in multiple pregnancies or with a placenta previa. A breech delivery is possible but often comes with complications. Children in breech presentation are also often delivered by cesarean section.
When to treat breech presentation with acupuncture?
A pregnancy with a breech presentation can be treated from week 34. Only a few small needles are needed, so both mother and child feel nothing from the treatment.
Inducing labor with acupuncture
For women who have been waiting a long time for labor to start, acupuncture offers a solution. Through acupuncture, labor can be induced naturally. Nothing is forced, and both mother and child feel nothing from the treatment. The woman's body is gently prepared for a natural delivery.
Acupuncture during pregnancy at various locations in the Randstad
We apply acupuncture for all the above-mentioned pregnancy issues in all our branches. Make an appointment online for an acupuncture treatment at one of our locations in Breukelen, Hoofddorp, Nieuw-Vennep, Rijswijk / Delft, Voorburg or Wassenaar.
