Acupuncture as a Routine Pre-birth Treatment 

“A pregnant woman carries with her the finest piece of jade.  She should enjoy all things, look at fine pictures and be attended by handsome servants”  Chinese Medical Classic

The Western view of pregnancy falls somewhere between two quite extreme stools; one, that pregnancy is a medical condition that is problematic and should therefore be controlled medically; or two, that pregnancy is, on the other hand, something that should in no way interfere with a healthy woman’s daily life.  These ideas have evolved over time and tend to change periodically depending on the prevailing mood of the time.

Chinese medicine likewise has a long documented history of how it believes expectant mothers should moderate their lifestyle to ensure the best possible health of their child and the safest birth.  This advice includes dietary guidelines for each month of pregnancy, advice on physical activity, guidelines on abstaining from non-prescription medications and alcohol, as well as recommendations not to lift heavy objects.  Women were advised to take frequent walks, to rest often, but not excessively, and to avoid excesses of the emotions, as well as abstaining from sex.  The advice on regulating the emotions even extended to taking care when viewing adverse colours and listening to indecent sounds.

In acupuncture this historical preoccupation with ensuring optimal conditions for childbirth continues into the modern era.  Treatment is centred round ensuring that a woman’s chi and blood are circulating appropriately in the weeks shortly before delivery.  In practise, these types of pre-birth treatments generally have the effect of shortening the average duration of delivery and of reducing the rate of medical intervention.  Although this type of treatment follows a specific point prescription, this can be adjusted on a weekly basis to take account of other presenting problems, such as insomnia, hypertension, heartburn and mal-position of the baby.  Treatment is usually once a week, from weeks 37 until delivery.  Because of this time spent with the soon-to-be-mum, it is an ideal time to also show them some massage points that can be used for relieving pain during delivery.