Will acupuncture help ease difficult pregnancy symptoms?

Will acupuncture help lessen my difficult pregnancy symptoms and is it safe at all stages of my pregnancy? #Askingforafriend

Dear Acu-Curious,

We have patients in various stages of life, including patients who are trying to conceive, patients who are pregnant, and patients who are in postpartum recovery.  These can be vulnerable and challenging times! Unfortunately, many pregnant patients suffer more than necessary because they don’t know all of their different options for symptom management and treatment. In exploring different treatment options, patients and their obstetric providers want to know: is it safe? And is it effective? The answer is YES! Lets dig into a few common symptoms and see if we can help you out!

First off: Safety!

The first question that patients ask is whether acupuncture is safe during pregnancy. The answer is: absolutely!  Acupuncture is an extremely safe intervention during pregnancy when performed by a specially trained and licensed acupuncturist. The most common adverse events (AEs) that people experience are needle sensitivity, bleeding at the acupuncture site, and bruising. A systematic review of acupuncture safety during pregnancy showed that although pregnant people are considered to be a more vulnerable population, there is no increased incidence of AEs from acupuncture among pregnant people (1). In other words, acupuncture is just as safe when you’re pregnant as it is when you’re not.  I work with patients who are referred by their obstetricians for help with pregnancy-related symptoms, and patients who independently seek additional support. 

Common Treatable Pregnancy Symptoms

Nausea: 

Acupuncture can be used to treat mild and moderate pregnancy-related nausea. Although I don’t know of any studies that confirm this, I’ve read several studies which indicate that acupuncture can reduce nausea caused by other conditions, such as post-operative nausea and nausea due to medications (2). In clinical practice, I have helped many pregnant women to manage their early pregnancy nausea and fatigue. About 75% of women experience nausea or vomiting during pregnancy, so if you’re one of them acupuncture may be able to help out!

Pain:

Acupuncture is a great tool for naturally reducing back pain, hip pain, headaches, and carpal tunnel, which are all pain-related conditions that may worsen during pregnancy (3). Considering that some pain medications are restricted during pregnancy, this is a common reason patients seek care with acupuncture during pregnancy, especially during the third trimester.

Emotional health:

 Pregnancy is an emotionally charged time for everyone, and changes in hormones may amplify the emotions for some women. Acupuncture helps to regulate the autonomic nervous system by reducing cortisol output and upregulating endorphins, which decreases symptoms of mild depression and anxiety (4). Regular treatment can help with fatigue, sadness, loss of appetite,  insomnia, and hypervigilance.

Most of these pregnancy-related symptoms require patients to complete a course of treatment before the issue resolves. Treatment can range from 3 or 4 sessions to care throughout pregnancy. I wish more people knew that they may minimize their suffering during pregnancy by committing to an hour a week with this simple tool! Remember, the pin is mightier than the sore!

1. Park J, Sohn Y, White AR, Lee H. The safety of acupuncture during pregnancy: a systematic review. Acupunct Med. 2014;32(3):257-266. doi:10.1136/acupmed-2013-010480

2. Morehead A, Salmon G. Efficacy of Acupuncture/Acupressure in the Prevention and Treatment of Nausea and Vomiting Across Multiple Patient Populations: Implications for Practice. Nurs Clin North Am. 2020;55(4):571-580. doi:10.1016/j.cnur.2020.07.001

3. Ee C C, Manheimer E, Pirotta M V, White A R. Acupuncture for pelvic and back pain in pregnancy: a systematic review. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 2008; 198(3): 254-259.

4. Hempel S, Taylor SL, Solloway MR, et al. Evidence Map of Acupuncture [Internet]. Washington (DC): Department of Veterans Affairs (US); 2014 Jan. EVIDENCE MAP OF ACUPUNCTURE FOR MENTAL HEALTH. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK185076/