Induction
Acupuncture can provide a non invasive and gentle inducement to labour if the baby is overdue and can be an effective alternative to a medical induction.
There are many reasons for inducing labour, such as:
- Hypertension, pre-eclampsia, heart disease, or bleeding during pregnancy.
- Risk of insufficient oxygen or nutrients supply from the placenta to the baby.
- Amniotic sac rupture.
- Uterine infection.
Acupuncture can help with all of these conditions. Research has shown that acupuncture stimulates the release of hormones such as prostaglandin (from the prostate gland) and oxytocin (from the pituitary gland) which are both effective for labor induction.