Acupuncture for Pregnancy Symptoms & Postnatal Depression.
Pregnancy is a time of significant and rapid changes for a woman's body. The average length of pregnancy (gestation) is counted as 40 weeks, starting from the first day of the mother's last menstrual period.
The chance of miscarriage is highest in the first trimester (12 weeks) of pregnancy and any symptoms of threatened miscarriage including abdominal cramps and vaginal bleeding must be investigated promptly.
Diagnosing and managing symptoms of perinatal anxiety and depression during pregnancy is also important, as it can be a serious illness that affects up to one in five expecting or new mothers.
What Does The Research Say?
The following insights are obtained from systematic reviews and analysis of clinical trials investigating the efficacy of Chinese medicine and acupuncture for pregnancy symptoms & postnatal depression.
2022 Frontiers in Public Health
The study found that acupuncture as an adjuvant therapy for frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) in infertile women had positive effects on pregnancy outcomes.
The study investigates the effects of acupuncture as supplementary therapy for frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) in infertile women. It finds significant positive impacts on clinical pregnancy rate, biochemical pregnancy rate, endometrial thickness, and pattern. However, the evidence quality is considered unsatisfactory, prompting a call for more robust research and refined acupuncture protocols.
Effects of acupuncture on the pregnancy outcomes of frozen-thawed embryo transfer: A systematic review and meta-analysis Zhu C, Xia W, Huang J, Zhang X, Li F, Yu X, Ma J, Zeng Q
2022 Frontiers in Endocrinology
PCOS patients suggests that combining acupuncture with metformin might enhance pregnancy and ovulation rates, as well as improve insulin resistance.
The study initially screened 330 relevant articles, eventually including nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that met the inclusion criteria. These trials encompassed 1,159 patients with PCOS who underwent acupuncture or acupuncture combined with metformin treatment. Using the GRADE method, a "Summary of Findings" table was employed to evaluate the quality of evidence for various outcome measures. The main results indicated that acupuncture combined with metformin exhibited superiority over metformin alone in terms of pregnancy rate, ovulation rate, and HOMA-IR (insulin resistance). Subgroup analysis highlighted that diagnostic criteria and random methods contributed to heterogeneity in results.
However, the evidence's quality was predominantly low or very low due to study limitations, inconsistencies, and imprecisions. The intervention measures, such as acupuncture methods and treatment parameters, varied substantially among studies. Challenges in contacting original authors and incomplete information posed further limitations. The study suggested potential improvements in pregnancy rate, ovulation rate, and HOMA-IR with acupuncture combined with metformin, but these findings were subject to uncertainties related to diagnostic criteria and overall evidence quality. Consequently, the conclusive efficacy of acupuncture combined with metformin for treating PCOS remains uncertain due to the dearth of high-quality research. The study called for well-designed and well-executed RCTs to address this question under standardized diagnostic criteria and treatment protocols for acupuncture and metformin.
Acupuncture combined with metformin versus metformin alone to improve pregnancy rate in polycystic ovary syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis Chen X, Lan Y, Yang L, Liu Y, Li H, Zhu X, Zhao Y, Long C, Wang M, Xie Q, Li Z, Wu J
2022 Jurnal Kebidanan
Lavender aromatherapy is more effective in reducing pain intensity during active Phase I labor than lemon aromatherapy.
The methodology employed for this study was a quasi-experimental format utilizing a non-equivalent control group pretest and posttest design. The research was conducted in the City of Mataram with a total of 30 mothers, 15 of whom were given lavender aromatherapy and the remaining 15 given lemon aromatherapy. All participants were selected using a total sampling technique.
The results showed a marked decrease in pain intensity for those mothers who were given lavender aromatherapy compared to those who received lemon aromatherapy, during the active phase I of labor. Despite both groups displaying a significant decline in discomfort according to the posttest data, the average decrease was more pronounced for the group that used lavender aromatherapy. This evidence advocates for the further exploration of lavender's potential uses in childbirth pain relief management.
Comparison of The Effectiveness of Lavender and Lemon Aromatherapy Toward Reducing Pain Labor During Active Phase of First Stage Lestari CI, Amilia R, Rospia ED
2021 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Acupuncture is an effective approach for hyperemesis gravidarum and has a great potential to mitigate ketonuria, ease nausea and vomiting, increase food intake, and shorten the hospital stay.
Studies meeting inclusion criteria, from 1995 to 2020, have been incorporated into this meta-analysis to make evaluations on the outcome of acupuncture in the treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). Totally, 16 studies and 1043 patients (531 vs 512) were covered. According to this study, acupuncture was more effective than the conventional treatment of HG; it could better promote the conversion of the urinary ketone to improve ketonuria. In terms of symptoms, acupuncture seems to be more effective in reducing nausea and vomiting and increasing food intake.
In short, acupuncture is an effective approach for HG and has a great potential to mitigate ketonuria, ease nausea and vomiting, increase food intake, and shorten the hospital stay. There is some evidence that acupuncture may be utilized as a supplement and alternative to HG. However, the poor quality of the incorporated studies and potential publication bias can exert a certain impact on the results. For the better clinical application and promotion of acupuncture in the treatment of HG, more large-scale samples, multi-center, and top-quality RCTs are needed urgently. In the future, it is necessary to further study the relationship between acupuncture and conventional medication and acupuncture placebo to obtain the best clinical solution.
Effectiveness of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Hyperemesis Gravidarum: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Haizhen Lu, Chengwen Zheng, Yanmei Zhong, Linhao Cheng, Yi Zhou
2020 BioMed Research International
Endometriosis and Adenomyosis can have impact on miscarriage risk in pregnancy.
The study analyzed 39 publications involving 697,984 women to assess the impact of endometriosis (EMS) and adenomyosis (AD) on miscarriage risk. Women with EMS showed increased miscarriage risk in spontaneous conception (SC), but similar risk in assisted reproductive technology (ART) compared to tubal infertility. AD was associated with higher miscarriage risk in ART. Sensitivity analyses supported these conclusions. EMS staging did not significantly alter miscarriage risk. Early-stage EMS showed higher early abortion risk. No significant associations were found between EMS and low birthweight, placental abruption, intrauterine growth restriction, or preeclampsia. EMS correlated with higher odds of antepartum hemorrhage, postpartum hemorrhage, preterm birth, placenta praevia, and stillbirth. SUP and DIE were linked to increased miscarriage risk, while OMA showed no significant association. The findings suggest the need for closer monitoring and follow-up for pregnant women with EMS or AD, particularly in early pregnancy. Standardized recording of EMS types, stages, and miscarriage timing is recommended for future studies.
Miscarriage on Endometriosis and Adenomyosis in Women by Assisted Reproductive Technology or with Spontaneous Conception: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Yangxue Huang, Xianhong Zhao, Yiyuan Chen, Jie Wang, Weilin Zheng, Lixing Cao
2019 BioMed Research International
Acupuncture could reduce Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD) scores for postpartum depression.
Though our meta-analysis revealed that acupuncture had a lower efficacy compared to other antidepression treatments, symptoms of depression relief were observed in the majority of the studies analysed. These findings indicate that although the efficacy of acupuncture was lower compared to antidepressants, the benefits of acupuncture were still attractive to women with postpartum depression due to their negligible side-effects.
In summary, despite the limitations mentioned above, this current systematic review suggests that acupuncture could reduce HAMD scores. However, EPDS, clinical response, and serum estradiol levels were unaffected by acupuncture treatment. Furthermore, our analysis revealed that treatment efficacy was variable and depended on the control types used. Large-scale and well-designed RCTs are required before a conclusive statement could be made regarding the efficacy of acupuncture for the treatment of postpartum depression.
Effectiveness of Acupuncture Used for the Management of Postpartum Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Li W, Yin P, Lao L, Xu S
2018 Acupuncture in Medicine
Acupuncture appears to be effective for postpartum depression with respect to certain outcomes.
Nine trials involving 653 women were selected. The result of this meta-analysis demonstrated that the acupuncture group had a significantly greater overall effective rate compared with the control group. Moreover, acupuncture significantly increased oestradiol levels compared with the control group. Regarding the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD) and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) scores, no difference was found between the two groups.
Effectiveness of Acupuncture in Postpartum Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Li S, Zhong W, Peng W, Jiang G
2018 Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences
Consumption of date fruits has a positive impact on the onset and progression of labour, whilst improving infant outcome.
The research involved a controlled clinical study where 89 participants were selected at random. These participants were then divided into three groups with varying consumption levels of date fruits. 26 participants ate date fruits alone, 32 participants consumed date fruits followed by water consumption, whilst the remaining 31 participants served as a control group without any consumption of date fruits.
The study's results showed a notable positive effect on the labour process for those who consumed date fruits. These effects were most significant during the first and third stages of labour. Additionally, improvements were observed in certain well-being indicators for babies, including healthier amniotic fluid, foetal heart rate, presence of caput, and the APGAR score at 5Â minutes. However, no noticeable relationship was found between date fruit consumption and other maternal and foetal well-being factors during labour. There were also no significant differences observed in specific labour progression aspects, such as the dilation of the cervix, rupture of membranes, strength and consistency of uterine contractions, tocometric reports, and maternal progression factors. Notably, the infants of mothers who consumed date fruits scored higher on the APGAR test at 5 minutes post-birth.
Effects of date fruit consumption on labour and vaginal delivery in Tabuk, KSA Ahmed IE, Mirghani HO, Mesaik MA, Ibrahim YM, Amin TQ
2016 BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Acupoint stimulation shows promise in alleviating nausea and vomiting in pregnancy.
This review assesses acupoint stimulation techniques for treating nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP) and hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). Of 29 studies, 20 were included in quantitative analyses. Acupressure, acupuncture, auricular acupressure, and moxibustion were examined. While acupressure showed a 41% reduction in symptom severity, acupuncture had double the effect of control groups, and moxibustion improved symptoms by 65%. Continuous outcome measures did not show significant relief. Adverse events were minimal. The study calls for more rigorous trials, emphasizing the need for blinding and standardizing treatment protocols for conclusive results on acupoint stimulation's efficacy in NVP and HG.
Effect of acustimulation on nausea and vomiting and on hyperemesis in pregnancy: a systematic review of Western and Chinese literature Van den Heuvel, E., Goossens, M., Vanderhaegen, H. et al.
2016 BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
Acupuncture was a feasible intervention and reduced threatened miscarriage symptoms when compared to a touch intervention.
Threatened miscarriage is a common complication of early pregnancy increasing the risk of miscarriage or premature labour. Currently there is limited evidence to recommend any biomedical pharmacological or self-care management, resulting in a ‘watchful waiting’ approach. The objective of this study was to examine the feasibility of offering acupuncture as a therapeutic treatment for women presenting with threatened miscarriage.
Acupuncture was a feasible intervention and reduced threatened miscarriage symptoms when compared to a touch intervention. Further research is required to further explore acupuncture use for this common complication and whether it can reduce the incidence of miscarriage.
Does acupuncture have a role in the treatment of threatened miscarriage? Findings from a feasibility randomised trial and semi-structured participant interviews Betts D, Smith CA, Dahlen HG.
2014 Nutrition Journal
Ginger could be considered a harmless and possibly effective alternative option for women suffering from nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
This review suggests potential benefits of ginger in reducing nausea symptoms in pregnancy (bearing in mind the limited number of studies, variable outcome reporting and low quality of evidence). Ginger did not significantly affect vomiting episodes, nor pose a risk for side-effects or adverse events during pregnancy. Based on evidence from this systematic review, ginger could be considered a harmless and possibly effective alternative option for women suffering from nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect and safety of ginger in the treatment of pregnancy-associated nausea and vomiting Viljoen, E., Visser, J., Koen, N. et al.
2013 Medical Acupuncture
There is high-level evidence to support the use of acupuncture for treating major depressive disorder in pregnancy.
Six articles used the desired inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of research varied heavily. Five studies were properly randomized. Three were double-blinded. Three used individualized acupuncture. Four studies were of at least reasonable quality. One was of marginal quality, and one was of poor quality. There was a significant difference between acupuncture and at least one control in all six trials.
Acupuncture for Treating Anxiety and Depression in Women: A Clinical Systematic Review Sniezek DP, Siddiqui IJ.
2012 BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies have the potential to provide supportive care for women presenting with threatened miscarriage.
Within fertility research, acupuncture demonstrates beneficial hormonal responses with decreased miscarriage rates, raising the possibility acupuncture may promote specific beneficial effects in early pregnancy. With the lack of current medical options for women presenting with threatened miscarriage it is timely to examine the possible treatment benefits of providing CAM therapies such as acupuncture.
Acupuncture as a therapeutic treatment option for threatened miscarriage Betts D, Smith CA, Hannah DG.
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Although well-conducted clinical research can help members of the public to make better-informed decisions about their healthcare, we do not make any claims that any particular treatment may be efficacious for any individual person.
When you consult with our Chinese medicine practitioners, you'll receive personalised advice and treatment based on your symptoms and Chinese medicine diagnosis.
Scientific References
Browse our collection of scientific clinical research on acupuncture for pregnancy symptoms & postnatal depression.
It includes recent and reputable papers published by peer-reviewed journals within the last 10 years.
2022, Sep 09
Effects of acupuncture on the pregnancy outcomes of frozen-thawed embryo transfer: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Frontiers in Public Health
Acupuncture could be instrumental in the pregnancy outcomes of FET, and has very few risks of severe adverse events; however, the quality of evidence is unsatisfactory. Further research with rigorous methodological quality should be considered, and the protocols of acupuncture also need more investigations
Zhu C, Xia W, Huang J, Zhang X, Li F, Yu X, Ma J, Zeng Q Full Article
2022, Aug 29
Acupuncture combined with metformin versus metformin alone to improve pregnancy rate in polycystic ovary syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Frontiers in Endocrinology
Based on the results of this study, compared with metformin alone, acupuncture combined with metformin has a positive effect on pregnancy rate, ovulation rate, and insulin resistance in PCOS. However, due to the limitations regarding the number and quality of the included studies, the above conclusions need to be verified by further high-quality studies.
Chen X, Lan Y, Yang L, Liu Y, Li H, Zhu X, Zhao Y, Long C, Wang M, Xie Q, Li Z, Wu J Full Article
2022, Feb 17
Comparison of The Effectiveness of Lavender and Lemon Aromatherapy Toward Reducing Pain Labor During Active Phase of First Stage
Jurnal Kebidanan
The study concludes that lavender aromatherapy is more effective than lemon aromatherapy in reducing pain intensity in active phase I labor.
Lestari CI, Amilia R, Rospia ED Full Article
2021, Jul 28
Effectiveness of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Hyperemesis Gravidarum: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Our study suggested that acupuncture was effective in treating HG. However, as the potential inferior quality and underlying publication bias were found in the included studies, there is a need for more superior-quality RCTs to examine their effectiveness and safety.
Haizhen Lu, Chengwen Zheng, Yanmei Zhong, Linhao Cheng, Yi Zhou Full Article
2020, Dec 8
Miscarriage on Endometriosis and Adenomyosis in Women by Assisted Reproductive Technology or with Spontaneous Conception: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
BioMed Research International
Women with endometriosis had an augmented miscarriage risk in SC and a similar miscarriage risk during ART. Adenomyosis was associated with miscarriage in pregnant women using ART.
Yangxue Huang, Xianhong Zhao, Yiyuan Chen, Jie Wang, Weilin Zheng, Lixing Cao Full Article
2019, Mar 20
Effectiveness of Acupuncture Used for the Management of Postpartum Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
BioMed Research International
Our meta-analysis suggested that acupuncture treatment may reduce HAMD scores, while no significant effects on EPDS, clinical response, and serum estradiol levels were observed.
Li W, Yin P, Lao L, Xu S Full Article
2018, Oct 1
Effectiveness of Acupuncture in Postpartum Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Acupuncture in Medicine British Medical Acupuncture Society
The result of this meta-analysis demonstrated that the acupuncture group had a significantly greater overall effective rate compared with the control group. Moreover, acupuncture significantly increased oestradiol levels compared with the control group. Acupuncture appears to be effective for postpartum depression with respect to certain outcomes.
Li S, Zhong W, Peng W, Jiang G Full Article
2018, Dec
Effects of date fruit consumption on labour and vaginal delivery in Tabuk, KSA
Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences
The present study showed a promising effect of (rutab) date fruit consumption on the duration of the stages of labour.
Ahmed IE, Mirghani HO, Mesaik MA, Ibrahim YM, Amin TQ Full Article
2016, Jan 13
Effect of acustimulation on nausea and vomiting and on hyperemesis in pregnancy: a systematic review of Western and Chinese literature
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Although there is some evidence for an effect of acustimulation on nausea and vomiting or hyperemesis in pregnancy, results are not conclusive. Future clinical trials with a rigorous design and large sample sizes should be conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of these interventions for NVP and HG.
Van den Heuvel, E., Goossens, M., Vanderhaegen, H. et al. Full Article
2016, Oct 17
Does acupuncture have a role in the treatment of threatened miscarriage? Findings from a feasibility randomised trial and semi-structured participant interviews
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
Forty women were successfully randomised. For women receiving acupuncture there was a statically significant reduction with threatened miscarriage symptoms including bleeding, cramping and back pain compared with the control. Acupuncture was a feasible intervention and reduced threatened miscarriage symptoms when compared to a touch intervention. Further research is required to further explore acupuncture use for this common complication and whether it can reduce the incidence of miscarriage.
Betts D, Smith CA, Dahlen HG. Full Article
2014, Mar 19
A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect and safety of ginger in the treatment of pregnancy-associated nausea and vomiting
Nutrition Journal
The systematic reviewed academic articles highlight the efficacy of ginger for treating nausea in pregnant women. Ginger in low dosage of <1500 per day are found to have reduce effects of morning sickness or vomiting. Thus making it a safe treatment with less side effects for nausea symptoms in pregnancy.
Viljoen, E., Visser, J., Koen, N. et al. Full Article
2013, Jan
Acupuncture for Treating Anxiety and Depression in Women: A Clinical Systematic Review
Medical Acupuncture American Academy of Medical Acupuncture
With respect to six reviewed studies, there is high-level evidence to support the use of acupuncture for treating major depressive disorder in pregnancy.
Sniezek DP, Siddiqui IJ. Full Article
2012, Mar 22
Acupuncture as a therapeutic treatment option for threatened miscarriage
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
While it is known that 50-70% of miscarriages occur due to chromosomal abnormalities, the potential for therapeutic intervention amongst the remaining percentage of women remains unknown. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies have the potential to provide supportive care for women presenting with threatened miscarriage. Within fertility research, acupuncture demonstrates beneficial hormonal responses with decreased miscarriage rates, raising the possibility acupuncture may promote specific beneficial effects in early pregnancy. With the lack of current medical options for women presenting with threatened miscarriage it is timely to examine the possible treatment benefits of providing CAM therapies such as acupuncture.
Betts D, Smith CA, Hannah DG. Full Article
“It is by virtue of the twelve channels that human life exists, that disease arises, that human beings can be treated and illness cured. The twelve channels are where beginners start and masters end.” The Classic of Acupuncture
Circa 1st Century BCE