A latest study in Denmark added to the doubts on efficiency of acupuncture to stimulate labor in women past the due date. The study was carried out on 125 expected mothers who had already crossed the due dates. The women who underwent two acupuncture sessions had no increase in chances of going into labor in the following 24 hours.

Only 12% of pregnant women went into labor compared to 14% of those who underwent placebo acupuncture. These studies only add to the claims that acupuncture is not an effective way to stimulate labor in delayed pregnancies that go past 41 weeks.

On an average 5-10% of the women experience a delayed labor raising the risk of complications. Hence, the gynecologists usually stimulate labor when a pregnancy period goes past 41 weeks.

When following the standard labor stimulation, the doctors use various instruments to break the amniotic sac or to stretch the cervix. Synthetic forms of hormones that induce labor like oxytocin or prostaglandins are also administered. In recent times, acupuncture has been widely promoted as an alternative to these standard methods of inducing labor.

In acupuncture for post-term pregnancies, needles are inserted at sites that are linked with labor and uterine contractions. In placebo acupuncture, blunt needles are used that do not pierce the skin but produce similar results. Acupuncture works by the nervous system’s stimulation due to this piercing resulting in uterus contraction.

Several studies in the past found no benefits of acupuncture in terms of labor stimulation. This latest study only adds to those evidences. Results on studies related to acupuncture have been unconvincing and mostly negative. However, acupuncture’s benefits in other circumstances are yet to be discovered.

Source:

BBC News