Acupuncture Therapy During Pregnancy

When a woman decides to conceive and have a child, her body will undergo many changes during the term of her pregnancy. The duration of a normal pregnancy is forty weeks, calculated from the commencement of her last menstrual period. Normally, the first indication of pregnancy is a missed monthly period and when this occurs, confirmation should be sought by taking a pregnancy test at the local pharmacy, or by consulting a doctor.

An early indication of pregnancy is morning sickness, which can occur at any time of the day, and affects the majority of women who fall pregnant. As a women's pregnancy progresses she will experience a variety of symptoms that are initially quite subtle, but become more pronounced as the fetus continues to grow. Breasts will become more pronounced and tender to touch, bouts of fatigue that may be accompanied by fainting spells, craving for unusual foods and frequency are some of the discomforts that an expectant mother has to endure.

Acupuncture therapy is a part of Chinese medicine that has been practiced in China for thousands of years, and as more women seek natural treatments to ease the uncomfortable symptoms of pregnancy, they have found that acupuncture and herbal medicines offer relief without any harmful side effects. Acupuncture and herbal therapy is safe and effective, particularly in older women, who may be prone to complications during pregnancy. Morning sickness can be readily relieved by acupuncture therapy, in most cases, wristbands can be fitted over acupressure points to give constant relief.

Lower back pain, headache and fainting spells can all be effectively managed by acupuncture therapy, and monthly treatments should be carried out to maintain the body's balance. During the second trimester, regular acupuncture therapy will reduce stress, relieve heartburn and ease hemorrhoids as well as help to control blood pressure and regulate weight.

The third trimester brings about an ever increasing degree of discomfort for an expectant mother, as the fetus expands at an ever increasing rate. Acupuncture therapy comes to the fore at this stage as it will relieve stress, lower back pain, sciatica and pelvic joint pain. Weekly visits to the acupuncturist are advisable during the later stages of pregnancy for the management of placenta previa and the prevention of miscarriage. Cases of cervical leakage can be stopped by acupuncture therapy, and the taking of herbal medicines.

Acupuncture therapy has been used as an effective method of reducing pain during labor and to assist delivery of the baby by naturally stimulating contractions. In most cases, cesarean section can be averted by undergoing acupuncture therapy, which utilizes acupoints on the feet of the patient.

Postpartum acupuncture therapy is also recommended to combat post natal depression and help the new mother to cope with her new role in life.


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Oze Parrot

Oze Parrot is an author, publisher and Internet marketing consultant. Formerly a tourist operator and real estate business marketing consultant Location: Queensland, Australia. You may republish this article as long as you include the name of the author and provide an active link to: http://la-healthhunter.com/