Acupuncture Through Each Trimester of Pregnancy and Beyond

As many of you know, I work at Pulling Down the Moon three days a week with patients who are undergoing fertility treatment and receiving acupuncture as an adjunct treatment. Typically, I work with them through the whole process up until their pregnancy. If I can, ideally I would work with them throughout their entire pregnancy, too. Often they are physically and financially exhausted from the whole medical process of IUI and/or IVF, and occasionally there is also a misunderstanding of how essential acupuncture can be through each trimester. One of my patients who continued on with acupuncture once she conceived had a labor that lasted 30 minutes! I can’t guarantee that this short labor would occur for everyone but it was very good news and a great vote of confidence for acupuncture treatments during pregnancy. Coming in for acupuncture treatment regularly through each stage of pregnancy can ease each stage of pregnancy and is gaining more support from the medical community as a recommended treatment.

Here is how acupuncture can help throughout each trimester:

First Trimester:

(Once a week treatment recommended)

• Threatened miscarriage
• Spotting
• Morning sickness
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Fatigue
• Insomnia
• Common cold and flu
• Nasal congestion

Second Trimester:

(One a month treatment recommended)

• Water retention
• Heartburn
• Sciatica
• Hemorrhoids
• Leg cramps
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Pre-term labor
• Night sweats

Third Trimester:

(Once a week treatment recommended)

• Back pain
• Insomnia
• Labor preparation
• High blood pressure
• Toxemia
• Water retention/edema
• Incontinence
• Night sweats

Post Partum

(Once a week treatment recommended):

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Insufficent lactation
• Fatigue
• Insomnia
• C-section surgery recovery
• Night sweats
• Aches and pains