Obstetrical Acupuncture Research

Research Articles for Acupuncture and Acupressure in Pregnancy, Labour and Delivery

The OBAA Research contributors include:

Dr. Kate Levett (PhD, MPH, BEd (Hons I), Adv.Dip.App.Sci (Acup) )
Research Fellow, School of Medicine Sydney, The University of Notre Dame Australia,Adjunct Research Fellow, NICM – The science of integrative medicine, Western Sydney University

Debra Betts

Sarah Budd

Please note: some of the following research articles will have two links.

  • The first link will lead you to the actual study.
  • The second link will lead you to a summary of the study and its findings (when available).

Acupuncture Research

  •      Effects of acupuncture and stabilizing exercises as adjunct to standard treatment in pregnant women with pelvic girdle pain: randomized single blind controlled trial

o   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC555879/

o   https://acupuncture.rhizome.net.nz/acupuncture/research/pelvic-pain – Debra Betts

  •      Acupuncture for pelvic and back pain in pregnancy: a systematic review

o   Ee. 2008. Acupuncture for pelvic and back pain in pregnancy. A systematic review

o   Ee. 2008. Commentary – Dr. Kate Levett PhD

  • Treating Pain in Pregnancy with Acupuncture: Observational Study Results from a Free Clinic in New Zealand

o   https://www.jams-kpi.com/article/S2005-2901(17)30108-5/fulltext

  • Acupuncture treatment: multidimensional assessment of low back pain in pregnant women

o   http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0080-62342018000100418&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en

  •   Does acupuncture have a role in the treatment of threatened miscarriage? Findings from a feasibility randomized trial and semi-structured participant interview

o   https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-016-1092-8

  •      Acupuncture to Treat Nausea and Vomiting in Early Pregnancy: A randomized controlled trial

o   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11843784

o   https://acupuncture.rhizome.net.nz/acupuncture/research/morning-sickness/ – Debra Betts

  •      Pregnancy outcome following women’s participation in a randomized controlled trial of acupuncture to treat nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy

o   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12481955

  •      Meta-analysis of acu-stimulation effects on nausea and vomiting in pregnant women

o   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16979105

  •      Interventions on BL 67 for women with a breech fetus at 33 weeks gestation

o   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20430289

o   https://acupuncture.rhizome.net.nz/acupuncture/research/moxabustion-breech/ – Debra Betts

  •      Moxibustion usage for Breech Presentation

o   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9820259

o   https://acupuncture.rhizome.net.nz/acupuncture/research/moxabustion-breech/ – Debra Betts

  •      Depression in Pregnancy

o   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20177281

o   https://acupuncture.rhizome.net.nz/acupuncture/research/depression-pregnancy/ – Debra Betts

  •      Influence of Acupuncture on the Duration of Labour

o   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9692336

o   https://acupuncture.rhizome.net.nz/acupuncture/research/prebirth/ – Debra Betts

  •      Acupuncture and acupressure for pain management in labour and birth: A critical narrative review of current systematic review evidence

o  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24906592

o  Levett 2014. Commentary – Dr. Kate Levett PhD

  •      Acupuncture for cervical ripening and induction of labor at term – a randomized controlled trial

o   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11802511

o  https://acupuncture.rhizome.net.nz/acupuncture/research/cervical-ripening/ – Debra Betts

  •     Cochrane Review: Acupuncture or acupressure for induction of labour

o   http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD002962.pub4/abstract

o  Smith. 2017. Commentary – Dr. Kate Levett PhD

  • Acupuncture and Heart Rate Variability: A Systems Level Approach to Understanding Mechanism

o   Anderson 2012. Acupuncture and HR variability. A systems level approach to understanding mechanism

o   Anderson. 2012. Commentry – Dr. Kate Levett PhD

Acupressure Research

  • Effect of acupressure at the BL67 spot on the spontaneous rotation of fetus with breech presentation: A randomized controlled trial     

o  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2021.10.005

  • Impact of Acupressure on Onset of Labour and Labour Duration

o  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25911499

o  https://acupuncture.rhizome.net.nz/acupuncture/research/reducing-labour-pain/ – Debra Betts

  • Acupressure to Reduce Labour Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

o  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20822474

o  https://acupuncture.rhizome.net.nz/acupuncture/research/reducing-labour-pain/ – Debra Betts

  • A Cochrane review of 13 trials involving 1986 women, reported that acupuncture or acupressure may help relieve labour pain

o  http://www.cochrane.org/CD009232/PREG_acupunture-or-acupressure-for-relieving-pain-in-labour

  • Hut Valley Hospital Guidelines Acupuncture

o  Download the PDF here

  • Adverse event reporting in studies of penetrating acupuncture during pregnancy: a systematic review

o  Download the PDF here

  • Using Forbidden Points in Pregnancy: Adverse Outcomes and Quality of Evidence in Randomized Controlled Trials – A Systematic Narrative Review

o  Download the PDF here

  • Forbidden Points in Pregnancy: Historical Wisdom?

o  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21444295/