It has been suggested that acupuncture may pose particular risks during pregnancy: by enhancing oxygenation to the developing embryo (presumably via increasing blood flow to the uterus); by affecting the level of maternal progesterone in early pregnancy; or by stimulating uterine contractions. This article examines the proposed risks and fails to find any plausible physiological mechanism for them.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Guerreiro da SilvaAV, NakamuraMU, Guerreiro da SilvaJB. ‘Forbidden points’ in pregnancy: do they exist. Acupunct Med2011;29.
2.
BettsD, BuddS.Forbidden acupuncture points in pregnancy: historical wisdom. Acupunct Med2011;29.
3.
CummingsM.Acupuncture for low back pain in pregnancy. Acupunct Med2003;21:42–6.
4.
ForresterM.Low back pain in pregnancy. Acupunct Med2003;21:36–41.
5.
WittCM, PachD, BrinkhausB, Safety of acupuncture: results of a prospective observational study with 229,230 patients and introduction of a medical information and consent form. Forsch Komplementmed2009;16:91–7.
6.
WhiteA.A cumulative review of the range and incidence of significant adverse events associated with acupuncture. Acupunct Med2004;22:122–33.
7.
Guerreiro da SilvaAV, NakamuraMU, CordeiroJA, The effects of so-called ‘forbidden acupuncture points’ on pregnancy outcome in wistar rats. Forsch Komplementmed2011;18:10–14.
8.
Stener-VictorinE, WaldenströmU, AnderssonSA, Reduction of blood flow impedance in the uterine arteries of infertile women with electro-acupuncture. Hum Reprod1996;11:1314–17.
9.
Stener-VictorinE, KobayashiR, WatanabeO, Effect of electro-acupuncture stimulation of different frequencies and intensities on ovarian blood flow in anaesthetized rats with steroid-induced polycystic ovaries. Reprod Biol Endocrinol2004;2:16.
10.
Stener-VictorinE, KobayashiR, KurosawaM.Ovarian blood flow responses to electro-acupuncture stimulation at different frequencies and intensities in anaesthetized rats. Auton Neurosci2003;108:50–6.
11.
CakmakYO, AkpinarIN, EkinciG, Point- and frequency-specific response of the testicular artery to abdominal electroacupuncture in humans. Fertil Steril2008;90:1732–8.
12.
YuYP, MaLX, MaYX, Immediate effect of acupuncture at Sanyinjiao (SP6) and Xuanzhong (GB39) on uterine arterial blood flow in primary dysmenorrhea. J Altern Complement Med2010;16:1073–8.
UchidaS, HottaH.Acupuncture affects regional blood flow in various organs. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med2008;5:145–51.
15.
BurtonGJ. Oxygen, the Janus gas; its effects on human placental development and function. J Anat2009;215:27–35.
16.
GuytonAC, HallJE. Textbook of Medical Physiology. 11th edition. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders2006.
17.
HaasDM, RamseyPS. Progestogen for preventing miscarriage. Cochrane Database Syst Rev2008;2:CD003511.
18.
WhiteA, CummingsM, FilshieJ.An Introduction to Western Medical Acupuncture.London: Churchill Livingstone2008.
19.
SunayD, OzdikenM, ArslanH, The effect of acupuncture on postmenopausal symptoms and reproductive hormones: a sham controlled clinical trial. Acupunct Med2011;29:27–31.
20.
JedelE, LabrieF, OdénA, Impact of electro-acupuncture and physical exercise on hyperandrogenism and oligo/amenorrhea in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab2011;300:E37–45.
21.
FuH, HeY, GaoY, Acupuncture on the Endometrial Morphology, the Serum Estradiol and Progesterone Levels, and the Expression of Endometrial Leukaemia-inhibitor Factor and Osteopontin in Rats. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med2011;2011:606514.
22.
MagarelliPC, CridenndaDK, CohenM.Changes in serum cortisol and prolactin associated with acupuncture during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation in women undergoin. in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer treatment. Fertil Steril2009;92:1870–9.
23.
ChiuJH. How is the motility of gastrointestinal sphincters modulated by acupmoxa. International Congress Series2002;1238:141–7.
24.
MinBI, KimJH, ChoYW, Effects and mechanisms of acupuncture on biliary system motility. International Congress Series2002;1238:157–62.
25.
SatoA, SatoY, UchidaS.Reflex modulation of visceral functions by acupuncture-like stimulation in anesthetized rats. International Congress Series2002;1238:111–23.
26.
PetersKM, CarricoDJ, Perez-MarreroRA, Randomized trial of percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation versus Sham efficacy in the treatment of overactive bladder syndrome: results from the SUmiT trial. J Urol2010;183:1438–43.
27.
SmithCA, CrowtherCA. Acupuncture for induction of labour. Cochrane Database Syst Rev2004;1:CD002962.
28.
ModlockJ, NielsenBB, UldbjergN.Acupuncture for the induction of labour: a double-blind randomised controlled study. BJOG2010;117:1255–61.
29.
Selmer-OlsenT, LydersenS, MørkvedS.Does acupuncture used in nulliparous women reduce time from prelabour rupture of membranes at term to active phase of labour? A randomised controlled trial. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand2007;86:1447–52.
30.
SmithCA, CrowtherCA, CollinsCT, Acupuncture to induce labor: a randomized controlled trial. Obstet Gynecol2008;112:1067–74.
31.
TsueiJJ, LaiY, SharmaSD. The influence of acupuncture stimulation during pregnancy: the induction and inhibition of labor. Obstet Gynecol1977;50:479–8.
32.
PakSC, NaCS, KimJS, The effect of acupuncture on uterine contraction induced by oxytocin. Am J Chin Med2000;28:35–40.
33.
ChenS, LiuJ, GaoY.Effects of electroacupuncture at different acupoints on changes of uterine myoelectricity induced by oxytocin and progesterone in pregnant rats. J Tradit Chin Med2007;27:299–306.
34.
KimJ, ShinKH, NaCS. Effect of acupuncture treatment on uterine motility and cyclooxygenase-2 expression in pregnant rats. Gynecol Obstet Invest2000;50:225–30.
