Turning Breech Babies: How Acupuncture and Moxibustion Can Help Expecting Mothers
Breech presentation, where the baby is positioned feet-first rather than head-down, can complicate delivery and can lead to cesarean sections. An Italian study explored the effectiveness of acupuncture combined with moxibustion in turning breech babies.
Study Overview
240 women participated in this study. All of them were at 33-35 weeks of gestation with a fetus in breech presentation. The acupuncture point was on the side of the little toe.
Results
The study found that 53.6 percent of babies turned to the vertex (head-down) position for those who received acupuncture treatment. Meanwhile, the observation group was lower with 36.7 percent of babies turning to the vertex position.
Mechanism
The acupuncture point is believed to stimulate uterine contractions and encourage the baby to move into the correct position. Moxibustion, which involves applying heat to this acupuncture point using the herb mugwort, enhances the effect.
Conclusion
The study suggests that acupuncture and moxibustion could be a valuable non-invasive option for turning breech babies, potentially reducing the need for cesarean sections and improving maternal outcomes.
If you would like to discuss this process further, we’d like you to contact and set up an appointment with Earley Wellness. We treat this often with great success.