Pregnancy: Nausea and Vomiting

Often called morning sickness, although can occur at any time of day or night, and usually worse around weeks 7 to 12 of the pregnancy. Approximately 50% of pregnancies experience this distressing condition. The sickness is caused by changes in hormone levels which can be aggravated by stress, tiredness and emotional factors. We use acupuncture to give treatment once or twice a week, and also give homecare dietary advice to consolidate the treatment

Acupuncture is often very effective in reducing both the severity and incidence of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Research from Australia (1) highlighted that women receiving acupuncture experienced faster relief when compared to those groups receiving routine prescribed points or “sham” acupuncture. This research also looked at the successful pregnancy outcomes for the women involved, concluding that “acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for women who experience nausea and dry retching in early pregnancy” (2).

References:
(1) Smith C, Crowther C, Beilby J. (2002). “Acupuncture to treat nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy: a randomized trial”. Birth. 29(1):1-9.
(2) Smith C, Crowther C, Beilby J. (2002). “Pregnancy outcome following women’s participation in a randomised controlled trial of acupuncture to treat nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy”. Complement Ther Med. 10(2):78-83.