In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the use of acupuncture and Chinese medicine for labour induction, and there have been several high-quality clinical trials investigating its effectiveness.  In the spirit of transparency,  according to the Cochrane database, which is widely regarded as the gold standard for systematic reviews of clinical interventions, there is currently not enough high quality evidence to support the routine use of acupuncture for labour induction.

However, some individual studies have shown promising results. A randomized controlled trial published in the Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine in 2018 found that women who received acupuncture had a significantly higher rate of spontaneous labour onset within 48 hours compared to women who did not receive acupuncture. Another study published in the journal Birth in 2019 found that women who received acupuncture had a significantly lower rate of medical induction compared to women who did not receive acupuncture.

It is worth noting that there is some variability in the acupuncture protocols used in different studies, which may affect the results. Some studies use a single acupuncture session, while others use multiple sessions over several days.   To my earlier point, I prefer to think of the process of labour preparation.

Overall, the evidence suggests that acupuncture may be a helpful tool for labour induction, but more research is needed to determine the optimal acupuncture protocols and identify which women are most likely to benefit. It is important to note that acupuncture should always be performed by a licensed acupuncturist who has experience working with pregnant women – umm, that’s us!