5 Seasons Acupuncture & Yoga Susan Guerino, L.Ac., Dipl. Ac., RYT-200

Moxibustion for Breech Birth

Both the mother-to-be and a partner need to arrive for this appointment!

During this session, the mother gets to relax in a comfortable position using pillows and bolsters.  She can expect to take off her socks and shoes during the session. I will educate and demonstrate how to use a moxa stick and where to apply indirect moxibustion.   You will be provided with 2 smokeless acupuncture sticks and a handout about how to apply the technique at home.

Evidence suggests that moxibustion—when combined with either acupuncture or postural techniques—is safe and increases your chances of turning a breech baby.

SUMMARY OF RESEARCH
    -Western medical interest in this procedure has increased since a study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in November 1998.
    -The study was a randomized, controlled trial in China.  A significantly greater number of the patients who received the moxa had a normal, head-down birth than did the patients who did not receive moxa.
    -It is still unknown which kind of moxibustion method works best for turning breech babies (timing during pregnancy, number of sessions, length of sessions, etc.).
    -However it appears that using moxibustion twice per day for two weeks (during weeks 33-35 of pregnancy) will work for 1 out of every 8 women

REFERENCES  
Cardini F. & Weixin H. (1998). Moxibustion for correction of breech presentation: A randomized controlled trial. JAMA 280(18), 1580-1584 Click here.

Coyle ME, Smith CA, & Peat B. 2012. Cephalic version by moxibustion for breech presentation. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2012, Issue 5. Art. No: CD003928. Click here.

Vas J, Aranda-Regules JM, Modesto M, et al. (2013). Acupuncture Medicine 31: 31-38. Click here.