Breech presentation is where a baby has positioned either bottom and feet down or sideways before birth. Acupuncture and moxibustion have been traditionally used as a natural alternative to assist with correcting the baby’s position.
A recent systematic review published in April 2021 involved 16 studies with a total of 2555 participants. From the research, the authors provided supporting evidence that acupuncture and moxibustion had a positive effect on rectifying breech presentations. (Liao et al, 2021).
Bladder 67 is a unique point that is traditionally used for breech presentations. Moxibustion or acupuncture is used on this point, which is located on the little toe. Activating the point is thought to stimulate the production of estrogen and prostaglandin, which enhance uterus contractions that cause the baby to move and reposition itself. Bladder 67 can be needled and moxibustion is commonly used to stimulate the point. Moxibustion is where a plant called mugwort is burnt and the heat is applied close to a point to provide thermal stimulation.
At Komyuniti Wellness we offer both acupuncture and moxibustion treatment protocols. We also teach our clients how to use the moxibustion technique so they may also provide extra stimulation to increase the effectiveness of our treatments.
Reference:
Liao J-A, Shao S-C, Chang C-T, Chai PY-C, Owang K-L, Huang T-H, Yang C-H, Lee T-J, Chen Y-C. Correction of Breech Presentation with Moxibustion and Acupuncture: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Healthcare. 2021; 9(6):619. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9060619
Image: Pregnant