FHN Complementary Medicine Monthly Newsletter April 2002
ACUPUNCTURE AND MORNING SICKNESS
For all of you that have suffered through morning sickness during your pregnancy you know how debilitating the problem can be. There have been several new studies that have shown what we have been saying for years…Acupuncture is an effective treatment for some of the symptoms of morning sickness!
Reuters Health published the following study.
By Charnicia E. Huggins
NEW YORK, Feb 27 (Reuters Health) - Acupuncture may be an effective treatment for some symptoms of morning sickness during early pregnancy, new study results suggest.
"The use of acupuncture in early pregnancy will reduce or resolve symptoms of nausea and dry retching earlier than simply waiting for them to improve with time," lead study author Dr. Caroline Smith of Adelaide University in Australia told Reuters Health.
Smith and her colleagues studied 593 women who were all less than 14 weeks pregnant and suffered from frequent nausea and vomiting……….. Acupuncture was given five times during the 4-week study period--twice during the first week, and once per week during subsequent weeks.
At the end of the first week, women who received traditional acupuncture reportedly experienced less frequent nausea and shorter periods of nausea than did their peers in the control group, the investigators report in the March issue of the journal Birth. Their improved nausea symptoms persisted throughout each weekly follow-up…… no adverse effects were noted in follow-ups conducted after the women gave birth, "we consider acupuncture to be a safe and effective treatment option for women," the researcher added.
A resent study in Sweden showed that acupuncture also worked well in nausea and vomiting from postoperative and chemotherapy causes.
It has been our experience that in many cases acupuncture can help not only the nausea but help with the feeling of overall well being and energy levels.
If you are having morning sickness, try it!!!
Sincerely
Dr. Glenn and Dr. Julie Smith
Complementary Medicine
