Data from the NHS Whittington Maternity Acupuncture Service, suggests that acupuncture normalises birth and reduces costs to the NHS. Records on over 6000 births from a two year period, were examined to quantify the effect acupuncture had on labour and delivery outcomes. The service is free to users, and women self-refer to receive weekly traditional acupuncture from 37 weeks gestation, as routine birth preparation. Data on women who received treatment was compared to that on women who did not.
Analysis showed women receiving acupuncture had fewer births requiring surgical intervention, and required less analgesia during birthing, fewer induction components and a shorter hospital stay. Women valued the availability of acupuncture highly.
(Birth preparation acupuncture for normalising birth: An analysis of NHS service routine data and proof of concept. Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 23 January 2020.)