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Moxa for baby in breech position
Your midwife may suggest that you consult an acupuncture
practitioner if your baby is found to be breech. Week
34 is considered the optimal time for starting moxibustion
treatment to attempt to turn a breech baby. Moxibustion
means the burning of the herb moxa (artemisia vulgaris)
and this is done is such a way that warmth is applied
to the acupuncture point Bl67 Zhi Yin located on
the outside of the little toe. Just one appointment
needs to be booked with the acupuncturist to check for
contra-indications and to receive a demonstatration, full
tuition and moxa supplies. You need to be prepared to
repeat the procedure every day for 10 days.
A Dutch study published in 2010 appears to suggest that
the number of breech presentations at term could be reduced.
In this study the moxa treatment is started at 33 weeks.
However a Cochrane review in 2005 had decided that there
was insufficient evidence to support the use of moxibustion
to correct a breech presentation. It did comment that
moxibustion may be beneficial in reducing the need for
ECV, and decreasing the use of ocytocin.
References:
Coyle M.E., Smith C.A., & Peat B. (2005) Cephalic
version by moxibustion for breech presentation. Cochrane
Database of Systematic Reviews 2005, Issue 2
Van den Berg, I., Kaandorp, G.C., Bosch, J.L., Duvekot,
J.J., Arends, L. R. & Hunink, M. G. (2010) Cost-effectiveness
of breech version by acupuncture-type interventions on
BL 67, including moxibustion, for women with a breech
foetus at 33 weeks gestation: a modelling approach. Complementary
Therapies in Medicine. 18(2):67-77.
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