Treating Malposition of the Foetus

by Paula Wilson © Copyright 2011

Chinese Medicine - Correcting Breech Presentation

The use of Traditional Chinese techniques offers a safe, (Guitter et al 2008) effective way to naturally encourage the correct position prior to labour. This is one of my favourite treatments to do as it is very gentle and one of few treatments I get to do without using needles! It involves using a warming herb called moxa to activate a particular point on the foot, for 30 minutes in total (Maciocia 2005). Most mothers to be that I have worked with have found it to be a very pleasant experience.

This procedure can be taught to someone else, partner/friend to continue the treatments daily for up to 10 days – with regular checks to ensure the baby hasn't already turned into the cephalic presentation!!! You will be provided with moxa and instructions on how to use it, and Francesca and Paula will be more than happy to explain to the birthing partner if they mother is happy to have them in the treatment room. It has also been shown by Mitchell and Allen (2008) showed that the mother to be found the treatment relatively easy to carry out and enjoyed the experience.

This is a scientifically well supported intervention, with numerous studies showing up to 74% of women treated successfully (Cardini & Weixin 1998) with treatment beginning at 33 weeks of gestation. And in some countries it is taught to Midwifes so that they too can perform this treatment.

By attempting to turn the Breech presentation to the cephalic position in this more natural less invasive way, it could potentially help prevent the need for external cephalic version and if that doesn't work then the next most likily course of action is a caesarean section (up to 91% Krebs 2005). As such by having this traditional form of medicine, one can minimise the potentially unnerving complications that can result from a breech presentation.

References

  • Maciocia, G, 2005, Obstetrics & Gynecology in Chinese Medicine, Churchill Livingstone
  • Krebs, L, (2005) Breech at term, Early and late consequences of mode of delivery, Danish Medical Bulletin No. 4. Vol. 52 Pages 234-52
  • Bilder, D, Pinborough-Zimmerman, J., Miller, J., McMahon, W., (2009) Prenatal, Perinatal, and Neonatal Factors Associated With Autism Spectrum Disorders." Pediatrics, 123(5), pp. 1293-1300
  • Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, (2006) The management of Breech Presentation
  • Guittier, et al (2008) Side-effects of Moxibustion for Cephalic version of Breech Presentation, The Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine
  • Cardini, F, Weixin, H., (1998) Moxibustion for Correction of Breech Presentation. A randomized controlled trial, Journal of the American Medical Association

About the author

Paula Wilson is a TCM Acupuncturist. Discover more about Paula at Paula's pages at life-medicine.co.uk