NHS Maternity Service

On the 12th July 2024, our article on the NHS Maternity Service was published in the Summer Edition of Acu, the online journal of the British Acupuncture Council.

Based on anonymous data collected between 2006 and 2021, this latest article is an evaluation and summary, looking at overall trends and outcomes of the Maternity Acupuncture Service. The service was a highly succesful partnership between Asante Academy and the NHS Whittington Hospital, and delivered thousands of acupuncture treatments to more than 10’000 patients over 15 years.

The primary aim of the NHS Maternity Service was to help pregnant mothers during the antenatal period, and the lead up to birth, with treatments helping a wide variety of conditions including back pain, pelvic girdle pain (PGP), anxiety, nausea, and vomiting. Leading up to the birth, often referred to as ‘birth preparation acupuncture’, treatments were frequently used to turn breech babies, provide natural induction, and give pain relief.

Whilst we acknowledge that further research is needed and welcomed, the overall conclusions from our analysis are very positive, both in terms of patient response and clinical outcomes, and shows that not only is acupuncture safe and effective, but that there is definitely a place for the utilisation of acupuncture within the NHS.

For more information regarding maternity acupuncture services, including for post-natal use, please contact Asante directly via email or by phone: 020-8437-6677