Moxibustion
JAMA 1998 Nov 11;280(18):1580-4
Moxibustion for correction of breech presentation:
a randomized controlled trial.
Cardini F, Weixin H
CONTEXT : Traditional Chinese medicine uses moxibustion (burning
herbs to stimulate acupuncture points) of acupoint BL 67 (Zhiyin,
located beside the outer corner of the fifth toenail), to promote
version of fetuses in breech presentation. Its effect may be through
increasing fetal activity. However, no randomized controlled trial
has evaluated the efficacy of this therapy.
OBJECTIVE : To evaluate
the efficacy and safety of moxibustion on acupoint BL 67 to increase
fetal activity and correct breech presentation.
DESIGN : Randomized,
controlled, open clinical trial.
SETTING : Outpatient
departments of the Women's Hospital of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang,
and Jiujiang Women's and Children's Hospital in the People's Republic
of China.
PATIENTS : Primigravidas
in the 33rd week of gestation with normal pregnancy and an ultrasound
diagnosis of breech presentation.
INTERVENTIONS :
The 130 subjects randomized to the intervention group received
stimulation of acupoint BL 67 by moxa (Artemisia vulgaris) rolls
for 7 days, with treatment for an additional 7 days if the fetus
persisted in the breech presentation. The 130 subjects randomized
to the control group received routine care but no interventions
for breech presentation. Subjects with persistent breech presentation
after 2 weeks of treatment could undergo external cephalic version
anytime between 35 weeks' gestation and delivery.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
: Fetal movements counted by the mother during 1 hour each day
for 1 week; number of cephalic presentations during the 35th week
and at delivery.
RESULTS : The intervention
group experienced a mean of 48.45 fetal movements vs 35.35 in
the control group (P<.001; 95% confidence interval [CI] for
difference, 10.56-15.60). During the 35th week of gestation, 98
(75.4%) of 130 fetuses in the intervention group were cephalic
vs 62 (47.7%) of 130 fetuses in the control group (P<.001;
relative risk [RR], 1.58; 95% CI, 1.29-1.94). Despite the fact
that 24 subjects in the control group and 1 subject in the intervention
group underwent external cephalic version, 98 (75.4%) of the 130
fetuses in the intervention group were cephalic at birth vs 81
(62.3%) of the 130 fetuses in the control group (P = .02; RR,
1.21; 95% CI, 1.02-1.43).
CONCLUSION : Among
primigravidas with breech presentation during the 33rd week of
gestation, moxibustion for 1 to 2 weeks increased fetal activity
during the treatment period and cephalic presentation after the
treatment period and at delivery.
If
you are presenting with breech presentation, schedule an appointment
for you and your husband for moxibustion instruction.
New York Center
for Acupuncture & Complementary Medicine
Phone:212-399-3575
Listen to Starla from
Philadelphia.
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"It has taken
me 2.5 years to get this point. I went through every kind
of treatment I could think of. Then I started with Dr. Berkley
who told me "Don't worry." I think it was 45 to 60 days
later, I got pregnant. I was absolutely shocked! "
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