Turning a Breech Baby with TCM

In full-term pregnancies, about 3-4% of babies will have a breech position. The majority of these babies will require birth via cesarean section. There can be many reasons for breech presentation including cord position, location of the placenta, pregnancy of multiples (twins, triplets, etc), too low or too high amniotic fluid levels, fibroids or other preexisting growths in the uterus, and in some cases even birth defects. When a breech position is discovered in the third trimester your care provider will suggest options for encouraging baby to turn on its own or recommend an ECV to attempt to turn the baby if it is deemed safe.

Acupuncture and specifically Moxabustion are well-known and widely accepted as safe and viable options for turning a breech baby.

Research suggests around a 60% success rate with the use of Moxabustion and postural techniques. Often your TCM practitioner or even a midwife or doula will show you how to perform moxa on yourself and have pregnant people self-treat daily to encourage baby to flip. However, adding acupuncture to the treatment can significantly improve the chances baby will flip.

How does it work?

The purpose of a breech baby treatment is to increase fetal activity, which increases the likelihood that baby will naturally shift into the desired position for birth. Using moxa on the outer corner of the nail on the pinky toe, an acupuncture point called UB 67, functions to stimualte that fetal activity. However, if there are any blockages or areas of stagnation in the abdomen, baby will not flip. Acupuncture can help by opening the channels of the abdomen and allowing the baby to descend properly head down into the pelvis. When the path is clear, there is a greeter chance that moxa treatment will bring baby into the preferred position for birth.

Moxabustion treatment is typically performed between 32-36 weeks of gestation, though it is safe to use later in pregnancy as well. I encourage pregnant patients to start labor support with their acupuncturists by the beginning of the third trimester if possible (and even earlier is even better!). This will give us plenty of time to support proper fetal position later in pregnancy if needed.

If you are pregnant and seeking support through your pregnancy or support with breech position Schedule a Free Consultation with Allison today to discuss your options!