Acupuncture during pregnancy
- Reading time: 13 min.
- Published: 25.04.2026
Acupuncture offers expectant mothers gentle and drug-free support for typical pregnancy complaints such as nausea or back pain. It can also shorten the duration of the birth.
At a glance
- Time: Acupuncture is useful throughout pregnancy; for the treatment of acute complaints, as a prophylaxis for water retention and to prepare for birth.
- Effect: Many pregnant women experience noticeable relief from their pregnancy symptoms. This has a positive effect on their mental state and quality of life.
- Experience: After the puncture, which only causes a small prick, many people feel a dull ache, a feeling of warmth, heaviness or a slight tingling sensation around the fine needle.
- Costs: With supplementary insurance for complementary medicine, an acupuncture treatment costs between CHF 12 and 78; without supplementary insurance between CHF 120 and 156 (as at 06/2026).
When is acupuncture useful during pregnancy?
Acupuncture is particularly useful for acute pregnancy complaints, to prevent water retention (edema) and to prepare for birth. In principle, it can be used throughout the pregnancy, but should only be carried out by experienced specialists.
For the prevention of water retention, I usually start with weekly acupuncture treatments from the 17th week of pregnancy. For pure birth preparation, I usually start with weekly sessions from the 36th week of pregnancy.
Certain Acupuncture points such as on the abdomen and pelvic floor are taboo at the beginning of pregnancy, as they could trigger contractions.
What symptoms does acupuncture help with during pregnancy?
In addition to conventional medicine, acupuncture is a proven remedy for typical pregnancy complaints such as nausea, heartburn and sleep disorders as well as for physical complaints such as back pain and water retention (edema).
Hormonal complaints
- Nausea and vomiting
- Heartburn (acid regurgitation, reflux)
- Sleep disorders and extreme tiredness
- Constipation and flatulence
- Mood swings
- Cravings and disgust for certain foods
- Circulatory problems and dizziness
Anatomical complaints
- Back pain
- Sciatica
- Water retention (edema)
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)
- Symphysis loosening
In addition, acupuncture is often used in combination with the Moxibustion used to bring babies in the breech position into the correct position.
Please note that acupuncture does not replace a conventional medical examination. In particular, have serious symptoms such as severe water retention (edema) or high blood pressure checked by conventional medicine.
What effect does acupuncture have during pregnancy?
Acupuncture releases the body's own happiness hormones. This has a circulation-promoting, muscle-relaxing and pain-relieving effect as well as a harmonizing effect on the nervous system. Pre-natal acupuncture leads to better maturation of the cervix and loosens the tissue in the pelvic area.
One Study conducted by the University Women's Hospital Mannheim in 2000 has shown that the first phase of childbirth (the so-called opening period) can be shortened by an average of around two hours in first-time mothers using acupuncture to prepare for childbirth.
Acupuncture cannot heal damaged tissue. However, if it is used correctly, it can effectively support the body's natural healing processes. The advantage of acupuncture is that it does not require medication and has virtually no side effects.
What experiences do pregnant women have with acupuncture?
Pregnant women experience the effect of acupuncture on pregnancy complaints very differently: experiences range from immediate relief to a reduction in the peaks and a stabilization of the complaints in the days following the treatment to no noticeable effect in around 10 percent of women.
Even if acupuncture cannot completely cure pregnancy complaints in most cases, many pregnant women experience noticeable relief, which improves their quality of life. Thanks to acupuncture, women no longer feel so helplessly at the mercy of their symptoms. The treatment is also perceived as a welcome break from the stresses of everyday life.
In the days following treatment, many pregnant women report the feeling of «having the upper hand again» and being able to recharge their batteries. This can break the stress-related vicious circle in which the fear of the next attack leads to even more nausea.
Acupuncture for nausea
For many pregnant women, the constant feeling of acute nausea noticeably subsides during the session. Some describe this effect as a «sudden loosening of a knot in the upper abdomen», resulting in a pleasant feeling of relaxation.
Pregnant women who do not experience any direct relief often report that at least the peaks of nausea are alleviated. This enables them to cope better with their everyday life and eat small portions again.
Other women experience a delayed effect in the form of the so-called «battery effect»: after initial tiredness, these pregnant women experience a two to three-day phase with fewer symptoms before the symptoms slowly return.
Acupuncture for heartburn (reflux)
Heartburn during pregnancy is usually caused by the pressure of the growing uterus and pregnancy hormones. Many pregnant women report that their stomach feels squeezed and hard. This discomfort can worsen when lying down and lead to insomnia.
Thanks to the muscle-relaxing effect of acupuncture, the stomach usually feels softer and wider again after treatment. This often leads to noticeable relief from acid reflux. As a result, pregnant women can usually eat better again and sleep more peacefully.
Pregnant women often physically perceive the effect of acupuncture on heartburn as pressure relief. Affected women often report that they can breathe deeply into their stomach again after acupuncture without acid coming up immediately. The oppressive feeling of fullness, which often occurs after just a few bites, also subsides.
Acupuncture for sleep disorders
Acupuncture causes the body to release calming messenger substances such as serotonin and endorphins (happiness hormones). This reduces physical and mental tension and makes it easier to fall asleep.
During treatment, pregnant women often experience a pulling or tingling sensation at the injection sites followed by a feeling of deep physical calm. After the treatment, they usually feel more balanced and relieved of stress and anxiety.
Many pregnant women report that, thanks to acupuncture, they are less plagued by racing thoughts in the evening, can fall asleep more quickly and have a better quality of sleep.
Acupuncture for back pain
The hormonal loosening of the tissue in combination with the growing baby bump can lead to a hollow back in pregnant women. This incorrect posture overloads the back muscles over time. The resulting back pain can severely restrict a woman's freedom of movement.
Women with this back pain find standing, walking and finding a comfortable sleeping position particularly tiring and exhausting. They usually describe the pain as a dull, constant pressure or pulling pain in the lumbar vertebrae, which feels like a deep, exhausting fatigue of the muscles.
Pregnant women usually find acupuncture very beneficial for back pain, as it can significantly alleviate this unpleasant pain in many cases.
Acupuncture for water retention (edema)
Unlike nausea or back pain, acupuncture does not usually provide immediate relief from water retention during pregnancy. Around three to six sessions are usually required for a noticeable effect.
Some women who have already experienced several pregnancies and suffered from water retention report that it was worth starting acupuncture early enough in the second pregnancy, from around the 17th week of pregnancy.
Acupuncture for sciatica
Many pregnant women report noticeable relief from radiating pain and improved mobility in everyday life. After treatment, there is often a feeling of warmth or loosening in the affected area. The effect is often described as temporary, so regular sessions may be necessary for lasting relief.
Acupuncture for symphysis loosening
Pregnant women often find acupuncture an enormous relief in cases of symphysis loosening, as it can noticeably relieve the stabbing pain in the pubic area and when walking in many cases.
Acupuncture points: Where are the fine needles placed?
I stimulate different acupuncture points depending on the complaint. In the fold-out elements below you will find some points that are frequently stimulated for certain complaints.
Acupuncture points for nausea
The best known point is P6 (Neiguan) on the inside of the forearm, about three finger widths above the wrist. It is sometimes also stimulated with an acupressure wristband.
Other commonly used points include Ma36 (Zusanli, on the outer side of the lower leg) and KG12 (Zhongwan, middle stomach / upper abdomen).
Acupuncture points for heartburn
For heartburn, acupoints such as St. 36 (Zusanli, on the outer side of the lower leg) or St. 12 (Zhongwan, mid-stomach / upper abdomen) are often needled to aid digestion and soothe the stomach.
Acupuncture points for sleep disorders
In the case of sleep disorders, the points HE7 (Shenmen, on the wrist), An Mian («calm sleep», Halls / neck) and Yintang (between the eyebrows) are often stimulated to calm down.
The points MA36 (Zusanli, outside of the lower leg) and P6 (Neiguan, inside of the forearm) are often used in addition.
Acupuncture points for water retention
The acupuncture points MP9 (Yinlingquan, inside of the lower leg), MP6 (Sanyinjiao, inside of the lower leg) and Ma36 (Zusanli, outside of the lower leg) are often needled to support blood circulation and fluid balance in the case of water retention (oedema). Occasionally, Ni7 (Fuliu, inside of the lower leg) is also stimulated.
Acupuncture points for back pain
For back pain during pregnancy, acupuncture is often applied to points BL23 (Shenshu, lower back/kidney region), BL60 (Kunlun, outer side of the ankle), and Ma36 (Zusanli, outer side of the lower leg).
In addition, local points along the bladder meridian line in the lumbar region, such as BL25 and BL26, are often stimulated.
Acupuncture points for sciatica
For sciatica, points along the course of the sciatic nerve are used, such as GB30 (Huantiao, right buttock), GB34 (Yanglingquan, outer side of the lower leg), and BL40 (Weizhong, back of the knee).
In addition, local points in the painful region of the buttocks and legs can be needled.
Acupuncture points for symphysis loosening
When treating symphysis pubis dysfunction, the following points are typically stimulated: MP6 (Sanyinjiao, inner side of the lower leg), Bl32 (Ciliao in the sacral region), and local points in the area of the pubic bone or pelvis. This alleviates pain and relaxes the pelvic region. GB30 (Huantiao, right buttock region) is sometimes used as well.
Pre-natal acupuncture
The following points are usually needled during prenatal acupuncture: MP6 (Sanyinjiao, inside of the lower leg), Bl32 (Ciliao, lower back/sacrum) and Di4 (Hegu, between the thumb and index finger of the hand) to support the maturation of the cervix and to prepare for birth.
As these points are considered to stimulate labor, birth-preparatory acupuncture is typically only performed from the 36th week of pregnancy onwards.
The following acupuncture points are taboo, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy, as they can have a labor-promoting effect: MP6 (Sanyinjiao, inside of the lower leg), Di4 (Hegu, on the back of the hand between the thumb and index finger), Bl60 (Kunlun, between the outer ankle and Achilles tendon), Bl67 (Zhiyin, on the outside of the little toe), GB21 (Jianjing, shoulder) and the abdominal points below the navel. I use some of these points from the 36th week of pregnancy specifically to prepare for the birth.
How much does acupuncture cost during pregnancy?
An acupuncture treatment in Switzerland costs between CHF 120 and CHF 156 without supplementary insurance for complementary medicine, depending on the duration; with supplementary insurance between CHF 12 and CHF 78 (as at 06/2026).
Supplementary insurance for complementary medicine usually covers 50 to 90 percent of the treatment costs, provided the therapist has a recognized certification.
I am recognized by the ErfahrungsMedizinisches Register, (EMR certified). Under the following link you will find a list of health insurance companies that accept the EMR quality label. Please clarify before the first treatment whether and to what extent your supplementary insurance will cover the treatment costs.
TCM practitioner: Xiaoyun Li
ZSR number: T639764
EGK therapist number: 57381
Does basic health insurance cover acupuncture during pregnancy?
Basic health insurance only covers the costs of treatment if acupuncture is used to treat acute pregnancy complaints and is performed by a doctor with a corresponding FMH certificate of competence in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
General prenatal acupuncture, on the other hand, is not covered by basic insurance. Treatments by certified TCM therapists or midwives are also not covered by basic insurance.
How does billing with supplementary insurance work?
After you have paid the full invoice amount for the acupuncture treatment, you will receive a refund voucher. You submit this to your supplementary insurance company. Your supplementary insurance will then transfer the insured portion of the treatment costs to you.
What services does TCM Seerose offer for pregnant women?
My name is Xiayun Li, and I am an EMR-certified TCM practitioner. I offer acupuncture and moxibustion treatments during pregnancy and for prenatal care near you.
In addition to treatments in my practice in Moosseedorf near Schönbühl, I also offer home visits in the Bern area. I look forward to getting to know you!
TCM practitioner: Xiaoyun Li
ZSR number: T639764
EGK therapist number: 57381
