Acupuncture during pregnancy – from when? | Acupuncture: A good idea when pregnant?

Acupuncture during pregnancy – from when?

Acupuncture can generally be used at the beginning of pregnancy, but here as described, only to alleviate the symptoms associated with pregnancy as much as possible. Acupuncture for birth preparation should only be used from the 36th week of pregnancy onwards, as otherwise premature contractions may be induced, resulting in premature birth. Acupuncture during pregnancy should always be performed by a specialist. If you are uncertain, do not hesitate to consult a doctor. Even if complications are present or have already arisen during pregnancy, consultation with the treating physician should be made before acupuncture treatment.

How often should acupuncture be performed during pregnancy?

Depending on the type and cause of the problems that the acupuncture treatment is intended to solve, 2-3 treatments are usually sufficient.From the 36th week of pregnancy, when it comes to preparing for the birth, the pregnant woman usually goes for acupuncture treatment once a week for 20-30 minutes. This can also vary from case to case, especially if several problems are to be treated at the same time. Ultimately, it is at the discretion of the doctor or treating professional to decide on the frequency of acupuncture treatments.

Costs

Especially when many acupuncture treatments are needed, the costs for the pregnant women can add up. It is therefore interesting to know to what extent these costs are covered by the statutory health insurance companies. As a rule, acupuncture in preparation for childbirth is not covered by the health insurance companies.

They only reimburse the costs of acupuncture treatments that have been performed in the context of an injury to the lumbar spine or knee. This means that pregnant women have to bear the costs themselves in the case of pre-natal acupuncture treatment. In this case, the costs per session are between 15-30€. Since birth-preparatory acupuncture is only performed after the 36th week of pregnancy, the costs for the treatment are normally kept within limits. It is best to talk to your insurance company in advance, as the conditions can vary from one health insurance company to another.