Posts Categorized: Pregnancy

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Maternal Healthcare Inequality- Why It Exists and What You Can Do

There are so many aspects that we need to work on to create lasting change- but one that hits closest to home for me since I am so involved in women’s health is maternal healthcare inequality. As a practitioner who is passionate about women’s health, after I began researching I was honestly embarrassed to realize the extent of my ignorance on this issue. I pledge to do better in continuing to educate myself, looking at my own unconscious bias as well as spreading awareness and donating to organizations which are making meaningful change.

Did you know that Black women in the USA are 3-4 times more likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth than their white counterparts? In New York City, the rate is 12 times higher.

Why is this happening? I’ve been reading through many articles on the topic, and while I still have a lot of learning to do, I’ve found that researchers agree it has little to nothing to do with lifestyle factors (diet, etc), access to high quality healthcare or any genetic predisposition.

According to Dr. Joia Crear-Perry, research shows that “Black women who live in affluent neighborhoods, receive prenatal care in the first trimester, are normal weight, and have advanced degrees are still more likely to die or have their baby die than white women in poor neighborhoods, with no prenatal care, who are obese, and don’t have a high school diploma.”

We must do better. The main factors that researchers believe are responsible for increased maternal and infant mortality in the USA  are implicit (unconscious) bias on the part of healthcare practitioners as well as “weathering”, which is the cumulative physical effects of exposure to discrimination, leading to poorer health outcomes.

What can we do?  I am still learning and researching, but studies show that one solution is making free or low cost doulas available for pregnant people who can’t afford them. This additional support during pregnancy and postpartum results in improved outcomes and can literally be a lifesaving solution. We must support the community organizations that provide doula services so that they can serve more women and fairly compensate the doulas. This is not the only solution, but does help to fill in the gaps while our society works to address the underlying issue of racism.

EDUCATION STEPS:

  • Read Chapter 8 of the book “Babies are Not Pizzas” by Rebecca Dekker, RN, PhD. This chapter has generously been made available for free online- scroll to the bottom of the page for the pdf
  • Read through some of the articles on this page from Every Mother Counts, especially the first section on “The Impact of Systemic Racism on Black Maternal Health”. Please read a few articles, but if you’re just going to pick one from this list, I recommend this one.
  • Watch this short TED Talk to learn more about the effects of cumulative stress during pregnancy as well as the clinic model described in the third action step (below)

ACTION STEPS:

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Acupuncture For Nausea During Pregnancy- Plus 3 More Tips

Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy is often called “morning sickness”. In reality, most women probably wish it only happened in the morning-  around 98% of women who have nausea feel it at various points throughout the day! Researchers estimate that between 50-90% of women experience nausea during pregnancy.

For most women, nausea resolves around 13-16 weeks, but for others it will continue throughout the pregnancy. In addition, for some whose nausea did stop after the first trimester, it returns about a month before the due date. Frustrating, but totally normal.

Aside from the awful sensation that nausea brings, you can end up feeling confused about what’s triggering it and what you can do about it. This article will give you some concrete ways to feel more in control and simply bask in your newfound pregnancy glow. Read more

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Acupuncture and Moxibustion for Turning Breech Babies: An Update

My Approach As a Practitioner…

In my practice I’ve had really good success with turning breech babies using moxibustion in combination with acupuncture. It’s something that I see very regularly and I’m always happy that women and their health care providers are becoming more aware that moxa can help, and recognize the importance of using any intervention possible to try and turn the breech baby and increase chances of a vaginal birth. When a woman comes to me with this issue, on the first visit I perform an acupuncture session to try and facilitate movement and space in the hips and pelvis as well as address any other issues such as anxiety, insomnia, back pain or digestive issues in pregnancy. After the acupuncture comes moxibustion. I teach the patient in great detail how to perform this technique and send her home with written instructions and the moxa sticks. 4-5 days later, she returns for another acupuncture session to try and help the process.

This is something that’s great to try before your doctor attempts an ECV Read more

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Is Acupuncture Safe During The First Trimester? Here’s The Evidence…

Many women who are newly pregnant ask me whether acupuncture is safe during pregnancy- specifically during the first trimester. They really want to try or continue acupuncture for a variety of reasons, but are quite mindful of avoiding anything that could put the pregnancy at risk.  I can say it is safe without hesitation, not only from my nearly 10 years in practice but from all the years of experience of my teachers and mentors. However I completely understand that women, their doctors and midwives want more than just anecdotal evidence. So without further ado- here are the studies which I feel should put your mind at ease. Read more

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Acupuncture For Sciatica And Low Back Pain in Pregnancy

In my practice, I see a lot of women who are experiencing either sciatica or lower back pain in pregnancy. It’s a very common condition, and it’s actually one of my favorite things to treat using acupuncture because it works so well! Acupuncture can help you to take the focus off of being in pain, and instead enjoy the last few months of pregnancy while gathering your strength for the birth.

Sciatica refers to pain which is usually in the glute and to some extent radiating down the back of the leg. Read more