This paper outlines an exploratory study charting the circumstances of use and patient perspectives regarding the acupuncture service offered in an antenatal clinic at an Australian public hospital. Study participants were recruited from women attending the antenatal clinic. Upon completion of their course of acupuncture treatment, 52 women were given a questionnaire, of which 37 (71%) were completed and returned. Of the 37 women who attended the acupuncture clinic, 18 (49%) had previously used at least one form of complementary medicine/therapy. The most common reason for treatment was physiological symptoms including back pain, symphysis pubis dysfunction and sciatica. All 37 women stated that the acupuncture improved their well-being and this finding was statistically significant (P<0.001). These findings are offered as a means of identifying potential issues for future investigation in this under-researched area.
Pregnant women with a third trimester breech presentation are almost invariably offered Caesarean section as the mode of delivery of first choice, especially when external version has failed to turn the fetus to cephalic. However, increasingly women are resorting to alternatives, to avoid either operative delivery or manipulative intervention in late pregnancy. This paper reviews some of the options for women with breech presentation, focusing especially on integrating these options into conventional maternity care.