Turning Foetal Breech Presentation at 32-35 Weeks of Gestational Age by Acupuncture and Moxibustion

INTRODUCTION: Foetal breech presentation is an obstetric problem that often leads to caesarean section. Stimulation of the acupoint BL67 by moxibustion may correct breech presentation. METHODS: We observed 93 pregnant women in the 32nd-35th week of gestation with normal pregnancy and ultrasound diagnosis of breech presentation. The patients received stimulation of acupoint BL67 by self-administered moxibustion once a day for two weeks and if foetuses still were in breech presentation, moxibustion, and needle in the points BL65 and SI1, lasting 30 minutes, for three days in one week. The main outcome was vaginal birth with vertex presentation at delivery; the secondary outcome was compliance in the self-administration of the moxibustion treatment. RESULTS: We observed cephalic version and natural childbirth in 62.4% of all treated women. The treatment was accepted by 98.9% women (93/94), and compliance was 91.4% (85/93) for self-administered moxibustion and 37.5% (12/32) for moxibustion and needle treatment. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of our results, self-administered home treatment moxibustion followed by moxibustion and needle stimulations may be an effective and low-cost treatment for inducing cephalic version.