Safety Issues in Pregnancy:The 'Red Flags' for Acupuncturists

Course overview

A seminar looking at the conditions in pregnancy which acupuncturists need to be aware. There are many conditions in pregnancy that acupuncture can help, but some conditions can be dangerous for mother and baby, and it is important to be aware of these. The seminar is aimed at practitioners who are interested in, or already involved with, treating women in pregnancy. It assumes existing knowledge of the treatment with acupuncture of common complaints of pregnancy such as sickness and backache, taught at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. We will go a step further, looking at normal pregnancy in more detail and discussing the more serious obstetric complications such as severe pre-eclampsia, so that practitioners are familiar with these should a patient present with them. We will be looking at emergency situations that could be encountered when attending a labour as an acupuncturist. Case histories will be used to bring the conditions to life. Recognising when to refer back to midwifery or medical staff can be crucial - even life-saving in some cases.