Should Acupuncture And Moxibustion Be Routinely Recommended For The Treatment Of Breech Presentation?

Breech presentation puts both mother and baby at a higher risk of morbidity and mortality. In Western countries, a large proportion of breech babies are delivered by elective caesarean section, which itself presents significant dangers. It is therefore preferable to turn the baby to a cephalic position prior to delivery. Chinese Medicine traditionally treats breech presentation by stimulating acupoint Zhiyin BL-67. This paper reviews the literature on the treatment of breech presentation with acupuncture and moxibustion at Zhiyin BL-67, focusing on the efficacy of these treatments and the viability of offering them in the private and public health sectors. It concludes that there is evidence to support treatment of breech presentation by stimulating Zhiyin BL-67 with both needling and moxibustion, and that moxibustion in particular is a safe and cost-effective method of treating breech presentation. However, more robust research using greater sample sizes is still needed in this area.