Is acupuncture safe during pregnancy?

For most people with an uncomplicated pregnancy, acupuncture done by a trained practitioner appears to be low risk. A review of 105 studies found side effects linked to acupuncture in about 1.3% of pregnant patients, all mild or moderate, and a Korean cohort of 20,799 pregnancies found no significant difference in preterm birth. Alberta's College of Acupuncturists lists points that are traditionally avoided throughout pregnancy, so tell your acupuncturist you are pregnant and how far along you are.

For most healthy pregnancies, the research is reassuring. Acupuncture during pregnancy has been studied in more than a hundred trials and case series, and the side effects that turn up are mostly the same minor ones seen outside pregnancy, with needling pain the most common. The one thing that genuinely changes is the point selection: certain points are avoided for all nine months, and the practitioner needs to know you are pregnant to plan around them.

What the safety research shows

Three bodies of evidence are worth knowing about, and they point the same way.

A systematic review of 105 studies (2014). Researchers looked for any adverse event reported in studies of acupuncture or moxibustion in pregnant women. Events judged as possibly, probably or certainly caused by acupuncture occurred in 1.3% of patients, and all were mild or moderate, with needling pain the most frequent. The few severe events or deaths reported in those studies were judged unlikely to have been caused by acupuncture. One limitation: only about a quarter of the studies reported side effects in detail.

A national cohort from Korea (2020). Using health insurance records, researchers followed 20,799 confirmed pregnancies between 2003 and 2012, of which 1,030 involved acupuncture. There was no significant difference in preterm delivery between the acupuncture and control groups, overall or among high-risk pregnancies. No stillbirths occurred in the acupuncture group; the rate in the control group was 0.035%. Because it is retrospective, it can show reassurance but not prove safety.

A meta-analysis on pregnancy back pain (2023). Twelve randomised trials with 1,302 patients found lower pain scores with acupuncture, no significant difference in preterm delivery and no serious adverse events attributed to acupuncture. The authors rated the trials’ methods as low quality.

Evidence	Size	Key safety finding
Park et al., systematic review, 2014	105 studies	1.3% related adverse events, all mild or moderate
Moon et al., Korean cohort, 2020	20,799 pregnancies	No significant difference in preterm delivery; no stillbirths with acupuncture
Li et al., meta-analysis, 2023	12 trials, 1,302 patients	No serious adverse events from acupuncture

What people use it for in pregnancy

Safety is only half the question; the other half is whether it is worth trying. Cleveland Clinic lists pregnancy discomforts among the conditions acupuncture may help. The best-studied is back pain: the 2023 meta-analysis above found lower pain scores and better response rates when acupuncture was used alone or with other treatments, although the trials were not rigorous. The research on this page does not settle whether it helps nausea, sleep or pelvic pain, so go in with curiosity rather than firm expectations, and keep your prenatal care provider in the loop. Our pages on insomnia in pregnancy and low back pain in pregnancy cover other options.

Points avoided throughout pregnancy

Alberta’s College of Acupuncturists sets this out in its safety handbook for practitioners. Some points have traditionally been considered forbidden for the whole of pregnancy, with any technique, because of an oxytocic effect, meaning they are thought to be able to stimulate the uterus to contract.

The handbook’s list is:

• LI4
• SP6
• GB21
• BL31, BL32, BL33 and BL34
• BL60 and BL67

It also notes that some ear points, those for the ovaries and uterus, could potentially cause miscarriage, and that moxibustion, a heat-based technique, is contraindicated on the abdomen or lower back of pregnant women.

The handbook frames these as traditional cautions, and the safety studies above were not designed to test them one by one. The practical upshot is simple: a careful acupuncturist plans around them, and you are welcome to ask which points they intend to use.

What to tell your acupuncturist

Good care starts with a full picture. Before your first needle, share:

• how many weeks pregnant you are, and your due date
• any complications: bleeding, high blood pressure, placenta problems, a history of early labour or pregnancy loss, or carrying more than one baby
• blood-thinning medicine, which the handbook lists as a reason for extra caution or avoiding acupuncture
• anything that makes you feel faint, since the handbook recommends treating people prone to fainting lying down
• what you are hoping for: back or pelvic pain, nausea, sleep or simply rest

When to check with your midwife or doctor first

Talk to your midwife, family doctor or obstetrician before booking if your pregnancy is considered high risk or you have had bleeding, early contractions or a history of preterm birth. And whatever treatment you are having, stop and call your care provider right away if you notice any of the following, which ACOG and the SOGC list as warning signs:

• bleeding from the vagina
• fluid gushing or leaking from the vagina
• regular, painful contractions, or contractions less than ten minutes apart before 37 weeks
• feeling dizzy or faint, or chest pain
• calf pain or swelling

These need medical assessment, not a treatment appointment. Our page on when to wait on prenatal massage covers the same principle for hands-on work.

Acupuncture in pregnancy at Renu

At Renu, acupuncture is with Dr. Will Tanner, an acupuncturist and RMT who also appears among our prenatal massage practitioners. A first visit is the 90-minute initial consultation and treatment ($150), and return visits are 60 minutes ($120). Online booking is through Jane, and the clinic opens every day of the week.

If needles are not for you during pregnancy, prenatal massage is another route for back and hip discomfort; our page on low back pain in pregnancy looks at both. For the wider safety picture outside pregnancy, see is acupuncture safe.

Questions people ask

Can acupuncture cause a miscarriage?

The studies we reviewed did not find that acupuncture raised the risk of losing a pregnancy, and the large Korean cohort recorded no stillbirths in the acupuncture group. Alberta's acupuncture safety handbook still lists some points, including uterus and ovary points in the ear, as potentially able to cause miscarriage, which is why they are avoided throughout pregnancy.

Is acupuncture safe in the first trimester?

The Alberta list of forbidden points applies for all nine months, not just early pregnancy. The research on safety is reassuring overall but was not designed to single out the first trimester, so tell your acupuncturist exactly how many weeks you are and any history of pregnancy loss.

Does acupuncture help pregnancy back pain?

It may. A 2023 meta-analysis of 12 randomised trials with 1,302 patients found lower pain scores with acupuncture for pregnancy-related low back pain and no serious adverse events, but rated the trials' methods as low quality.

Should I tell my midwife or doctor I am having acupuncture?

Yes. Your prenatal care provider knows about any complications that might change what is safe for you, and it keeps everyone working from the same information.

Sources

1. Park et al., Acupunct Med 2014: The safety of acupuncture during pregnancy, a systematic review
2. Moon et al., BJOG 2020: Safety of acupuncture during pregnancy, a retrospective cohort study in Korea
3. College of Acupuncturists of Alberta: Safety Handbook for Alberta Practitioners (v1.2)
4. Li et al., Heliyon 2023: Acupuncture for pregnancy-related low back pain, systematic review and meta-analysis
5. Cleveland Clinic: Acupuncture
6. ACOG: Exercise during pregnancy (warning signs)
7. SOGC pregnancyinfo.ca: Preterm labour

Page reviewed October 5, 2026. This page is education, not a diagnosis. For your own situation, talk to your doctor, surgeon or care team, or ask us.