Moxibustion and Your Breech Baby

Research suggests that approximately 25% of babies are in the breech position at 28 weeks, with 4% of babies remaining breech until their birthing time. This may feel quite stressful and overwhelming, as it is known that certain risks may increase for the birth of a baby if they remain in the breech position until their birth.

Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that has been used very safely for thousands of years. Moxibustion has also been used in the West for many years, and research has proven it to be very safe and effective in facilitating a baby in the breech position to rotate to the head-down position, ready for a safer birth.

Much research has been carried out on moxibustion in relation to turning breech babies over the decades, with the success rate consistently high, often ranging from 66% to 90% (Complementary Therapies for Pregnancy and Childbirth, Denise Tiran, 2000).

How Does it Work?

In the Western world, we understand moxibustion to work in a variety of ways. It has been shown to create more space for the baby to move by relaxing the uterine muscles; it also encourages the baby to be much more active. These effects combined increase the opportunity for the baby to turn head down.

With moxibustion being a safe and effective way to support a breech baby to turn head down, it is suggested that moxibustion treatment should be offered to all women with a breech presentation. It is, therefore, a simple, comfortable, cost-effective technique that requires no medical intervention.

(Factors affecting the success of moxibustion in the
management of a breech presentation as a preliminary treatment to
external cephalic version – PubMed (nih.gov)