A randomised controlled trial of moxibustion for breech presentation

Abstract

Objectives To evaluate the efficacy of moxibustion for the correction of fetal breech presentation in a non‐Chinese population. Design Single‐blind randomised controlled trial (RCT). Setting Six obstetric departments in Italy. Sample Healthy non‐Chinese nulliparous pregnant women at 32–33 weeks + 3 days of gestational age with the fetus in breech presentation. Methods Random assignment to treatment or observation. Treatment consisted of moxibustion (stimulation with heat from a stick of Artemisia vulgaris) at the BL 67 acupuncture point (Zhiyin) for one or two weeks. Two weeks after recruitment, each participant was subjected to an ultrasonic examination of the fetal presentation. Main outcome measure Number of participants with cephalic presentation in the 35th week. Results The study was interrupted when 123 participants had been recruited (46% of the planned sample). Intermediate data monitoring revealed a high number of treatment interruptions. At this point no difference was found in cephalic presentation in the 35th week (treatment group: 22/65, 34%; control group: 21/58, 36%; RR 0.95; 99% CI 0.59–1.5). Conclusions The results underline the methodological problems evaluating of a traditional treatment transferred from a different cultural context. They do not support either the effectiveness or the ineffectiveness of moxibustion in correcting fetal breech presentation.

Systematic review of systematic reviews of acupuncture published 1996–2005

“…Those in fibromyalgia, 50 chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, 51 breech presentation, 52 tension headache 53 and migraine, 54 have all been negative compared with sham acupuncture controls. One in osteoarthritis of the knee, had statistical improvement over sham acupuncture at three months, but not later.…”

Uso de la acupuntura y moxibustión para corregir la presentación no cefálica: estudio de intervención en un centro hospitalario de tercer nivel

“…Tal y como defienden otros estudios [8][9][10][11][12][13]17,18,21,22 , no hubo efectos adversos con el tratamiento de acupuntura y moxibustión.…”

“…Este hecho garantizó el seguimiento y el buen control de la técnica realizada. En cuanto a la adherencia al tratamiento, tal como sucede en otros estudios 18,22 , este ha sido bien aceptado por las gestantes que participaron en el estudio y parece ser que mejora si el acompañante está involucrado 20 . El estudio de Guittier et al 19 refiere que el cumplimiento del tratamiento era excelente.…”

Efficacy of Stimulation at the Jing-Well Points of Meridians

“…However, another study of a non-Chinese population does not support either the effectiveness or the ineffectiveness of moxibustion in correcting a breech presentation. These results underline the methodological problems in evaluating a traditional treatment in a different cultural context [30]. neurological problems.…”