Thanks Maralyn for putting this summary up to the list. I have heard of moxibustion, but had not gone to the trouble of chasing up the literature.
Did anyone else think it's an interesting conclusion? If the treatment group and control group were about equal, the percentages given represent only a small difference in numbers for the outcome of cephalic presentation at birth - probably no statistical significance. Interesting that so many (24) in the control group had external version. Perhaps the ECV intervention may have made the difference. There isn't enough evidence in this to make me advise clients who have babies presenting breech at 33 weeks to do anything. At 35-36 weeks, I would discuss ECV and other possible measures like the moxa. Also What does the finding of increased fetal activity signify? Was there merely increased awareness of fetal activity? Any comments? >From a plain midwife who is very reluctant to interfere with the natural process. Joy Johnston -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Tuesday, April 09, 2002 1:16 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: 'turning' breech presentations. The paper called "Moxibustion for Correction of Breech Presentation - a Randomized Controlled Trial" by Cardini, F. and Weixin, H. was published in JAMA 1998 Nov 11;280(18):1580-4. It was done in the outpatient dept. of the Women's Hospital of Jiangi province, Nanchang, and Jiujiang Women's and Children's Hospital in the People's Republic of China. The women were primips in their 33rd week with a u/s diagnosis of breech presentation. The 130 subjects randomized to the treatment group received stimulation of acupoint BL67 by moxa (Artemisia vulgaris or mug wort) for 7 days with another 7 days of treatment if fetus persisted in breech. The control subjects received routine care but no interventions. Subjects with persistent breech after 2 weeks were offered ECV any time between 35 weeks and EDD. Main outcomes increased fetal movement counts in treatment group vs controls; in 35 th week 75.4% of fetuses in treatment group were cephalic vs 47.7% of fetuses in control group. 24 subjects in the control group and 1 in the treatment group underwent ECV. At birth 75.4 % of fetuses in the treatment group and 62.3% of fetuses in the control group were cephalic. Conclusion: Among primigravidas with breech presentation during the 33rd week of gestation, moxibustion for 1 to 2 weeks increased fetal activity during the treatment period and cephalic presentation after the treatment period and at delivery. I think timing is critical with this treatment. I have seen clients who waited for the baby to turn by itself until 37 weeks and then the baby was to snug (it appeared to me) to turn, though ECV was often succesful at this later gestation. marilyn -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
