Stick a Needle in Me, Please!

From my Health magazine this month, I read a short article about accupuncture for pregnant women. The article talks about pregnant women who are depressed and the lack of meds that are available to them. In a recent study conducted by Stanford University, 61 clinically depressed pregnant women were given one of three different treatments. 1. Needling at pressure points that are thought to affect depression. 2. Needling at nonspecific points. 3. A brief massage. Results? After only 12 sessions, 69% who got depression-specific accupuncture, improved significantly. This rate is on par with those who are depressed and on antidepressents or in psychotherapy. Only 47% of the women who received either #2 or #3 did well. 10 weeks postpartum, 86% of the women who received the specifc accupuncture stayed stymptom free. Although not entirely conclusive, accupuncture might be a safe alternative for depression. Pregnancy is supposed to be a time of joy and happiness but it can often cause anxiety, paranoid and for those who are depressed prior to becoming pregnant, the pregnancy can be as much a burden as it is a blessing. Think, Brooke Shields. So it is nice that studies are being done that can work toward improving these situations. And does accunpuncture hurt? Nope, not really.