Acupuncture Points Commonly Cautioned in Pregnancy

Which acupuncture points are traditionally called forbidden in pregnancy, why practitioners disagree, what trials and reviews found about harm, and what to ask your maternity provider.

Content last updated October 22, 2026. This page has not been medically reviewed.

Start here

If you are pregnant and think something is wrong, contact your maternity provider or, in an emergency, call 911 in the US. Do not wait for an acupuncture appointment, and do not use acupuncture or acupressure to try to bring on labor at home. This page is information only. It names the points that sources say are traditionally cautioned, explains the disagreement about them, and reports what research found. It does not tell anyone how to use any point.

What research has found

Evidence here is about safety, not about benefit. Labels: promising but limited means reassuring but small or indirect.

Question	What the source found	Strength
Do trials that used these points report more miscarriage, preterm birth or stillbirth?	A 2015 review found 15 clinical trials (823 women) that used one or more of these points; preterm birth and stillbirth rates were equal to untreated groups and similar to background rates. [1]	Promising but limited. Small trials, most often for back or pelvic pain and breech position; the review says adverse event reporting in obstetric acupuncture is poor.
What happened in a very large group?	In a hospital cohort of 5,885 pregnant women treated at these points at all stages, miscarriage, preterm birth and early membrane rupture rates matched untreated women or expected rates. [1]	Promising but limited. Observational, so other differences between groups could matter.
Can acupuncture at these points start a miscarriage or labor?	The review found no reliable evidence that acupuncture can do so, even near or after the due date. [1] A Cochrane review of 22 trials (3,456 women) found no clear difference in cesarean rates, some benefit for cervical readiness, and called for more well-designed trials. [3]	Mixed to insufficient.
Is acupuncture in pregnancy safe overall?	A review of 105 studies found detailed adverse event data in only 25. Events linked to acupuncture were mild or moderate, with needling pain most common, and the total rate was 1.9%. [4]	Promising but limited.
Is there a plausible mechanism for harm?	One paper examined the proposed risks and found no plausible physiological mechanism. [5] Another said it is difficult to confirm that forbidden points harm pregnancy and called for animal research and a systematic review. [6]	Insufficient evidence either way.

Reading this carefully

"No evidence of harm" does not mean "proven safe for you." The sources describe small trials, poor adverse event reporting and, in the large cohort, no randomization. [1][4] The 2015 review's author edits an acupuncture journal, which he declared. [1] Evidence for acupuncture helping pregnancy complaints is also weak: one review of 16 trials of pregnancy-related symptoms called their quality rather poor. [7]

Labor is a separate question. England's NICE guideline (NG235) says not to offer acupuncture, acupressure or hypnosis during labor, and to support a woman's choice if she wants them. [8] A Cochrane review of 28 trials (3,960 women) found acupuncture may make little or no difference to pain intensity compared with sham, though satisfaction with pain relief may be higher; most other comparisons were very low certainty. [9] See Acupuncture and Moxibustion for Labor, Induction and Breech Presentation and Acupressure in Labor and Pregnancy.

Frequently asked questions

Which acupuncture points are "forbidden" in pregnancy?

There is no agreed list. The points most often cited include SP6, LI4, BL60, BL67, GB21, LU7, lower-abdomen points and sacral-region points. [1]

Is there proof these points cause miscarriage?

A 2015 review found no objective evidence of harm from them in trials, a large cohort or animal studies. [1] That is reassuring but not proof of safety, because the studies were limited.

Can acupuncture or acupressure bring on labor?

A Cochrane review of 22 trials found no clear difference in cesarean births and some improvement in cervical readiness, and asked for better trials. [3] Do not try this at home; talk to your maternity team.

Is acupuncture in pregnancy safe in general?

A systematic review found few adverse events when acupuncture was correctly applied, but only a quarter of studies reported them in detail. [4]

What should I tell my acupuncturist?

That you are pregnant and for how many weeks, plus your conditions and medicines. [10] Ask your maternity provider before booking.

More details: evidence, limits and cautions

The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.

Where the caution comes from

In traditional acupuncture, certain points are called "forbidden" in pregnancy because they are believed to risk miscarriage or early labor. One review says this belief is common among traditional acupuncturists, but they disagree about the full list in different classical texts. [1] By contrast, practitioners of Western medical acupuncture, who work from anatomy and nerve pathways, do not widely uphold the idea, because the concern is historical rather than evidence-based. [1] A discussion paper in the same debate describes recommendations ranging from avoiding these points at any time in pregnancy to saying they are not contraindicated in a normal pregnancy. [2]

So there is no single agreed list. The points most often cited as cautioned in pregnancy, at least before 37 weeks, are SP6, LI4, BL60, BL67, GB21, LU7, points in the lower abdomen such as CV3 to CV7, and points in the sacral (lower back) region such as BL27 to BL34. [1] Two reasons are given: a possible reflex effect on the uterus, and the chance of reaching the uterus with a lower-abdomen point. [1] The library has separate pages on two of these: Large Intestine 4 (Hegu) and Spleen 6 (Sanyinjiao).

If you are pregnant and considering acupuncture

Tell the practitioner you are pregnant and how many weeks, along with any conditions and medicines; the NHS says to tell your therapist about medical conditions, medicines and other treatments. [10] Ask what their training in pregnancy care is and how they handle the points above; see How to Choose an Acupuncturist. Discuss it with your maternity provider first, especially if you have had pregnancy complications. Never use at-home kits or tools. For wider context see Acupuncture in Pregnancy and natural remedy safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding.

References

Carr DJ. Acupuncture in Medicine, 2015 (open access). The safety of obstetric acupuncture: forbidden points revisited. Read 2026-10-22.
Acupuncture in Medicine, 2011. 'Forbidden points' in pregnancy: historical wisdom?. Read 2026-10-22.
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2017. Acupuncture or acupressure for induction of labour. Read 2026-10-22.
Acupuncture in Medicine, 2014. The safety of acupuncture during pregnancy: a systematic review. Read 2026-10-22.
Acupuncture in Medicine, 2011. 'Forbidden points' in pregnancy: no plausible mechanism for risk. Read 2026-10-22.
Acupuncture in Medicine, 2011. 'Forbidden points' in pregnancy: do they exist?. Read 2026-10-22.
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2024. Effectiveness and safety of acupuncture in treatment of pregnancy-related symptoms: a systematic review and Meta-analysis. Read 2026-10-22.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), England. Intrapartum care (NG235), Recommendations. Published 29 September 2023, last updated 9 June 2026. Read 2026-10-22.
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020. Acupuncture or acupressure for pain management during labour. Read 2026-10-22.
NHS (England). Herbal medicines and complementary therapies. Read 2026-10-22.

Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.