Auriculotherapy and pregnant women…is there any reason to be afraid?

Abstract

Auriculotherapy is a therapeutic method derived from Traditional Chinese Medicine that consists in ear stimulation of the auricular pavillion and can be performed by means of needle, ball, magnet, heat, laser or bloodletting applications. Auriculotherapy is a Chinese approach, but with great contribution of Paul Nogier, who collaborated for the mapping and design of the concept of somatotopic representation of the ear. Tere is much fear on the approach of health professionals while treating pregnant women with Auriculotherapy. According to these professionals, auriculotherapy may be, in a complete or partial way, abortive and bring complications to pregnancy. In consultation of published scientifc articles about the subject, it was observed that there are studies that had from 89 to 157 participants. Some studies showed results statistically meaningful for Auriculotherapy. Other results were not statistically meaningful, but were positive. However, not a single one of them referred any abortion case due to the use of that method. So, what principle sustains that those professionals could be a?raid of it?