Sarah Budd

Registration closes March 21st, 2021

How does it all work?

This course is structured in monthly modules with small cohort sizes to maximise your learning experience. While having access to lectures and resources, the expectation is that you will spend 2-3 hours per week of self-study engaging in set activities to deepen your understanding of the material.

• At the beginning of each month, you will log into an online classroom that contains a lecture and handouts from a MAMPS tutor(s) about their experiences and treatment suggestions for a specific treatment topic.
• You then have three weeks to engage in this lecture along with extra reading material and forum activities in preparation for a live feedback Q&A session with your tutor(s) in the final week. This will be recorded for those unable to attend.
• Ongoing discussion of the classroom material is possible through forums. These forums provide community engagement and also provide the opportunity for you to submit questions and case histories from your clinical practice for group support and feedback.
• Additionally, forums provide you with the opportunities to post suggestions for topics you would like to see covered and start-up connections with others for projects you may like to work together on that can be supported by the MAMPS team.
• Optional additional resources will be provided for those who wish to explore topics in further depth, including understanding key research and how to utilise this for promoting acupuncture in maternity care.

At the end of the course and completion of forum activities, you will receive a MAMPS certificate for advanced practice and have the option of applying for distance CEU / PDA through Healthy Seminars included as part of your tuition. 

1. A brief history of obstetrics comparing Western and Chinese classical approaches from the past with current practice
2. Physiological changes in pregnancy, safety of acupuncture in pregnancy and the “forbidden points"
3. Treating various conditions / pathologies in pregnancy including nausea & vomiting, heartburn, threatened miscarriage, constipation, varicose veins, muscle-skeletal problems such as back & pelvic pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and stress
4. Obstetric “red flags”: including bleeding in pregnancy, ectopic pregnancy, abdominal pain, cholestasis, polyhydramnios, oligohydramnios, premature labour, urinary problems, small for dates babies, hypertensive disorders, malpresentation & cord prolapse, retained placenta, post-partum haemorrhage, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders including postpartum psychosis, breast feeding problems, including mastitis
5. Introduction to MYMOP and audit in the clinic
6. Discussion of Obstetric acupuncture organizations and support groups
7. Brief discussion of obstetric research
8. Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) (another "red flag”). “Western” diagnosis and treatment, treatment with acupuncture, illustrated with case histories
9. Discussion of research relating to HG including overview of presenter’s recent Delphi consensus study on acupuncture for HG
10. Breech presentation and treatment by TCM
11. Pre-birth preparation and induction of labour with acupressure and acupuncture
12. Pain relief in labour with acupuncture and acupressure
13. Anxiety & depression in pregnancy and post-natal period
14. Building bridges and communication with the midwifery, GP and obstetrician communities

Goals and Objectives:

• To ensure delegates have a thorough understanding of all aspects of obstetric acupuncture
• To ensure practitioners are safe in their practice when dealing with pregnant and post-natal women
• To inspire and encourage audit in practice
• To promote advantages of membership of obstetric acupuncture organizations such as the "Obstetrical Acupuncture Association” (OBAA) and awareness of mentorship groups such as "Maternity Acupuncture Mentoring & Peer Support" (MAMPS)
• To encourage engagement and familiarity with obstetric research and promote use of the organization "Evidence Based Acupuncture" (EBA)
•  To encourage evidence-based communication with health professionals in order to promote advantages of obstetric acupuncture