Moxibustion is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) therapy that involves burning dried mugwort leaves (or moxa) near or on meridian (acupuncture) points to warm and stimulate the body. Mugwort is a strong and earthy aromatic flowering plant that belongs to the genus Artemisia. Moxibustion can be used for a whole host of illnesses and ailments, including but not limited to: digestive issues, menstrual pain, musculoskeletal pain, circulatory issues and immune support.
Given its potential ability to flip a breeched fetus, and therefore potentially preventing a woman from giving birth via a cesarean surgery, changing the position of the fetus before birth has become possibly the most notable use of moxibustion in the United States. To turn the breeched fetus, burning mugwort is placed on or near a pregnant woman’s pinky toe. A recent Cochrane Systematic review indicated that this moxibustion technique, when applied before 37 weeks (and ideally between 33 and 36 weeks) of pregnancy, reduces the chance of the fetus remaining in a breeched position by 72%-74%.
So how can burning a dried plant near one’s pinky toe result in such a powerful outcome?
The Traditional Chinese Medicine Explanation
Bladder 67 (Zhiyin) is an acupuncture point located on the bottom lateral corner of the pinky toenail. Moxa can be burned near this site to encourage smooth energy (Qi) and blood flow through the Bladder and Kidney meridians, which connect to the pelvis and the uterus. By introducing tonification to the Bladder Meridian of the mother, TCM practitioners aim to tonify the Qi of the fetus, providing the fetus with the Qi it needs to turn head-down.
The (Evolving and Hypothesized) Western Medical Explanation
Western medicine views moxibustion through a physiological lens. Applying thermal stimulation to the pinky toe is thought to trigger a maternal neuroendocrine response. The heat stimulates the pregnant woman’s adrenal glands, encouraging the release of placental estrogen and prostaglandins. This hormonal shift increases gentle uterine muscle activity and tone while simultaneously relaxing the lower segment of the uterus. Clinical ultrasound monitoring confirms that this increased uterine activity, paired with a heightened fetal heart rate response, causes the fetus to become noticeably more active. This safe increase in fetal movement gives the baby the necessary space and momentum to rotate naturally into a cephalic (head-down) position before birth.
