title: Treatment of women's reproductive health conditions by Australian and New Zealand acupuncturists.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acupuncture is used by nine percent of the Australian population; however, we know relatively little about the practice of acupuncture to treat women's reproductive health in Australia and New Zealand.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study surveyed acupuncturists to examine their practice with treating women's reproductive health complaints. A cross sectional survey of 3406 Australian and New Zealand acupuncturists was conducted. A self-completion questionnaire explored the areas of acupuncture treatment for gynaecological pregnancy and fertility complaints.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Questionnaires were completed by 377 acupuncturists. Ninety-six percent of practitioners reported treating women's reproductive health conditions within the previous year. All three areas of women's reproductive health were commonly treated with 96% treating gynaecological health, 91% treating pregnancy conditions, and 90% fertility conditions. The most commonly treated gynaecological conditions were premenstrual syndrome (90.1%, 95% CI 86.2-93.0), menopause (89.4%, 95% CI 85.4-92.4) and primary dysmenorrhea (89.1%, 95% CI 85.1-92.2). Participants reported treating general fertility not related to assisted reproduction (93%, 95% CI 89.4-95.5), treatment for a diagnosed fertility related conditions (85.8%, 95% CI 81.1-89.4), and to decrease infertility related stress (86%, 95% CI 81.5-89.7). The most common pregnancy related conditions treated were nausea (90.3%, 95% CI 86.3-93.3), back or pelvic pain (89.3%, 95% CI 85.1-92.4), and prebirth labour preparation (86.8%, 95% CI 82.3-90.3).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treating women's reproductive health complaints was commonly reported among the groups of acupuncturists in Australia and New Zealand responding to this survey; however, our findings cannot be generalised to the wider acupuncture communities in these two countries.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Complementary Medicine, University of Western Sydney, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia. Electronic address: caroline.smith@uws.edu.au.
authors.forename: Caroline A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Complementary Medicine, University of Western Sydney, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Armour
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Complementary Medicine, University of Western Sydney, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia.
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Betts
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008593:Menopause; D008599:Menstruation Disturbances / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D014932:Women's Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult