EBB 359 - Mini Q & A on Early Induction for Gestational Hypertension, Acupuncture/Acupressure for Labor, and Time Intervals between Pregnancies

Evidence Based Birth®

Rebecca Dekker

Pregnancy, Health & Fitness, Childbirth, Parenting, Birth, Medicine, Kids & Family, Doula, Obstetrician, Midwife

4.6 • 978 Ratings

🗓️ 21 May 2025

⏱️ 28 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this Q&A episode, Dr. Rebecca Dekker answers questions submitted by EBB Pro Members—each exploring a different facet of evidence-based maternity care.

First, she explores the latest evidence on early induction for gestational hypertension, including findings from the WILL trial and other recent studies. What are the real risks and benefits of inducing labor at 37 or 38 weeks for gestational hypertension? And how should families weigh these decisions with their providers?

Next, Dr. Dekker shares new insights into the effectiveness of acupuncture and acupressure for labor pain, anxiety, and Cesarean recovery. From systematic reviews to randomized trials, the data is growing!

Finally, she looks into the evidence on interpregnancy intervals. What does the research say about the risks associated with short or long gaps between pregnancies? And how might this information apply to those who are pregnant again after a five-year or more break?

(00:00) Intro to Mini Q&A and EBB Pro Membership

(02:17) Early Induction for Gestational Hypertension – What the Research Says

(06:20) WILL Trial Findings and Recommendations from ACOG and NICE

(08:23) Outcomes at 37 vs. 38 Weeks – Cesareans, NICU, and Respiratory Distress

(10:15) Balancing Induction Timing and Risks of Continuing Pregnancy

(11:03) Acupuncture and Acupressure – New Research and Applications

(12:41) Studies on Pain, Anxiety, and Nausea During Labor and Cesareans

(14:46) Acupuncture and Cesarean Recovery – Mobility and Pain Management

(16:54) Interpregnancy Intervals – Definitions and Research Challenges

(19:39) Risks of Short and Long Pregnancy Spacing

(23:22) Global Perspectives and Meta-Analysis on Birth Outcomes

(26:49) Public Health Implications and Final Thoughts

View the full list of resources and references on ebbirth.com.

For more information about Evidence Based Birth® and a crash course on evidence based care, visit www.ebbirth.com. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube! Ready to learn more? Grab an EBB Podcast Listening Guide or read Dr. Dekker's book, "Babies Are Not Pizzas: They're Born, Not Delivered!" If you want to get involved at EBB, join our Professional membership (scholarship options available) and get on the wait list for our EBB Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the EBB Childbirth Class.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi everyone. On today's podcast, I'm going to do a mini Q&A on early induction for gestational
0:06.0	hypertension, newest research on acupressure and acupuncture for labor and birth, and the impact
0:11.8	of spacing your pregnancies on birth outcomes.
0:18.5	Welcome to the evidence-based birth podcast. My name is Rebecca Decker, and I'm a nurse with my PhD
0:24.1	and the founder of evidence-based birth. Join me each week as we work together to get evidence-based
0:30.3	information into the hands of families and professionals around the world. As a reminder,
0:35.9	this information is not medical advice. See eBbirth.com
0:39.9	slash disclaimer for more details. Hi, everyone, and welcome to today's episode of the
0:46.9	evidence-based birth podcast. Today, I'm so excited to answer some questions that we've been
0:51.7	answering this year inside the Ask the Research Team
0:54.5	forum just for EBB Pro members. So if you've ever wanted to personally ask me or the other
1:00.5	researchers at Team EBB a question, you can do so inside the EBB Pro membership and you can learn
1:06.7	how to join at eBbirth.com slash membership. We do have monthly, quarterly, and annual membership
1:12.6	options available, as well as scholarships. Today, I've chosen three questions and answers to share
1:18.7	with you publicly on the podcast, and they have to do with the timing of a scheduled induction
1:23.3	for gestational hypertension, new research on acupuncture and acupressure for labor and birth,
1:29.6	and the impact of spacing of pregnancies on pregnancy and birth outcomes.
1:34.2	One more announcement I wanted to make before we get started that is related to the subject.
1:39.1	We are hosting a training all about evidence-based care for gestational hypertension and preeclampsia on June 4th.
1:46.1	This training will be led by Dr. Shannon Vote, a board-certified family medicine physician,
1:51.5	and it's a fantastic training opportunity for doulas, nurses, midwives, and physicians to stay
1:57.2	up to date on what kind of care is considered evidence-based for families who are experiencing
	...

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