Obstetrical Acupuncture Association
The Obstetrical Acupuncture Association was created to connect practitioners who work in the field of Obstetrical Acupuncture. The OBAA is committed to being a source for up to date research, educational resources, support and mentorship, to further the field of Obstetrical Acupuncture globally. The association is dedicated to promoting the highest level of safety and knowledge in the field, along with reproductive justice and equity for all.
The OBAA provides a resource for both pregnant people and their care providers to find acupuncturists in their area that demonstrate an elevated standard of care and safety within the field of peri-natal care. The association is dedicated to education, research, and the practice of Acupuncture as it relates to the treatment of prenatal, obstetrical and post-partum health. Association members demonstrate their knowledge through clinical experience, continuing education and a voluntary written examination.
Benefits to Membership
Highest standard of perinatal acupuncture education, current research and scholarly articles.
A welcoming global community of like-minded professionals.
Support and mentorship from leading experts in the field, including an active email forum to ask questions and discuss cases.
Access to educational resources, including
recorded lectures and roundtables.
Choose Your Membership
Acupuncturist
(General and Senior membership available)
$120CAD/Year
For Acupuncturists and providers with classical and traditional acupuncture training.
Including: Acupuncturists, Physicians with full acupuncture training, Dr. TCM, and Doctorate of Acupuncture.
Healthcare Practitioner
(General membership available)
$120CAD/Year
For healthcare providers with limited protocolized acupuncture or acuneedling training for pregnancy and childbirth.
Including: Midwives, Physicians, Physiotherapists
OBAA BIPOC scholarship available
Free 1 year membership
The OBAA recognizes that having cultural and ethnic representation within someone’s birth team leads to better birth outcomes. Free 1 year memberships are now available for Black, Indigenous and people of colour who are acupuncturists working in perinatal health. Applicants must still meet the basic qualifications for membership, but all fees will be waived.
OBAA Global Outreach
OBAA is dedicated to reproductive health equity and justice. As part of our commitment to supporting humanized childbirth globally, we have partnered with incredible maternal health institutions around the world. Our members have the opportunity to work and share knowledge with birth providers around the world and can volunteer as teacher trainers for maternal acupuncture and acupressure trainings.
Chiapas, Mexico
Luna Maya Birth Centre
In January, 2020, a group of 4 OBAA members went to Chiapas, Mexico to provide an acupuncture for pregnancy and childbirth advanced training. The trainees had previously had basic acupuncture training from the Global Acupuncture Project and had sought out specialized training for pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. Trainees included Traditional midwives and doulas who primarily worked with the Indigenous populations around souther Mexico.
Hyderabad, India
Fernandez Hospital Foundation
In February 2023, representing the OBAA and Maternal and Infant Health Canada, 2 OBAA members travelled to the Fernandez Hospital Foundation and associated regional hospitals in Hyderabad, India to provide a weeklong training in “Acupressure and massage for supporting humanised childbirth”. The OBAA team trained 88 midwives, doulas, physiotherapists, educators and obstetricians, as well as conducted an evaluation of program delivery which was published in the Women and Birth Journal.
Chiapas, Mexico
Luna Maya Birth Centre
In January 2024, a group of 4 members from the OBAA went to Chiapas Mexico and provided a Maternal Acupuncture training for a group of midwives, doulas and birth workers who had recently completed their basic acupuncture training through the Global Acupuncture Project.
Pune, India
National Institute of Naturopathy
In February 2023, the OBAA provided an Acupuncture for pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum weeklong intensive at the National Institute of Naturopathy. Over 100 previous graduates applied to attend the training, and 23 were chosen due of their roles as physicians, professors, and mentors to attend. This ensured that the knowledge transfer could continue once our training was completed. The goal of the training was not only to help expand their knowledge in the field so that they may better support their pregnant patients, but also so that each trainee could then share this knowledge with their own students and mentees.
Hargeisa, Somaliland
Edna Adan Hospital and University
In February, 2024, representing the Obstetrical Acupuncture Association and Maternal and Infant Health Canada, OBAA travelled to Hargeisa, Somaliland to train 46 midwives, nurses, doctors and final year midwifery students in the ’Acupressure and massage for Childbirth program’, with 6 attendees receiving additional training to become future trainers in the region. They also conducted research to assess implementation of up to 6 months following the training.
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