This service is offered in the Obstetrics ER, during or after birth, to all mothers, depending on the availability of the treatment providers. According to Ms. Chava Hacham, Shaare Zedek’s Head Midwife, “Among other methods, we use Chinese acupuncture for inducing labor, soothing pain or just for a smoother birth.”
Qualified acupuncturists, led by Oz Levi of Shaare Zedek’s Integrative Center for Complementary Medicine – directed by Dr. Menachem Oberbaum – provide the service as part of the long-established center’s activities.
“This move is part of a system-wide effort to provide the best possible treatment and service to mothers giving birth at Shaare Zedek,” explains Prof. Arnon Samueloff, Director of the hospital’s Women and Mothers Wing. “We apply many complementary techniques to ease the pain, including yoga, therapy, physio balls and now Chinese acupuncture. The mother can choose the method best for her and we try and accommodate her wishes as best as we can within the bounds of medicine and availability.” 
The Shaare Zedek Medical Center is home to more than 22,000 births a year, about 6,000 of which occur at our Bikur Cholim Campus. And a whole range of pregnancies and births are treated in the various departments: regular and high-risk pregnancies, regular head position and pathological cases such as breech positions and twins. The midwifery team has training in many birth techniques and they pay great attention to the wishes of the woman giving birth.