My nhs hospital offers free acupuncture sessions to bring on labour after 38 weeks in high risk pregnancies and after 40 weeks in other pregnancies. Its website says "Evidence shows that acupuncture can reduce the chance of going overdue and makes it less likely that birth will need to be induced.". But the NHS main website lists acupuncture among "other methods of inducing labour that are not supported by scientific evidence".
Does anyone know if there is any medical evidence that acupuncture can induce labour? I'd like to give it a go if so as I am classed as high risk due to gestational diabetes and will be induced if I go more than a few days overdue. On the other hand I am not sure how I feel about NHS hospitals paying for treatment that isn't supported by scientific evidence unless it's on a trial basis. Surely they should be prioritising resources on the basis of scientific evidence?