Reiki

Reiki During Pregnancy: Is It Safe?

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General safety statements about Reiki are reassuring, but none of them looks specifically at pregnancy. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says Reiki has not been shown to have harmful effects, and Cancer Research UK reports no harmful side effects in people with cancer. Neither source addresses pregnant women. If you are pregnant and interested in Reiki, the decision belongs in a conversation with your midwife or doctor, with Reiki kept as an extra to your prenatal care.

What do the general safety statements say?

  • NCCIH: the NCCIH page on Reiki says Reiki has not been shown to have any harmful effects.
  • Placebo-controlled trials: a 2022 review of 14 trials reports that none of its included studies reported adverse effects.
  • Cancer care: Cancer Research UK says that generally speaking Reiki is safe for most people with cancer, with no reports of harmful side effects.

What do they not cover?

Pregnancy. None of these three sources mentions pregnant women, and the reviews’ texts do not describe pregnant participants. Absence of reported harm in other groups is not the same as evidence of safety in pregnancy, so it should not be stretched to cover it.

What do practitioners say?

The International Center for Reiki Training says Reiki has been given to pregnant women and has also been used during childbirth. That is a description of practice, not a safety study.

How can you use it with care?

If you and your maternity team decide it is reasonable:

  • Keep every prenatal appointment and all recommended care; Reiki is an addition, not a replacement.
  • Tell the practitioner you are pregnant, and ask what the session involves besides Reiki, such as oils or other products, so you can check those separately.
  • Choose a comfortable position: sessions can be given seated as well as lying down, according to the ICRT.
  • Do not put new symptoms down to the session. Contact your midwife or doctor about anything that worries you.

Questions for your midwife or doctor

Ask: Is there any reason in my pregnancy to avoid hands-on therapies? Is there anything about my health, such as a high-risk pregnancy, that changes the answer? And should I tell you about any complementary therapy I start? Bring the answers to the practitioner before your first session.

This article is general information, not medical or psychological advice; talk with a licensed clinician about your own situation.

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