Several acupressure points on the hands, legs, and feet are traditionally used to encourage labor to start, though the scientific evidence behind them is mixed. The most commonly referenced points are Spleen 6 (on the inner leg), Large Intestine 4 (on the hand), and Bladder 60 (on the foot). Here’s where each one is, how to apply pressure, and what the research actually shows about whether they work.
Spleen 6 (SP6): Inner Lower Leg
Spleen 6 is located on the inner side of your lower leg, about four finger widths above your inner ankle bone, in the depression just behind the shinbone. In traditional Chinese medicine, this point is thought to promote cervical ripening and regulate the uterus toward the end of pregnancy. It’s one of the points most commonly used by acupressure practitioners working with overdue pregnancies.
To stimulate SP6, place your thumb on the point and apply firm, steady pressure. Some protocols call for 20 intermittent presses on each leg, while others suggest holding for about two minutes per side. The pressure should feel deep but not painful. You can repeat this several times throughout the day.
Large Intestine 4 (LI4): Back of the Hand
This point sits on the back of your hand, in the fleshy web between your thumb and index finger. It’s the single most commonly used point in acupressure therapy overall, not just for labor. LI4 is considered potent enough that it’s listed among the “forbidden” acupuncture points during early pregnancy because of concerns it could trigger uterine contractions prematurely.
To find it, pinch the webbing between your thumb and pointer finger on the back of your hand. The point is at the highest, meatiest part of that muscle when your thumb is pressed against your hand. Apply firm pressure with your opposite thumb for one to two minutes, then switch hands. Some practitioners recommend combining LI4 with SP6, pressing LI4 first and then moving to SP6.
Bladder 60 (BL60): Between Ankle and Achilles
Bladder 60 is on the outside of your foot, in the small dip between your ankle bone and your Achilles tendon. It’s sometimes called the Kunlun point. This point is used to encourage the baby to descend and to support the effectiveness of uterine contractions once they begin.
A related point, Bladder 67 (BL67), sits at the outer edge of your little toe, near the base of the toenail. BL67 is more commonly associated with turning breech babies than with inducing labor directly, but some practitioners include it in labor preparation protocols alongside BL60 and the other points.
Gallbladder 21 (GB21): Top of the Shoulder
This point is at the highest point of your shoulder muscle, roughly halfway between your neck and the edge of your shoulder. It’s sometimes stimulated during active labor rather than before it starts, typically at specific stages of cervical dilation. In clinical protocols, practitioners have applied pressure to GB21 for about two minutes at a time during labor itself to help contractions stay productive.
How to Apply Pressure Safely
Acupressure uses firm, steady thumb or finger pressure on specific points. You don’t need any tools. The general approach across most clinical studies involves pressing firmly enough that you feel a deep ache or mild tenderness at the site, holding for one to two minutes, then releasing. Some techniques use intermittent pressing (about 20 presses in a row) rather than sustained holds.
The key safety concern is timing. These points are specifically avoided during early and mid-pregnancy because of the theoretical risk of stimulating contractions too soon. LI4 and SP6 in particular are considered off-limits until you’re at or near full term. If you have a high-risk pregnancy, placenta previa, or your water has already broken, acupressure isn’t something to experiment with on your own.
What the Research Actually Shows
The evidence for acupressure as a labor induction method is genuinely inconclusive. A few older, small studies reported encouraging numbers. One trial from the 1970s found that labor was successfully induced in 21 of 31 women using acupuncture-based techniques, and another reported an 83% success rate with an average time from induction to delivery of about 13 hours. But these were tiny studies without strong controls.
A Cochrane review, which is the gold standard for evaluating medical evidence, looked at multiple trials involving hundreds of women and found no clear difference in cesarean section rates, instrumental birth rates, or overall outcomes between women who received acupressure and those who received sham (fake) treatments or standard care. One trial did find improved cervical ripening with electrical acupuncture stimulation compared to a control group, but that’s a different technique than manual thumb pressure.
The Royal College of Midwives has stated directly that acupressure is “not supported as effective” for labor induction based on current evidence, though they note acupuncture (with needles) may have a modest effect on cervical ripening.
How It’s Thought to Work
The proposed mechanism involves hormonal and nervous system changes. The theory is that stimulating certain points increases hormone release from the brain, specifically from areas that control the pituitary gland. One pathway suggests that nerve stimulation from acupressure could trigger the release of oxytocin, which is the same hormone hospitals use synthetically to induce labor. Another theory involves parasympathetic nervous system activation, which could increase uterine muscle activity.
These mechanisms are plausible in principle, but the clinical evidence hasn’t consistently shown that manual finger pressure produces effects strong enough to reliably start labor. The hormonal shifts involved in natural labor onset are complex, and it’s unclear whether external pressure points can meaningfully accelerate that process when the body isn’t already close to ready.
Realistic Expectations
Acupressure is low-risk at full term and costs nothing to try, which is why many midwives are comfortable with patients using it even without strong evidence. But it’s not a reliable substitute for medical induction when there’s a clinical reason to get labor started. If you’re past your due date and your provider is recommending induction, acupressure is better understood as something you might try alongside medical guidance rather than instead of it.
Many women who report success with acupressure were already near the point of spontaneous labor. At 39 to 41 weeks, your body may be hours or days from starting on its own, which makes it difficult to know whether the pressure points actually did anything or whether timing was coincidental. That said, the relaxation benefits of focused breathing and touch during a stressful waiting period are real, even if the specific acupressure mechanism remains unproven.