For women who suffer indigestion and heartburn during pregnancy but are afraid of taking medications for fear of harming the fetus, a new study which found that acupuncture may help will be welcome news.

Doctors believe that up to 80 percent of pregnant women suffer from heartburn, and symptoms tend to worsen over time.

However, Brazilian scientists have confirmed an alternative and safe treatment that has been part of the Chinese medical tradition for thousands of years may provide relief, according to HealthDay.com.

The researchers divided 42 pregnant women with indigestion into two groups – one received dietary counseling plus antacids and the second received dietary counseling, antacids and acupuncture once or twice a week.

The results suggested that the women who received acupuncture experienced a 75 percent reduction in heartburn, the website says.

“Although small, this study suggests that acupuncture can relieve symptoms of indigestion that … may provoke loss of quality of life in the final days, disturbing not only eating but also sleeping,” said lead researcher Dr. Joao Bosco Guerreiro da Silva, from the department of internal medicine at Rio Preto Medical College, quoted by the news source.

Recent studies have suggested acupuncture may be a valuable health resource due to its wide range of benefits, including relieving nausea and dry mouth in patients receiving chemotherapy.