USING ACUPUNCTURE AND CHINESE MEDICINE IN A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO TREATING INFERTILITY

Starting a family can be a happy, exciting time. However, for the one couple out of ten of childbearing age experiencing fertility issues, it is a time of frustration, sadness, and stress. IVF treatments alone have a success rate of approximately 23%. It has been reported that with the addition of acupuncture, the success rate can improve to 42%. In fact, some practitioners achieve a success rate in excess of 75% using acupuncture as an adjunct treatment to IVF.

How does acupuncture address infertility so effectively both when used by itself and in conjunction with Western medical-assisted reproductive techniques?

Because acupuncture addresses all aspects of an individual's health, it can be used to treat the various causes of infertility in both women and men. Approximately 40% of instances of infertility are due to problems experienced by the female, 40% by the male, and the remaining 20% are listed as unknown. For women, problems such as hormonal imbalance and endometriosis can cause infertility. Acupuncture and herbs can regulate FSH, LH, progesterone, estrogen, and prolactin by stimulating the hypothalamus to balance the endocrine system.  It treats endometriosis by increasing blood flow to the uterus.

In a study conducted by the Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from 1997 to 1999, 29 patients received weekly acupuncture treatments for sexual impotence; 72% recovered normal sexual function. Infertility in men may result from low sperm count or low sperm motility, which acupuncture remedies.

Stress is a contributing factor for both men and women. Because of the delicate balance between the hypothalamus, pituitary, and reproductive glands, stress can prevent a woman from ovulating normally. Stress can also provoke spasms in both the fallopian tubes and the uterus, which can disrupt the movement and implantation of a fertilized egg. In men, stress can affect sperm counts and motility and cause impotence. Acupuncture is particularly effective in reducing stress because it releases endorphins, which have a calming effect on the individual.

Another benefit of acupuncture is that it produces no negative side effects. In fact, acupuncture tends to produce positive side effects. Individuals being treated for infertility with acupuncture report an improved sense of overall wellbeing as well as a reduction in the undesired side effects and accumulated toxicity of fertility drugs and invasive medical procedures.

Acupuncture can be used throughout the pregnancy to maintain a high level of wellbeing, addressing morning sickness as well as ensuring a nurturing environment for the growing child. Sound nutrition and prenatal massage (after the first trimester) also support the health of mother and child.

This approach can be perfect for patients who have been through multiple IUI's and IVF cycles. Patients can become stressed and discouraged by the tests and the failure to conceive; sometimes they just give up hope of ever having a baby. A holistic clinic can treat the patient for infertility while also assessing and treating other symptoms she may be experiencing.

Sometimes successful pregnancy stories start out quite differently. A patient may first come for pain relief from something such as rheumatoid arthritis. Acupuncture treatments designed to relieve pain may help her body regain a balanced state, often making it easier for her to become pregnant. Patients who have suffered miscarriages or are older (perhaps in their 40s) have also found that acupuncture treatment helps them in their quest for pregnancy.

Like a gardener using organic materials rather than pesticides to prepare soil prior to planting, Chinese medicine provides a gentle way of readying the body for pregnancy. For couples dealing with infertility, acupuncture can help make their dreams of parenthood a reality.