Infertility is a touchy issue for many couples regardless of race, social status and economic standing in both Eastern and Western cultures. While Western medicine has made great advances to treat infertility, traditional Eastern medicine has plenty of alternative methods that can prove useful, too. One of the foremost unions of these two cultures is the application of the techniques of acupuncture for fertility.
Acupuncture Goals
For those who are not familiar with the practice, acupuncture is the practice of placing tiny needles on various pressure points in the body to achieve physical and mental well-being in the individual being treated. The tiny needles serve as the tools to open up the pathways of energy in the body known as “chi” and, hence, treatment from various diseases and disorders including stress can be attained.
In the case of infertility, the obvious goal of acupuncture is to open up the blocked energies in the body that prevent successful conception. The tiny needles are inserted by an experienced acupuncturist into the parts of the body where said blocked energies are present.
Believers and Doubters
As can be expected, there are believers and doubters about acupuncture for fertility purposes. Keep in mind that there are many cases of infertility that even the sophisticated techniques, tools and technologies of Western medicine cannot remedy such that the idea of an ancient form of medicine being able to solve infertility can be jarring to the Western mind, to say the least.
On one hand, the believers point to a handful of scientific studies in the American and European fields that point to the benefits of acupuncture. It must be emphasized, however, that these studies focused on the effects of acupuncture on couples undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) instead of acupuncture used as a standalone treatment for infertility. No infertility specialist who believes in the benefits of acupuncture will recommend it without other forms of treatment.
Studies also indicate that the benefit of acupuncture for fertility is maximized when it is administered approximately 30 minutes before and after the IVF procedure. The chances for successful implantation is increased while the chances for miscarriage is decreased, thus, translating to higher chances for a live birth.
Other studies indicate that acupuncture is most effective in IVF when performed once a week at least a month before the cycle starts. Then, when the cycle starts, the acupuncture sessions are continued two to three times a week.
On the other hand, the doubters of acupuncture for fertility point to the insufficient evidence to support the claims of the believers in the practice. Many fertility specialists caution against putting acupuncture on a pedestal – or any other treatment for infertility, for that matter. There is no miracle pill against infertility, be it from the Western or the Eastern cultures.
The benefits of acupuncture appear to come from the improved circulation of blood, oxygen and nutrients to the reproductive system. This results in healthier eggs ready for fertilization and healthier uterus to hold the fertilized eggs.
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So, what is the verdict on acupuncture for fertility? We suggest discussing with your doctor about the possibility of improving your IVF success rate with acupuncture. Since no drugs and other harmful substances are involved in the practice, you should be in good hands with an experienced acupuncturist.
