Fertility
If you are struggling to conceive naturally, acupuncture can be of great benefit. Failure to conceive, even after months or years of trying, does not automatically mean complete infertility. If, and when, a woman conceives depends on a range of factors, both physical and psychological. A woman can experience irregular cycles, pre-menstrual pain, amenorrhea, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), Premature Ovarian Failure (POF), endometriosis, fibroids, or hormonal irregularities. These conditions can impede your ability to conceive. Chinese Medicine and acupuncture can restore balance to the system.
Acupuncture and In Vitro Fertilization
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 9 million American women are currently using Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) services to help them cope with fertility issues. Of available ART services, one of the most widely used is In Vitro Fertilization, or IVF. This consists of harvesting a woman's eggs and fertilizing them outside her body. The embryo that results from this fertilization is introduced into the woman's uterus to develop as a normal pregnancy.
In vitro fertilization is used in cases of fallopian tube blockage, low sperm count, abnormal cervical factors, immunologic factors affecting either partner, infertility after tubal surgery, infertility after treatment for endometriosis, and for unexplained infertility. This procedure was first successfully used in the United States in 1981. A widely published recent German study found that using acupuncture with IVF achieved a 42% clinical pregnancy rate compared to only 26% in the control group not receiving acupuncture. When acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are used in conjunction with IVF, clinical experience suggests the pregnancy rate can be raised. Click to view the study.