Health Awareness and Disease Prevention
Acupuncture & Infertility
The difficulties of dealing with infertility can lead to
emotional stress within a relationship and further work
against the possibilities of conception. Understanding infertility
and the various treatment options can help a couple better
cope with the situation.
Infertility is diagnosed when a couple is unable to achieve
a pregnancy after repeated intercourse without contraception
for 1 year. Infertility affects approximately 1 out of 5
couples in the United States and has become increasingly
common because people are getting married and trying to
have children at a later age. It's interesting to note that
up to 60% of couples that have not conceived after a year
of trying, do eventually conceive with or without treatment.
Age is a primary factor for women making pregnancy more
difficult. The risk of complications during pregnancy increases
with age. The time for resolving infertility issues is limited
for women over the age of 35 who are approaching menopause.
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) has become a popular treatment
choice for infertility. IVF is a procedure in which egg
cells are fertilized outside of the woman's body and transferred
back into the uterus with the intent to establish a successful
pregnancy. The first IVF baby, Louise Joy Brown, was born
in England on July 25, 1978. IVF is not appropriate for
all infertility cases so it's best to consult a physician
about your particular condition. The website - www.RESOLVE.org
is an excellent resource on infertility.
The Merck Manual of Medical Information reports that the
chances of producing one full-term baby are only about 18
to 25% for each IVF procedure. Studies have shown augmenting
IVF with acupuncture treatments have increased the success
rate. A German clinical study several years ago found supporting
IVF with acupuncture attained a 42% success rate compared
to a 26% success rate in a control group that did not receive
acupuncture. In addition, acupuncture was reported to be
effective in the treatment of various conditions of infertility
by the World Health Organization. It is recommended to start
acupuncture and herbal treatments 3 months prior to the
IVF procedure. Infertility treatments for women are focused
on improving the function of the ovaries, strengthening
the immune system, reducing stress and the side effects
of IVF drugs, improving implantation and preventing miscarriage.
Male infertility requires a focus on semen quality and quantity.
Counseling on diet & lifestyle changes are also considered.
More information on Acupuncture
and IVF can be found here.
Christopher Carlow, D. Ac.
August 1, 2006
