Acupuncture & Infertility

 Oriental Medicine for Fertility

According to the American Fertility Society, fertility issues                                      affect at least one in six couples in the United States. Reproductive                                                                 health, like all health, is about balance. Acupuncture and Chinese                                                                  medicine have been used for thousands of years to successfully                                                                       address infertility by restoring optimal hormonal balance, increasing                                                    circulation through the reproductive organs, and creating an overall                                                              environment where new life may flourish. Using Chinese medicine,                                                                   we can assess the underlying imbalances and detect stress and/or                                                    weakness throughout the body. A good evaluation by a well-trained                                                            practitioner allows for a clear understanding of each individual case.                                                           Infertility can be caused by a variety of factors including: advanced age,                                                             genetic disposition, poor diet, overwork, insufficient rest & exercise,                                                                 illness, nutritional deficiencies, metabolic imbalances, and high                                                        mental/emotional stress. Maintaining and restoring balance is at the                                                          heart of diagnosis and treatment in Chinese Medicine. Common                                                                   treatment prescriptions include acupuncture, herbs, diet, lifestyle changes,                                                     or a combination of all four to bring your system back to its proper functioning.
Acupuncture and Chinese medicine may enhance fertility by: 
Females – Regulating the menstrual cycle

• Regulating FSH & hormone levels to produce a larger –
•     number of follicles
• Increasing blood flow to the uterus and increase the-
•     thickness of the uterine lining
• Improving the function of the ovaries to produce better-
•     quality eggs
• Increasing libido
• Correcting blocked fallopian tubes
• Enhancing response to IVF – lessening side effects-
•     of IVF on the body
• Relaxing the mind & body
• Preventing miscarriage

Males

• Improving sperm count and motility
• Increasing libido
• Correcting erectile dysfunction
• Increasing semen quantity

Good candidates for acupuncture and herbal medicine are
people who have a functional, rather than structural reason for infertility.
Infertility due to hormonal problems, immune disorders, amenorrhoea,
irregular menstruation, stress and age related factors all fall into the
category of functional infertility.
Stress can dramatically decrease fertility in both men and women.
Acupuncture increase fertility by reducing stress.

Targeted Fertility Treatment

Treatment for infertility is usually over a course of 3-6 months.
While some patients get pregnant in as little as 6 weeks others may
take much longer. Each person’s condition is unique and each person
responds differently to treatment.

Acupuncture and in-vitro fertilization
Women undergoing IVF were 65 percent more likely to                                                                               become pregnant when they combined the procedure with acupuncture,                                                     a recent study has shown. The remarkable success rate occurred across                                                seven acupuncture trials involving 1,366 women in a systematic review and                                                meta-analysis published in a February, 2008 issue of the British Medical Journal.

Acupuncture was delivered either just before or just after embryo transfer                                                          the moment when the embryo fertilized in the laboratory must attach itself to                                                     the wall of the womb to establish a pregnancy.

The research was carried out by scientists from the University of Maryland in                                          America and the VU University Amsterdam in Holland. Researchers claim                                                  that because acupuncture costs only about $75 per session compared to                                                    $6000 to $10,000 per cycle for IVF, it would be a cost effective, safe and efficient                                              way of boosting success rates in fertility treatment. It is thought that acupuncture                               stimulates the neurotransmitters that trigger the production of gonadotrophin-                                          releasing hormone, which controls the menstrual cycle and a woman’s ovulation.
Combining IVF treatment with acupuncture has shown to dramatically increase                                              the chances for conception by as much as 60%. It is highly recommended that                                             treatment begin prior to retrieval and continue through the implantation procedure.

On the day the embryos are implanted, receiving a special acupuncture                                                     procedure before and after implantation will further increase the chances                                                      of a successful implantation. Special arrangements will be made around                                                   this appointment as these are the most important acupuncture treatments                                                    of the series.

Call us at (904) 448-0046 to arrange a free consultation to see how 
acupuncture and Oriental medicine can assist you with your fertility goals!

Lifestyle Tips during Fertility

Diet Suggestions

In general for men and women, eat organic foods when possible and avoid
meats that have been treated with hormones or fish that contains mercury.
Women need to eat food with essential fatty acids, e.g., soy products and wild
caught salmon. Essential fatty acids are also found in non-hydrogenated cold
pressed oils like flaxseed, winter vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower,
and carrots, and all dark green vegetables.  Avoid alcohol and caffeine. A Yale
University School of Medicine study found that the risk of infertility was 55%
higher for women drinking 1 cup of coffee per day, 100% higher for women
drinking 1 and 1 ½ – 3 cups, and 176% higher for those drinking more than
3 cups of coffee per day.

Chinese medicine takes an energetic view of our bodies and our organs,
meaning that bodily energy needs to move freely and stagnation causes
problems. The energy of the kidney system is very important for reproduction.

For men and women, foods that nourish their kidney essence include: chicken
or duck and eggs from both; seeds and nuts; oysters; seaweed and algae.

For women, certain foods help nourish your bodies during the different
phases of your cycle.

Foods that nourish Yin include: fruits such as raspberries, pineapples and
grapes; vegetables such as asparagus and beans; adequate proteins,
especially tofu and fish; and organ meats such as kidneys, brains and hearts.
Avoid spicy, pungent foods.

Foods that nourish Yang include warming foods: ginger; ginger tea; beans;
grains; and vegetables such as mustard greens, winter squash, cabbage
and kale. Avoid ice cold drinks, ice cream and foods that are very cold.
In general, it is a good idea to avoid ice water and ice cream during pregnancy
attempts.

Foods that nourish blood include: fruits such as blackberries, raspberries
and grapes; organic meats and poultry; soup stock made from the bones
of the meat and poultry; and vegetables such as turnips, spinach and dark,
leafy greens.

Lifestyle Tips

For both men and women, try to get good amounts of sleep and limit stress.
Of course, difficulties with fertility send stress skyrocketing but that makes it
even more important to find ways to relieve stress. Meditation, yoga, relaxing
with friends and any other calming activities that work for you are encouraged.

For men, skip saunas, hot tubs and tight clothes, all of which heat up sperm.

For women, enjoy the foods noted above, exercise as a stress reliever
and to maintain health but don’t overdo it. Excessive exercise depletes Yin.

Call us at (904) 448-0046 to arrange a free consultation to see how 
acupuncture and Oriental medicine can assist you with your fertility goals!