HOW ACUPUNCTURE CAN ASSIST FERTILITY TO CONCEIVE NATURALLY OR IN IVF?

Many women worldwide are facing difficulties in conceiving naturally or even with in vitro fertilization (IVF). However, a recent research clinical trial indicated that women undergoing IVF were 70% more likely to become pregnant when they have western medical procedure combined with acupuncture.
fertility to conceive natural

In Vitro fertilization (IVF)

A systematic research review article published in 2008 issue of British Medical Journal indicated that a significant success rate occurred across seven acupuncture trials on 1,366 women. The acupuncture treatment in IVF was given before or just after embryo transfer to the womb and showed that acupuncture stimulates the neurotransmitters which trigger the release of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone. At this stage, this hormone controls the menstrual cycle and a woman's ovulation. Acupuncture also stimulates blood flow to the uterus and enhances the production of endogenous opioids (natural morphine which is known as Endorphine, inducing physical and emotional relaxation.

What are other useful factors alongside acupuncture in fertility?

fertility

Acupuncture For infertility in men and women should be planed ahead for at three months before conception or an IVF cycle. In our clinic, I we advise the patients to have twice weekly treatments until they get a positive pregnancy test and then reduce the treatments to once a week for the first trimester to minimize the risk of miscarriage. However, other measures are necessary to be taken alongside acupuncture treatments and these are:

a) Changes in Lifestyle:
	Every man and woman who tries to have a baby should get good amounts of sleep and reduce the level of stress. The worry about fertility is usually adding more emotional stress and these patients should consider the best methods to relieve stress such as Meditation, yoga and other relaxation techniques. For good chance of fertility in men, they should avoid saunas, hot tubs and tight clothes, all of which heat up sperm. Furthermore, all women patients should exceed the normal daily exercise as excessive exercise depletes Yin.

*b) Diet:* With regards to diet in fertility, both men and women should consider eating:

	Healthy organic food.
	- All white meat (chicken, turkey and fish) and no red meat (pork, beef and lamb).
	- All vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, gingers, turnips, spinach and
	- Leafy greens) and fruits (such as raspberries, blueberries, pineapples, and grapes)
	- No alcoholic and caffeine drink but drink camomile, herbal and/or fruit teas.
	- Some healthy nuts, seeds

c). Help Your body with following advice:

Stop Smoking: Smoking is usually increased the chance of repeated miscarriages. Therefore, Research trials have noticed that most Women smokers are with a low level of oestrogen which may delay or prevent conception. Smoking is also thought to cause tubal infertility, and can lead
to an early menopause. In men, smoking may cause a damage to their sperm. So that why when men stop smoking, their sperm count increases quickly.

Stop alcohol: Alcohol consumption in Women may stop or delay conception which is usually caused a hormonal disturbance of the estrogen/progesterone balance and in men it may damage or reduce the healthy sperm. Therefore,
In natural conception or IVF, both men and women have to avoid alcohol.

Good enough Sleep: Acupuncture in Chinese medicine always is always considered as the best alternative treatment to improve the sleeping pattern, particularly in insomnia. Lack of sleep has long been recognized as influencing fertility. Disturbance in sleeping pattern has a significant impact to cause physiological body function disruptions, including the inhibition of growth hormones.

Weight control: underweight or heavy weight may have some effect on natural and IVF conception. It is known that underweight can cause disturbed menstrual periods. It is also known that overweight or obese can lengthen the time for conception.

Avoid Stress: Scientific research trials indicated that Stress may induce irregularities in ovulation and abnormalities sperm development. The men and women should work hard to lower the levels of all physiological stress in order to enhance the chances of successful conception.

How Acupuncture works in natural and IVF conception?

A recent clinical research trial in Germany indicated acupuncture significantly increased the effectiveness of IVF success. The report showed that pregnancies were 34 out of 80 patients (42.5%) in the acupuncture group as compared to 21 out of 80 patients (26.3%) in the control group. In another recent study also showed that improvement in sperm quality and motility (increased sperm motility levels, increased the number and percentage of healthy sperm, and significant improvements in sperm structure) after the men received acupuncture treatments.

It is now known that acupuncture has a long history of assisting fertility in the following ways:

	Increases the healthy growth of the uterine lining
	increases blood flow to the reproductive system (including the womb)
	regulates and balances the female hormones
	reduces the levels of all stresses, particularly the stress associated with fertility problems.

The main aim of Traditional Chinese Acupuncture is to restore the body energy balance in order to achieve its effectiveness in fertility. Most Women around the world are seeking natural way of alternative treatments to overcome their fertility barriers.

Our acupuncture treatment at the UK ACUPUNCTURE CLINICS is used in fertility to lower elevated FSH levels, to regulate irregular menstrual cycles, to mitigate pain in the endometriosis patient; to mitigate pain in the patient who presents with ovulation and/or menstruation-related migraines; to thicken an unresponsive endometrium; to treat the amenorrheic patient, the oligomenorrheic patient; to treat patients with partial tubal occlusion, and the patient with unexplained infertility. Additionally, I have successfully treated men with low sperm counts or poor motility. However, not all patients respond to alternative medicine.

Despite that, however, further clinical research trials are needed to understand the mechanisms of action of acupuncture in more details in the infertile patient.

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Please contact the CLINICAL DIRECTOR DR. EMAD TUKMACHI Link>> or to make an appointment at one of our UK ACUPUNCTURE CLINICS, please telephone or email us Link>>