There are many reasons that can affect your fertility health. The National Institutes of Health in the United States have noted that many researchers are looking into the issue and have come up with some possible theories as to why acupuncture works:
* Acupuncture stimulates the central nervous system causing neurotransmitters and neurohormones to be released into the body, thereby boosting your body's natural ability to heal itself.
* Changes to the central nervous system during acupuncture sessions helps with the regulation of blood pressure and body temperature.
* Acupuncture reduces acute or chronic pain by releasing naturally occurring endorphins, the body's pain control system, into the central nervous system.
Acupuncture helps by regulating your body's system. Which aids in blood flow to the reproductive organs, stabilizes hormone levels, and in turn will increase ovarian function in women as well as sperm production in men.
Acupuncture can be a unique alternative and or compliment to treating fertility problems. When used alone, acupuncture is effective for those couples experiencing functional problems, like irregular ovulation, and even unexplained infertility. If the body is not able to do what it was meant to do during the reproductive years, then there is an imbalance preventing the energetic flow from expressing itself. While the imbalance might not be severe enough to reveal itself in laboratory tests, it is enough to prevent the miracle of pregnancy from occurring. This sort of “unexplained infertility” is the easiest to treat however, as acupuncture will balance out that which is imbalanced. Yet, if untreated, it can become one of the most frustrating and stressful situations, as there is very little Western medicine can do for a problem they can’t identify.
Used as a complementary form of therapy for women undergoing other fertility treatments, acupuncture has been proven to be especially beneficial. Some believe that acupuncture works by helping women stay more relaxed through stressful fertility treatments. In particular, studies have shown that acupuncture definitely increases the rate of pregnancy in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF).
A German study done in 2002 showed that of the 80 women who underwent IVF and received acupuncture, 34 women got pregnant, a success rate of 42.5%. Of the 80 women involved in the study who received IVF without any acupuncture treatments, only 21 women (26.3%) became pregnant. More recently, an American study involving 114 women showed that 51% of the women who had acupuncture and IVF treatments became pregnant versus only 36% of the women who had IVF alone. Deeper analysis of this study revealed that, while 8% of the women in the acupuncture group miscarried, the rate of miscarriage in the IVF-only group was 20%. Furthermore, women who received acupuncture also had lower rates of ectopic pregnancies.
Keep in mind, acupuncture for fertility is not a one-time procedure. You will need to see your acupuncturist once or twice a week for a series of weeks or possibly even months. A series of up to 12 treatments is normal. Each appointment will take about an hour and should include time for an exam and discussion of your current condition, things you can do yourself at home and any questions you may have.
Chinese herbs for infertility are usually recommended that go along with acupuncture and other treatments you may be receiving. If you take herbs while receiving other medical treatments, be sure to tell your doctor. Some herbs can interfere with the function of fertility drugs and procedures.
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