Acupuncture & Fertility
Will acupuncture help infertility?
According to the U.S. Census Report on Fertility in America, because more women are delaying childbirth into their late 30s and early 40s, about 20 percent of women ages 35-39 are childless in 2002, much than in 10 percent in 1976. Now infertility affects at least one in six US couples; 7 million couples experience the pain and disappointment of infertility. The numbers are still increasing, indicating more women are having difficulties getting pregnant. While the vast majority of infertility patients turn to ART (assisted reproductive technologies), including IUI (intrauterine insemination) and IVF (in vitro fertilization) for help, a growing number of them are also trying alternative therapies, including acupuncture, referenced in Saturday Early Show at CBS by Dr. Mallika Marshall.
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese treatment that involves placing tiny hair-like needles in the skin as a way of stimulating energy points on specific meridians that are central to your spiritual, mental, emotional and physical balance. Acupuncture is designed to encourage the body to promote natural healing and improve functioning. It has been used in China for thousands of years to regulate the female reproductive system. In the past decades, acupuncture has become more popular and is now widely practiced in the U.S. The National Institute of Health (NIH) has said, "There is sufficient evidence of acupuncture's value to expand its use into conventional medicine". One of the NIH research spotlight is “Acupuncture Shows Promise in improving Rates of Pregnancy Following IVF”. ABC News and Good Morning America had a show on acupuncture’s amazing effects in helping greatly with fertility in both women and men. According to Dr. Nancy Snyderman from NBC Today Show, “when acupuncture needles are placed correctly, it can affect the nervous system. Celebrities such as Celine Dion and Mariah Carrey credit the use of acupuncture in helping them achieve fertility. NBC News reported a Florida couple’s miracle titled “Acupuncture the Answer for Woman’s Infertility”.
There is strong evidence that acupuncture increases the production of endorphins, or brain chemicals that make you feel good and help reduce stress. Acupuncture can affect other hormone levels to increase fertility. Acupuncture also improves blood supply to the ovaries, which improves their function, and to the uterus, which can make it easier to nourish a fetus and reduce the risk of miscarriage. Based on Chinese theory acupuncture can raise fertility potential by affecting the quality, quantity, balance and flow of Qi and blood. When Qi (life energy) and blood are circulating freely throughout the body, the internal organs are properly nourished and functioning well. Only when this energetic balance of the body is built, conception can be achieved and a healthy pregnancy will be developed.
Recently a number of scientific research have proven that acupuncture enhance fertility and help treat infertility. For example, seven scientific trials among 1,366 women of different ages with infertility showed that having acupuncture at the same time of transferring embryos during IVF obtained more than double the chance of the woman becoming pregnant. A German study with 160 women suggests that acupuncture works for fertility. They found that pregnancy rates among the women undergoing acupuncture were significantly higher than those using IVF alone. A study published in Human Reproduction found that blood flow to the uterus increases during acupuncture treatment.
How does Dr. Chen help you become pregnant?
Trained in two medical systems (Western and Chinese medicine) in China, Dr. Chen has been practicing Acupuncture and Chinese medicine for over 26 years in China, the U.S. and Germany. She specializes in Gynecology, especially infertility treatment with a Chinese approach. Dr. Chen has successfully helped numerous couples have their baby dreams come true by only using Chinese medicine (mainly Acupuncture and herbs) or by working in concert with Obgyn doctors and infertility specialists through preparation of the patient’s mind and body for ART(Assisted Reproductive Technologies, such as IUI, IVF) and increasing IUI, IVF success rates during these procedures. Some patients had undergone only 2-3 weeks of acupuncture treatment before becoming pregnant.
Dr. Chen’s acupuncture and herbal treatment help people conceive through the following mechanism and ways:
1. Decrease FSH; in some cases the FSH dropped greatly from over 70 to below 10.
2. Promote ovulation in cases of poor ovary activity due to age, stress, overwork, genetics, and long term use of birth control pills, or other factors.
3. Regulate menstrual cycle by stabilizing ovary function and luteal progesterone that may lead to natural pregnancies and much less PMS symptoms.
4. Improving the function of ovaries to produce better quality eggs for healthier embryos.
5. Help regulate the hormone levels to produce a larger number of follicles.
6. Regulate blood circulation in the pelvic cavity and get rid of congested blood to reduce or eliminate ovary cysts and uterine fibroids.
7. Increase fresh blood flow to the uterus in order to create a thicker uterine lining for a healthier environment in endometrium. The result is increased likelihood of embryo implantation in the uterus.
8. Relax uterus muscle and help stop uterine contraction, thereby deterring painful cramps during implantation of the embryos and preventing miscarriage.
9. Lessen the side effects of the drugs used in IUI, IVF, such as emotional instability, insomnia, headache, bloating, etc.
10. Strongly strengthen the immune system and boost general energy level.
11. For males, enhance the quality and quantity of semen; improve motility and morphology of sperm to form better quality embryos.
12. For males and females, increase libido and vaginal moisture to elevate sexual energy and pleasure, leading to higher chance of natural pregnancy.
13. Reduce anxiety and stress, increase calmness. People will be mentally stronger and healthier to handle the emotional rollercoaster of the fertility journey.
14. Suggest specific food and recipes for strengthening energy of eggs and sperm that you can eat daily as natural boosters of fertility. Recommend moderate exercise for couples.
15. Encourage couples to become more positive, patient and relaxed during the process of trying to be pregnant.
16. Share Dr. Chen’s personal successful experience of maintaining good health and having a baby naturally at the age of 44.
17. Apply acupuncture and herbal treatment based on the natural cycle at 4 different phases or IVF cycle at 5 different stages. Understand and respect the treatment plans of IUI or IVF from Obgyn doctors and infertility specialists.
18. Consider and evaluate the test results of ultrasound, blood work, HSG, Hysteroscopy, sperm analysis, etc for acupuncture and herbal treatment.
Whether you are interested in enhancing your fertility naturally or alongside IUI or IVF, please call our office at 949-757-1188 for a complimentary consultation to explore how Dr. Chen can help you in your journey to parenthood.
