Acupuncture and Infertility

by Pattie Hughes | More from this Blogger

Acupuncture is a form of Chinese medicine that is said to have benefits for pregnancy and in preparing for labor. Practitioners say it also has benefits for people experiencing problems with infertility.

Acupuncture works on the principal that when the body's energy flow is out of balance, the health is affected. Practitioners of acupuncture believe that by putting this energy, known as qi or chi, back in balance healing occurs.

The energy pathways are treated through over 400 acupuncture points along the body. Long, thin needles are inserted to stimulate the acupuncture points. This puts the body back into balance and health issues are resolved naturally.

Acupuncture has been used successfully for women with problems in ovulation. Women with irregular ovulation or menstrual cycles are more likely to experience success than women with other problems, such as blocked fallopian tubes.

While a small number of women use acupuncture alone as therapy for infertility, most don't rely only on this alternative treatment. Most women use a combination of acupuncture and other infertility treatments. The belief is that using acupuncture to restore the flow of energy allows the infertility treatments to work.

There is some evidence that this belief has merit. A study in Germany shows that when used in combination with other treatments, acupuncture can increase the likelihood of success. The study involved women using either IVF alone or with acupuncture. A similar study in America showed similar results.

The women using a combination of IVF and acupuncture had a success rate nearly double that of the control group. In addition, the American study showed that the rate of miscarriage was lower, 8% for the acupuncture group and 20% for the IVF only group.

Physicians and scientists haven't been able to determine why acupuncture seems to work, not only for infertility but for other health issues. For this reason, some doctors shy away from acupuncture or deny its benefits. Others are beginning to embrace this ancient healing method and are recommending their patients use a combination of natural and medical procedures.

Related Articles:

The Benefits of Acupuncture in Pregnancy

Let's Talk About Acupuncture During Labor

The Effect of Stress on Fertility

Learn more about Pattie Hughes

Pattie Hughes is a freelance writer and mother of four young children. She and her husband have been married since 1992. Pattie holds a degree in Elementary Education from Florida Atlantic University.

View Full Profile | More from this Blogger