Infertility solutions through acupuncture at Burlington Acupuncture

Burlington Acupuncture

We care about your health!

30 Chestnut Ave. Burlington, MA 01803 TEL: (781) 272-0247 Email: burlingtonacupuncture@yahoo.com

Acupuncture Treatment For Infertility

Recent advances in the treatment of infertility have focused on expanding treatments to include couples who would not have been candidates in the past. While many couples have had success with assisted reproductive techniques (ART), there are studies to suggest that adding acupuncture to the treatment protocol of ART patients greatly enhances their chances of becoming pregnant . Although acupuncture has been practiced for thousands of years in Asia, acupuncture has only been widely used and practiced in the US for the past twenty years. The following are popular questions pertaining to acupuncture and its use in the treatment of fertility.

How can acupuncture enhance the chances of becoming pregnant in conjunction with Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART)?

In a study reported by the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, Fertility, and Sterility Journal, stress impairs the success rate in IVF cycles up to 93%. Acupuncture can greatly reduce the stress experienced by ART couples. Acupuncture can also improve the blood flow to the uterus and ovaries, which is a great determinant in the success of ART. Acupuncture can also help alleviate the side effects of high hormonal stimulation experienced by some ART patients.

Is acupuncture effective at enhancing the chances of becoming pregnant even without Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART)?

Acupuncture aims to balance a woman’s internal environment. Acupuncture can help regulate a woman’s follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), enhance the thickening of the uterine lining, regulate a woman’s period, eliminate PMS, reduce anxiety and depression, and regulate polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). By achieving a greater internal balance through acupuncture, a woman’s chances of conceiving are enhanced.

Who are the best candidates for acupuncture infertility treatments?

The best candidates for acupuncture infertility treatments are those who have a functional rather than a structural reason for seeking acupuncture. In other words, acupuncture can help women regulate their hormones through the endocrine system. It cannot, however, treat a retroverted uterus or unblock fallopian tubes. In male patients, acupuncture can be used to increase sperm count and treat morphology and motility problems. Acupuncture is not effective when there is a problem with vericocele in males. The recommended course of treatment is once a week for at least three months. In females, follicular growth takes approximately one hundred days from a resting state to become an egg. In males, new sperm is generated approximately every seventy days. Regulating these cycles in both females and males can take longer than three months depending on different factors. Longer treatment may be required in females if she is over the age of forty, has taken fertility drugs, has undergone IVF procedures, experiences PMS, has an elevated FSH level, has endometriosis, and/or produces antibodies to sperm. In males, a history of STDs, urinary tract infections (UTIs), chronic low back pain, and /or prostatitis can also require a longer course of treatment. Many patients find that acupuncture is much more effective and less unpleasant than hormonal treatments or surgery. The cost of acupuncture therapy is also quite reasonable in comparison to the cost of ART. With acupuncture, the chances of becoming pregnant are enhanced as well as the overall health of the patient.

1. Results from a recent study in Germany indicates that adding acupuncture to the treatment protocol of IVF patients increases their chances of becoming pregnant, “Highlights in Fertility and Sterility”, The Journal of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Vol 77, No 4, April 2002.