If you are like many women, you have probably
heard that acupuncture combined with In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) can help increase
the chance of a successful pregnancy. Many women are having great results utilizing
acupuncture to complement the IVF cycle. A recent study found acupuncture improves
pregnancy success rate by 50% in women undergoing IVF. So how does this 3,000-year-old
medicine actually help support IVF?
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, disease and malfunction in the
body result from blockage in the flow of vital Qi (energy) and Blood. By removing
these blockages and restoring a smooth normal flow, the body is able to restore
health and optimum organ function. Through the use of hair-thin needles and Chinese
herbs, Acupuncture Physicians are able to find and remove these blockages of
Qi and Blood, allowing tissues and organs to heal themselves.
Traditional Chinese Medicine treats the body as a whole. When a woman receives
acupuncture care for fertility, her entire picture of health is taken into consideration.
By restoring the smooth flow of Qi and Blood within the body, her general well-being
will improve and she will respond better to the I.V.F. process.
Researchers from The Center for Reproductive Medicine and Infertility, Weill
Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY have found that acupuncture
helps:
- Reduce stress hormones that interfere with ovulation.
- Normalize hormones that regulate ovulation so an egg is released.
- Increase blood flow to the uterus, improving the chances of embryo implantation.
Researchers determined stress to be a key factor in infertility. Acupuncture
appears to reduce stress by releasing endorphins in the brain. Endorphins are
chemicals that the body releases that suppress pain naturally, as well as affect
hormones that influence the menstrual cycle. Acupuncture also influences levels
of FSH and LH and has been found to regulate the communication between the brain
and ovaries, known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian
axis.
Chinese herbal remedies and acupuncture aim at promoting the growth and maturation
of ovarian follicles as well as induce ovulation. When used in conjunction with
IVF Chinese medicine improves the quality of follicles. Endometrial thickness
and uterine artery blood flow are important for implantation of human embryos
during the transfer stage of IVF. With its central effect on the nervous system,
acupuncture may contribute by dilating uterine arteries and blood vessels, thereby
increasing blood flow to the endometrium. With a healthy endometrial lining,
chances of a stable implantation and healthy pregnancy are increased. Acupuncture
in non-toxic, affordable and is increasingly being used as a successful complement
to In Vitro Fertilization.
Mark P. Trolice, M.D., FACOG, FACS is Director of Fertility C.A.R.E. (Center of Assisted Reproduction & Endocrinology in the Orlando, Florida area and Director of Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children & Women.
© Copyright Mark P. Trolice
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