Infertility
Acupuncture
for the treatment of infertility has been made popular by
the media and recent clinical studies proving its efficacy.
But acupuncture and herbal medicine for infertility have been
very important aspects of traditional Chinese medicine for
thousands of years.
For American
women, in particular those who have delayed childbearing to
establish career and/or relationship, these concepts are especially
pertinent. Contemporary women are often depleted (especially
of kidney yin, yang, and essence, the "root" energy)
and have constrained energy (liver Qi) that causes blockages,
particularly in the pelvis. Earlier in her life, these blockages
may have presented as painful menstrual cramps, endometriosis,
fibroid tumors, PMS symptoms, etc. Now these disharmonies
may result in difficulties with fertility by affecting different
parts of the reproductive cycle - production of the egg, fertilization
of the egg and implantation of the fertilized egg in the uterus.
Similar energy disturbances in men may result in poor sperm
production, shape or motility. TCM seeks to address these
problems with time-tested methodology. Traditional Chinese
Medicine (TCM) has been used for millennia to treat issues
of fertility. Since the aim of TCM is to "normalize,"
"harmonize," and "to bring into balance,"
these ideas are brought to bear on the problems associated
with male and female infertility.
In order for
you to conceive, your body should be in optimal health. Most
importantly your 
menses
should be regular. We will regulate your menstruation through
acupuncture, herbal medicine, and diet, and you will take
you basal body temperature (BBT) and record it on a BBT chart.
With this chart, we will monitor the improvement of your menstrual
cycle, with special attention to ovulation. After treatment
for a couple of months, you will be in a much better condition
for conceiving and bringing a baby to term.
A landmark study
published in the medical journal Fertility and Sterility (2)
proved that acupuncture dramatically improves the chances
if becoming pregnant when used in conjunction with other assisted
reproductive techniques.
Clinical research
shows that acupuncture greatly increases the chances of success
with In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). Scientists believe this
may be due to relaxation of the smooth muscle of the uterus,
making it more receptive to the implanted embryo. For women
undergoing IVF/IUI procedures we follow the same protocol
that has been proven effective in the clinical trials.
To read more about research in this area, follow
this link.
