ACUPUNCTURE, CHINESE MEDICINE & Infertility
Today, one in six couples-15 percent-are experiencing
Infertility. Infertility is defined as the inability to
conceive after two years of trying. With this high
incidence rate many believe an epidemic is occurring.
However, there are several reasons for the apparent rise
in Infertility. Medical advancements are enticing more
individuals to seek treatment, environmental pollutants
are effecting both men and women's fertility, many women
are pursuing a career before trying to begin a family
thereby increasing the rates of age-related Infertility,
sexually transmitted diseases causing pelvic
inflammatory disease can lead to Infertility, and
finally stress and emotional factors contribute to
higher rates of Infertility.
Seventy percent of all cases of Infertility are related
to the women's reproductive cycle and thirty percent are
related to the man. For women the most common factors
affecting Infertility are: irregular ovulation or
anovulation, excessive menstrual bleeding,
endometriosis, history of pelvic infection causing
scarring of the fallopian tubes, immune system problems,
and hormonal imbalances. Hormonal imbalances can be
caused by emotional upset and in women this has been
shown to cause tubal spasms and irregular ovulation both
of which can impair fertility. Depression can also
hinder one or several biological factors crucial to
fertility including maturation of the egg, ovulation,
and implantation. One study focused on women who are
depressed and undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF)
and embryo-transfer procedures, found that these women
had less than 50 percent fewer successful pregnancies
than women undergoing IVFs who did not have histories of
depression. Common issues for men effecting Infertility
include low sperm count, impaired movement or motility,
low testosterone levels, and emotional stress. On the
male side stress has been associated with significant
drops in sperm count and quality. The role of emotions
on fertility can be understood when we look at the
hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian axis (hormonal control
system). This is because the hypothalamus controls the
flow and timing of reproductive hormones and also
regulates our emotional response to stress.
Chinese medicine is very successful in treating many
gynecological disorders that accompany and contribute to
Infertility, such as irregular menstruation,
anovulation, amenorrhea, endometriosis, uterine
fibroids, and heavy bleeding. Chinese medicine can help
regulate hormone imbalances and stabilize estrogen and
progesterone levels, thereby thickening the lining of
the uterus. Chinese medicine is able to help decrease
the FSH levels by regulating the hormones and function
of the ovaries. A high FSH is a sign of lack of
ovulation a number lower than ten is considered normal
and a number of thirty-five indicates menopause. Chinese
medicine can help regulate the endocrine system and
stimulate the ovaries to bring about normal ovulation
and regular menstrual cycles. Chinese medicine can help
relax the patient which helps prevent the uterus from
contracting, thereby improving the implantation process
and preventing miscarriage. For men Chinese medicine can
improve the quality and quantity of sperm and improve
the overall quality of the semen.
By looking at the mind-body connection Chinese medicine
offers a unique insight into Infertility. Chinese
medicine can be utilized in conjunction with western
intervention such as IUI and IVF procedures. In one
study individuals that did not have acupuncture before
and after there IVF transfer had a twenty-six percent
success rate while those that had acupuncture increased
their success rate to forty-two percent.
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