ACUPUNCTURE, ORIENTAL MEDICINE &
Infertility
Today, one in six couples
(15%) are unable to conceive.
Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after
two years of trying. With this high rate of 15% many people
believe an epidemic is occurring.
Here are several reasons for the apparent rise in
Infertility:
1) Medical advancements are enticing more individuals to
seek
treatment,
2) Environmental pollutants are adversely effecting both
men and
women's fertility,
3) Many women are pursuing a career before trying to
begin a
family thereby increasing the rates of
age-related Infertility,
4) Sexually transmitted diseases causing pelvic
inflammatory
disease can lead to Infertility,
5) Stress and emotional factors can
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:
1) irregular ovulation or anovulation,
2) excessive menstrual bleeding,
3) endometriosis,
4) history of pelvic infection causing scarring of the
fallopian tubes,
5) immune system problems, and
6) 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:
1) low sperm count,
2) impaired movement or motility,
3) low testosterone levels and
4) 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.
Acupuncture and Oriental medicine are 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. Acupuncture and Oriental medicine can
help regulate hormone imbalances and stabilize estrogen and
progesterone levels, thereby thickening the lining of the
uterus. Other actions include:
1) decreasing 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.
2) regulating the endocrine system and stimulating the
ovaries to bring about normal ovulation and regular
menstrual cycles.
3) relaxing the patient which helps prevent the uterus
from contracting, thereby improving the implantation
process and preventing miscarriage. For men Acupuncture
and Oriental Medicine can improve the quality and
quantity of the sperm.
By
looking at the mind-body connection Acupuncture and Oriental
medicine offer a unique insight into Infertility.
Acupuncture 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.
