ACUPUNCTURE AND FERTILITYTraditional 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. This is achieved by manipulating the flow of Qi using acupuncture, and using Chinese herbs to nourish, support and strengthen the Qi and the Vital fluids (including Blood), as well as the internal organs. Thus the possibility of conception is optimized. 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. Here at Turning Point Acupuncture we treat people facing infertility using TCM alone, or in combination with concurrent Western Medical intervention, such as, IUI and IVF procedures. For an in depth explanation of this subject you can read my article: Acupuncture and Infertility in a Post 9/11 World (09/04).  Acupuncture Improves IVF Results (06/06) The May 2006 issue of medical journal Fertility and Sterility presents several new studies that confirm the efficacy of acupuncture as an aid to IVF. Prior to this there has been many positive anecdotal reports of the benefits of acupuncture to assisted reproductive techniques, and a few clinical studies, notably the German 2002 study, that were encouraging but small. Fertility and Sterility presents the results of two large randomized, prospective, controlled clinical trials. Both are very persuasive and should do much to advance access and usage of acupuncture for women who choose IVF. A third large trial is also presented in which more women became pregnant in the acupuncture verses the placebo group, but the results were not statistically significant. The authors of that study state however that "a smaller treatment effect can not be excluded." They further conclude that their results suggest that acupuncture was safe for women undergoing ET. To read more about research in this area, click here Important News for Men: Acupuncture May Improve Sperm Quality Read about exciting new research from China here. Exciting New Offering: Maya Abdominal Massage (09/06) Turning Point Acupuncture is happy to welcome Julia Collins, LMT, to our treatment team. Julia specializes in the Arvigo Techniques Of Maya Abdominal MassageTM for men and women, which are superb adjuncts to any infertility treatment program. To read about her work in detail please visit the Massage Page. Important Ongoing Collaboration: Since September of 2005 when they first opened their doors in NYC,Turning Point Acupuncture has been working in tandem with Clear Passage Therapies. Clear Passage is a unique "hands-on" physical therapy modality that has been shown to significantly increase fertility, reduce pain and improve the function of the internal pelvic organs. Read more about their progam and how it may complement TCM treatment here. Other Topics Pertinent to Fertility: Acupuncture and Pregnancy An in depth exploration of acupuncture and moxabustion in pregnancy. Included is a discussion of the use of Chinese Medicine in turning a breech (feet first) presentation. Toxicity of Mercury in Fish Click here to read about this important risk factor. Eating Safely During Pregnancy Read this From the Journal of Midwifery Womens Health (08/04) Alcohol Use Affects Success of Assisted Reproduction Click here to read new data on this important risk factor. Chinese Herbs and the High Risk Pregnancy At Turning Point Acupuncture we are very concerned about the proper use of herbs in pregnancy, especially for those women for whom infertility has been a problem. The use of herbs in these high-risk pregnancies is very controversial. Some herbalists, notably Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D., Director of The Institute for Traditional Medicine and maker of the Seven Forest Herbs, another herb line we use at Turning Point Acupuncture, take the extreme position that no herbs should be taken in pregnancy. He adds that herbal formulas that the woman might have been taking before she discovered she was pregnant, should be discontinued as soon as possible. He maintains this position despite the thousands of years of experience with herbs in China atesting to their safety, because of the climate surrounding the value of each high-risk pregnancy in the US. The only formula he feels comfortable with is Tang-kuei and Peony Formula (Dang Gui Shao Yao San) equivalent to Health Concerns's Womens Balance (with some modifications). Others, such as, Dr. John Chen, Chair of the Herbal Medicine Committee for the American Association of Oriental Medicine (AAOM) and an herbal consultant for the California Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (CAAOM), writing about pregnancy in general, take a less radical position and instead prohibit the group of herbs known to cause birth defects and any herb that "moves blood", i.e., increases blood circulation and removes stasis and could thus influence a miscarriage. Health Concerns's Eight Treasures, a formula widely used to build blood in anemic women, would be an example of the latter. To review a comprehensive list of herbs that are forbidden in pregnancy and those that should be used cautiously, Click here. To read Dr.Dharmananda's article go to this page. Dr.Chen's excellent article on the Prevention of Herb-Drug Interaction click here. Dr. Dharmananda also has recommendations for safe breast feeding. To read that article click here. A list of herbs to be avoided when breast feeding is found here. |