Acupuncture for Treating Infertility
There has been a long history of using acupuncture and herbal medicine to treat infertility in China. The idea is that acupuncture and Chinese medicine can correct hormone imbalance. Almost all infertility patients can benefit from acupuncture and herbal medicine, except when infertility is caused by a gene problem.
Dr. Zhenzhen Zhang has received excellent results in treating infertility disease. Since 1997 she has been working in the Women’s Health Center of Salem Hospital. She has treated many infertility patients who seek a combination of IVF and acupuncture and she is highly recommended by her patients.
Last week, a 39-year-old lady walked into my office and asked me if acupuncture could help her get pregnant. As with all my patients, I spend some time asking for detailed information about her, including her menstrual history and general health condition. She has always had irregular and painful menstrual cycles. I also learned that she has failed five IVF cycles in the past, and her doctor would not be able to begin another because her FSH levels are too high. I proposed that she begin a treatment plan as early as she could for three months, for acupuncture treatments once per week, except the second week of her menstrual cycle, with two treatments. I also answered many of her questions, which are common ones asked by my patients:
How does acupuncture treat infertility?
Acupuncture has been utilized for thousands of years to help women become pregnant. To explain with Chinese Medicine theory, acupuncture frees the blockage of energy flow, warms cold energy, and removes the stasis that causes infertility; the acupuncture needles can be placed on the head, abdomen, and extremities, stimulating signals that act on nerves and the endocrine system to make desired physiological changes. These explanations fit into the fundamental theories of Chinese Medicine but are difficult to understand in the context of Western medical beliefs. However, in recent years, more and more research has been done to discover the underlying mechanisms of Chinese Medicine through Western medical methods.
Recent research results:
Acupuncture can reduce stress, anxiety, and even depression: for women with unknown causes of infertility, stress may be the biggest contributing factor. Every infertility patient experiences a certain amount of stress, which can negatively affect the ovulatory menstrual cycle because increased stress hormones can interfere with the reproductive hormone system. In my clinic, it is very common for irregular menstrual cycles to become regular after acupuncture treatment. Reducing stress is the basic strategy for the infertility treatment protocol.
Acupuncture can also rebalance hormones. As we know, infertility can be caused by irregularity in hormones, such as estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), progesterone, or luteinizing hormone, either too high or too low. Hormonal irregularity can then cause ovarian and or uterine malfunction. Thus, acupuncture regulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, the source of women’s ovulatory and fertility hormones.
Lastly, acupuncture has been shown to increase blood flow in reproductive organs to improve their functions. In the April 2002 issue of Fertility and Sterility, two studies in Germany and China reported that adding acupuncture to IVF treatments can improve women’s chances of becoming pregnant. Many subsequent researches have confirmed these findings.
How often is acupuncture treatment needed?
The menstrual cycle is divided into four phases for most women: menstruation, pre-ovulation, ovulation, and luteal phases. Usually, patients need 1-2 treatments per week, and more treatments can generally be more beneficial. For patients unable to come in twice per week, I suggest they come twice during the pre-ovulation phase. In each treatment session, the method and selection of acupuncture points used will be different according to the phase of the cycle and the patient’s specific condition.
Do I need Chinese herbal medicine in addition to acupuncture treatments?
I may recommend Chinese herbal medicine in combination with acupuncture for those not taking Western medicine. This is particularly recommended for patients who are only able to come once per week for acupuncture treatment. Patients can consult with their primary care physician in deciding whether to take herbs or not. For patients undergoing modern fertility procedures such as IVF or IUI, herbs are not recommended, in order to prevent any interacting effects.
What other treatment methods are used?
Besides acupuncture needles, we may also use electro-acupuncture, ear acupuncture, heating method (infrared lamp or moxa), etc. The type of recommended treatment depends on the phase of the menstrual cycle and the patient’s condition.
When should I start acupuncture treatment?
We know acupuncture has both short-term and long-term effects on the body. The short-term effects are usually apparent in stress-related psychological issues and pain. The long-term effects require frequent treatments and many sessions; the accumulated short-term effects become long-term ones. Many patients have experienced improvements in pain or mood swings immediately after treatment, but the effects only last for a few days, and the conditions return to their original state before the subsequent acupuncture session a week later. However, after more frequent sessions of acupuncture treatment, the condition becomes more stable with long-lasting results.
For complicated or serious infertility conditions, my suggestion is to begin acupuncture as early as possible, in order to maximize both psychological and physical benefits. For patients seeking treatments only during their IUI or IVF cycles, acupuncture can provide positive short-term effects on their cycles.
When should I stop acupuncture treatments?
For most infertility cases, acupuncture can stop two weeks after confirmed conception. However, I would recommend continuing acupuncture into the first trimester for patients in the following cases: history of miscarriages, signs of early miscarriage, severe morning sickness, and severe mood swings. Furthermore, treatments can be resumed at any time during pregnancy if severe psychological or physical issues occur. I specify severe cases because women undergoing normal pregnancies often have minor and tolerable symptoms, which require no extra care.
Is acupuncture safe, and for what conditions should I seek acupuncture treatment during pregnancy?
Well-trained acupuncturists are knowledgeable about treating pregnant patients, knowing on which parts of the body needles can and cannot be placed, and thus can help patients without causing harm to the pregnancy.
Common conditions during pregnancy for which acupuncture can help include: morning sickness (which does not necessarily occur in the morning), neck tension or pain, headaches, dizziness, lower back pain, sciatica pain, leg edema, emotional and psychiatric issues, sickness, fatigue, overdue pregnancy, breech baby, some pre-existing conditions, etc. References:
Paulus W, et al. Influence of acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in patients who undergo assisted reproduction therapy. Fertility and Sterility April 2002;77(4):721-4.
Pins and needles. Could acupuncture help promote pregnancy? ABCNews.com, April 16, 2002.
Dieterle S, Ying G, Hatzmann W, Neuer A: Effect of acupuncture on the outcome of in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection: a randomized, prospective, controlled clinical study. Fertil Steril 2006; 85(5): 1347-51.
Westergaard LG, Mao Q, Krogslund M, Sandrini S, Lenz S, Grinsted J: Acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer significantly improves the reproductive outcome in infertile women: a prospective, randomized trial. Fertil Steril 2006; 85(5): 1341-6.
Smith C, Coyle M, Norman RJ: Influence of acupuncture stimulation on pregnancy rates for women undergoing embryo transfer. Fertil Steril 2006; 85(5): 1352-8.