FERTILITY SPIKE FROM ACUPUNCTURE

Fertility spike from acupuncture

* Adam Cresswell, Health editor
* From: The Australian
* February 09, 2008 12:00AM


WOMEN having IVF treatment can boost their chances of falling pregnant by 65 per cent simply by having acupuncture.

A review combining the results of seven previous studies has found that acupuncture also increases the chances of having an ongoing pregnancy (beyond 12 weeks from gestation) by 87 per cent -- and nearly doubles the chance of a successful live birth, increasing that by 91 per cent.

The authors of the review, published online yesterday by the British Medical Journal, said the results suggested that just 10 women would need to be treated with acupuncture in order to bring about one extra pregnancy.

In all the studies, together involving 1366 women, acupuncture was given within 24 hours of the embryo being transferred to the women's wombs.

It is poorly understood how fertility could be affected by acupuncture - the insertion of fine needles into the skin at specific points along invisible "meridians".

The review's Dutch and US authors suggested it might work by stimulating fertility hormones, increasing bloodflow to the uterus, or reducing stress.

They said that, although their results might have inflated the positive effect of acupuncture, it was probably still highly cost-effective because of the cost differential.

In Australia, women generally pay about $5000 out of pocket for IVF treatment, compared with about $100 for acupuncture.

There were more than 46,000 IVF treatment cycles provided in Australia in 2005, a rise of nearly 14per cent on the previous year.

The results were welcomed by Australian IVF experts. Peter Illingworth, medical director of the Sydney-based clinic IVF Australia, said his clinic already advised women about acupuncture and referred them to suitable providers.

Although there were many herbal and other complementary treatments claiming to boost fertility, the new study confirmed a belief that acupuncture was one of the few that actually worked.

"What this new study shows is that this effect is statistically significant, and is real," Associate Professor Illingworth said.

"As a doctor practising in Australia, I would regard it as fairly convincing evidence. But some couples might take the view that they have more than enough needles inserted into their bodies as it is with an IVF process."

Acupuncture and Blocked Fallopian Tubes

Most women never suspect that they may have blocked fallopian tubes. This happens mainly because women don’t experience any obvious symptoms that would lead them to believe that they have such a condition. Infertility is what usually leads women to discover the state of their fallopian tubes. If you have been trying to conceive for longer than a year and you are over 35 years old, you definitely want to consider checking the state of your fallopian tubes.

Diagnosis

Fallopian tube obstruction can be diagnosed in a number of ways. Laparsocopy is a surgical procedure which uses a small lighted tube that is inserted through a tiny incision (cut) on the abdomen. With this procedure, a surgeon is able to see directly into the abdominal cavity and check the state of the fallopian tubes on the outside and the inside by injecting colored dye through the cervix and watching for its appearance at the end of the tube.

Hysterosalpingogram is a procedure in which a dye is injected into the uterus and the uterus is examined via X ray to see if the dye spills into the tubes and pelvic cavity. These diagnostic techniques are quite invasive so they are not done routinely unless a woman has been trying to conceive for a long period of time without success (and male factor infertility has been ruled out).

Causes

The common reason for the fallopian tube blockage is a pelvic infection which may produce minor symptoms or no symptoms at all. However, if the infection was left untreated it can cause scarring, adhesions and complete obstruction of one or both tubes. In cases of PID (pelvic inflammatory disease), opportunistic bacteria coming from the uterus can spread to the fallopian tubes since they are the structures closest to the uterus. If a woman is experiencing acute infection, antibiotic therapy is indicated in order to prevent damage to the fallopian tubes. However, if a woman already has obstruction and damage of the fallopian tubes, a surgery that can repair the damage may be indicated.

Endometriosis can be another possible cause for fallopian tube obstruction.

It’s also possible that fallopian tubes are blocked only some of the time. This type of blockage is referred to as a “functional blockage”. This scenario is typical in women who experience a lot of stress. Stress tends to constrict pelvic musculature and decrease blood flow and this can be a factor in inability to conceive. This type of functional blockage responds very well to acupuncture as well as Chinese herbal medicine. Also, excessive mucous buildup within the tube can create a plug and cause blockage. In Chinese medicine, this would be refered to as “damp accumulation” and would be treated through dietary therapy, herbs and acupuncture.

Infertility Treatment for Blocked Fallopian Tubes

If there is an extensive damage and scarring in both fallopian tubes it is very difficult (or nearly impossible) for a woman to conceive and IVF is probably the best route to take. IVF was actually developed for women with extensive fallopian tube obstruction and damage since it can bypass the problem.

Using acupuncture prior to an IVF treatment is a wise decision since it can help decrease side effects of drugs, decrease stress levels and remove any stagnant blood and energy in order to ensure successful implantation.

Microsurgery is another treatment option for women whose tubes are not damaged along too much of their length. Surgery seems to be more effective if the damage is in the area closer to the uterus.

The good news is that modern technology does help women with tubal blockage have a healthy pregnancy and birth. If you decide to use assisted reproductive technology, you should make an effort to take good care of yourself in order to create optimal conditions for a new life to flourish. Nutritious diet, proper rest, moderate exercise and stress reduction are the most important things that you can do to improve your health as well as increase your chances of conception.

4 Steps to a Healthy Pregnancy

4 Steps to a Healthy Pregnancy

More and more i am noticing a common theme amongst my new clients. Many women have fallen pregnant only to lose the pregnancy due to a miscarriage. Women need to be educated about the dos and don't during pregnancy. A healthy first trimester is crucial for fetal development. It is during this time that most miscarriages occur.

Women need to be aware that they need to slow down. As crazy as this may sound i have had clients after an IVF transfer go for a run or do a spin class. . This is the time when you need to nurture and look after yourself.

There are 4 easy steps to a healthy 1st trimester.

1. Passive exercise during the first trimester: This includes yoga, walking, water aerobics, pilates, tai chi, qi gong. Avoid running, spin classes etc
2. Eating warm Foods: The nature of raw food is cold. During the first trimester it is important you consume warming foods. So each meal is cooked.
3. Looking after yourself: Slowing down your lifestyle and not over doing it. Eating the correct foods, passive exercise. Avoid heavy lifting and avoiding over-work.
4. Gentle Massage:get your partner involved. Have your partner massage your bottom, upper back and shoulders. This helps to reduce tension and stress. Massaging your bottom stimulates the flow of qi and blood and helps to reduce any blockages.

Study shows acupuncture facilitates IVF conception

Study shows acupuncture facilitates IVF conception

A controversial new study measuring the degree to which getting acupuncture during IVF treatment increases a woman's chance of a successful pregnancy, has found this to be the case to a significant degree.

Acupuncture administered for 25 minutes both before and after an embryo is transferred to the uterus improves the likelihood of a live birth, a review presented at a medical conference in Brisbane has shown.

"On the basis of the current level of evidence we have, if nine women have acupuncture around the time of embryo transfer with IVF there will be one extra live born baby," said Professor Neil Johnson, lead researcher of the New Zealand study, and medical director of Fertility Plus in Auckland.

"That figure looks pretty good, especially to women wanting to do all they can to have a baby."

But Johnson's Australian counterparts have applied caution and skepicism to the findings, labelling the statistic as stretching "the current scientific data too far".

However, Professor Johnson has reviewed the latest major studies on the benefits of this ancient Chinese therapy regarding reproductive technology, and fertility in general, to a definitive degree.

"In a nutshell there is evidence that acupuncture administered around the time of embryo transfer really does help," he said.

"But doing acupuncture at other times in IVF treatment doesn't appear to be helpful, and there's no really robust evidence about the effectiveness of acupuncture for couples trying to get pregnant naturally."

Johnson explained that acupuncture has traditionally been believed to be effective because it improves energy flow through pathways in the body. However the conventional medicine take is that it inhibits the nervous system, which improves pelvic blood flow or makes the uterus "quieter".

"It might just be that relaxing and having some TLC at this stressful time is where the benefit comes in, but it would seem there's something more at work," Professor Johnson said.

Whatever the reason, the therapy has been widely embraced by IVF patients in Auckland, often those with the poorest pregnancy outlook deriving the most benefit.

It still may be a while however, before doctors and medical professionals embrace the method.

IVF Australia's Professor Michael Chapman said acupuncture had the strongest evidence of any alternative therapy for use in fertility, but the studies were small and "relatively inconclusive".

"The evidence to date would suggest it's not harmful but I certainly wouldn't recommend every IVF patient rush out and get it," Prof Chapman said.

The advantages of Acupuncture during IVF treatment and natural fertility

Acupuncture works in the following ways:

1. Acupuncture can increase blood flow to the reproductive organs, which dramatically improves a woman’s response to hormonal therapy.

2. Acupuncture has been shown to regulate hormone levels by moderating the release of beta endorphins levels in the brain, which improves the release of gonadotrophin releasing hormone by the hypothalamus, follicle stimulating hormone from the pituitary gland and oestrogen and progesterone levels from the ovary.

3. Acupuncture reduces stress and a hyperactive sympathetic nervous system response.

4. Acupuncture has been speculated to moderate cyclooxygenase and prostaglandin levels in the uterus, reducing uterine motility to improve implantation rates.

5. Herbs nourish the blood, whilst acupuncture moves qi, which facilitates the movement of blood. It has been claimed that some herbal formulas produce high clinical pregnancy rates as well as improve the general wellbeing of patients.

The following descriptions below will describe how acupuncture can integrate with Western Medicine. Each point is directly linked to the points above.

1. There needs to be adequate blood flow to the developing ovarian follicle. This is essential to the initiation and maintenance of normal human pregnancy. Doppler ultrasound evaluation of uterine and ovarian blood flow has demonstrated that improved blood flow in either vascular system is associated with improved fertility outcomes. Women who respond poorly to ovarian stimulation for IVF have compromised blood flow to their ovarian follicles.

2. There are 4 phases in the menstrual cycle. During each phases various hormones are released. The most common cause of infertility is hormonal imbalance.

3. From a Western Medicine perspective, people who are under stress release the hormone cortisol in the brain. Cortisol alters the brain’s neurochemical balance thus changing hormone levels and disrupting the pituitary balance, which is the key to the reproductive cycle. Because of this delicate balance between the hypothalamus, pituitary and reproductive glands, stress is capable of preventing a woman from ovulating entirely.

4. For IVF transfers and implantations the endometrium needs to be of particular
density and thickness for successful implantations and fertilization. The uterus therefore needs to be in a relaxed state.

5. The menses is based on the condition of blood.