Infertility continues to be regularly covered by the news. The current debate over the birth of octuplets in the USA has brought fertility treatment into the headlines once again.
Couples dealing with fertility issues experience a roller-coaster of emotions. Unsuccessful attempts at becoming pregnant can take its toll both emotionally and financially, and the situation can quickly become very stressful.
What can naturopathic medicine offer to couples seeking fertility treatments? Studies show that acupuncture compliments IVF treatment and boosts overall success rates. As well as combining with Western treatments, acupuncture can be used on its own to regulate menstrual cycles and balance hormones, thus increasing the likelihood of conception.
It’s important to remember that in approximately 40% of the cases, men have a role to play in a couple’s inability to conceive. Both partners should be medically examined to better pinpoint where the issue resides. A low sperm count may be the source of the problem. Acupuncture can be particularly effective in men, whose physiology, from a reproductive point of view, is less complex than that of a woman.
Chinese herbs are potent. Before the advent of modern medicine, herbs were been used in Asia to help women with fertility issues. Today herbs continue to be an approach of choice for those who want an effective, natural treatment.
A 2008 review in Current Opinions in Obstetrics and Gynecology by Huang & Chen (1) concludes:
“The growing popularity of traditional Chinese medicine used alone or in combination with Western medicine highlights the need to examine the pros and cons of both Western and traditional Chinese medicine approaches. Integrating the principle and knowledge from well characterized approaches and quality control of both traditional Chinese medicine and Western medical approaches should become a trend in existing clinical practice and serve as a better methodology for treating infertility.”
Fertility issues are usually one of functional or structural origin. Functional issues, such as hormonal imbalances, are particularly likely to respond to naturopathic interventions such as acupuncture. Structural issues are more difficult to resolve, as the body has undergone a physical change, such as tissue damage or obstruction, which impends on your reproductive health. The first task, therefore, of a doctor will be to determine the origin of the problem.
Studies such as the one by Huang & Chen support the usefulness of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of fertility issues, whether used in isolation or as an adjunct therapy to IVF treatment.
Are there any side-effects, you may ask? Beyond enhancing fertility, a pleasant ‘side-effect’ of acupuncture and TCM is the reported improvement in the overall well-being of the individual.
(1) Huang ST, Chen AP. “Traditional Chinese medicine and infertility.” Current Opinions in Obstetrics and Gynecology. June 2008; 20(3):211-5.