Acupuncture for Fertility

Acupuncture for Fertility

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For the 10 to 15 percent of couples who have difficulty conceiving, acupuncture might boost success.

Researchers reviewed seven studies that paired acupuncture with in vitro fertilization (IVF), a lengthy and costly process that involves retrieving the patient's egg, fertilizing it in a lab, and transferring the embryo back into the womb. The results, published in the "British Medical Journal," showed that acupuncture raised the odds of achieving pregnancy through IVF by about 65 percent.

Acupuncture's circulation-stimulating effects could help elevate blood flow to the uterus, which creates a more welcoming environment for the embryo, says Paul Magarelli, M.D., Ph.D., director of Reproductive Medicine and Fertility Centers in Colorado. The therapy is also thought to lessen uterine contractions and regulate stress hormones to levels found in healthy pregnancy cycles, he adds.

Acupuncture may also enhance fertility for women who don't pursue IVF, says Los Angeles-based Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner Julie Chambers. "Because it produces the same benefits regardless of whether or not a woman is undergoing IVF," she says, acupuncture can increase the odds of getting pregnant through less invasive treatment -- or none at all.

Original article and pictures take www.wholeliving.com site