Infertility
Symptoms
A lack of
conception after 12 months of trying to
conceive.
Increasing
numbers of New Zealand couples struggle with infertility, partly as a
result of the social trend of women delaying childbirth until an older
age; and partly as a result of the decline in male sperm
count. There is a marked
decline in female fertility after the age of 30, with an even more
pronounced decline at the age of 35 and then
40.
It is not
uncommon for a healthy couple to take 12 months to conceive
naturally. If no pregnancy has occurred at this time,
medical investigation is recommended. This will include a physical examination of both
male and female; with blood tests to check for hormonal imbalance; and
sperm analysis. More invasive investigation may include a
hysterosalpingogram to check that fallopian tubes are clear; or in some
cases a laparoscopy.
Infertility is termed “primary” or “secondary”
infertility.
Primary
infertility occurs when a woman has never had a previous pregnancy and is
unable to conceive. Secondary infertility occurs when a woman has
previously been pregnant but now is unable to
conceive.
Treatment
Traditional Chinese
Acupuncture has an extremely long and impressive history of the treatment of
both primary and secondary infertility. Acupuncture can effectively address many of the causes
of infertility including:
*Low
sperm count and poor sperm motility
*Irregular menses and lack of
ovulation
*Polycystic Ovarian
Syndrome
*Endometriosis
*Female hormonal
imbalance
Treatment
involves bi-weekly or weekly acupuncture for a variable length of time,
depending on the circumstances of the couple. Concurrently, a
naturopathic pre-conception program is commenced. This optimises the
health and wellbeing of both the male and female partners, and prepares
them for a health conception and pregnancy. This program involves a
dietary protocol along with nutritional supplementation. Often
traditional Chinese herbal formulations are used to improve
fertility.
The TCM
focus in the treatment of female infertility is very much on normalising
the production and circulation of the “blood” energy in the
body. Many female fertility issues result from a
deficiency, stagnation or blockage of this energy. In my clinic I see two main features in women
having difficulty conceiving. The first is a generalised deficiency of blood
and qi…. An exhaustion of vital force. This results from over activity, too much stress
and lack of rest and relaxation.
The second
most common imbalance is a stagnation or blockage of the liver
energy. Liver qi is involved in the smooth flow and
regulation of hormones, digestion, mood and energy. Liver qi stagnation results from ongoing stress
with suppression of emotions leading to feelings of frustration and
anger. Excessive consumption of alcohol and caffeine,
along with a sedentary lifestyle also contribute to liver qi
stagnation.
Acupuncture and IVF
Clinical
trials suggest that the use of acupuncture in conjunction with assisted
reproductive technology such as IVF significantly improves
outcome. A recent review of clinical trials, published in
the British Medical Journal found that using acupuncture with IVF
resulted in a:
*65%
increase in pregnancy
*87%
increase in likelihood of pregnancy
continuing
*91%
increase in live birth rate
In
clinical trials acupuncture is performed shortly before and after embryo
transfer. As a TCM acupuncturist, I encourage my fertility
clients to have regular acupuncture treatment throughout the course of
their IVF process. Treatment is given once a week, for several weeks
leading up to embryo transfer. This ensures that a woman’s qi and blood are
strong and balanced, thus, increasing her wellbeing and health prior to
conception, and increasing the likelihood of a healthy
pregnancy.
Links
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Video
Fertility
General>>
Articles
10 Tips to Boost Your
Fertility...(from Fitness Life Magazine)
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