| If you and your partner are struggling to conceive a | | | | In seeming conflict is another study from the |
| child and have a successful pregnancy, you may be | | | | University of Hong Kong that suggests "placebo |
| wondering about some of the alternative therapies | | | | acupuncture" may be as much or more effective |
| that are available today - one of the most important | | | | that real acupuncture. Published on November of |
| being the combination of acupuncture and IVF. The | | | | 2008 in Human Reproduction, placebo acupuncture is |
| problem with researching these alternative therapies - | | | | described as using needles that retract into the |
| such as group therapy, yoga, acupuncture, and herbal | | | | handle, still giving the sensation and appearance of |
| supplements - is that you're likely to find a lot of | | | | entering the skin. Women who received this therapy |
| conflicting information. Some people will say that | | | | actually had a slightly higher pregnancy rate than |
| alternative therapies don't boost your fertility at all, | | | | those receiving the real thing. Analysts attempting to |
| and others will say that they're all you need to have | | | | explain these results suggest that placebo |
| a baby. However, evidence is mounting that greater | | | | acupuncture is quite similar to acupressure, which is |
| care for one's general health leads to a improvement | | | | already a recommended pregnancy-enhancing |
| in reproductive health, and adding acupuncture to | | | | therapy. Another view is that women who undergo |
| one's IVF procedure shows a strong indication of | | | | these treatments significantly reduce their stress |
| higher pregnancy success. | | | | levels, another known positive factor in pregnancy |
| Not unlike most complementary therapies, there are | | | | success. |
| some studies that suggest acupuncture is not | | | | While scientists are still debating about whether or |
| particularly effective for enhancing pregnancy rates. | | | | not acupuncture is helpful in itself and, if so, what |
| However, as more studies are conducted worldwide, | | | | makes it helpful, the evidence continues to mount. |
| the growing body of knowledge strongly indicates | | | | More and more doctors and researchers are taking |
| that acupuncture combined with an IVF procedure will | | | | on this interesting issue and are seeing results. |
| help increase pregnancy rates, in some cases by a | | | | Who it Helps |
| remarkable amount. While acupuncture isn't a magic | | | | One problem with the studies on acupuncture is that |
| bullet to getting pregnant, it's certainly a treatment | | | | the groups of women these studies have chosen are |
| you'd be wise to try. | | | | very different. Some studies collect results after the |
| The Evidence for Acupuncture's Effect | | | | fact - that is, the patients have already decided for |
| Again, if you run a random Internet search for | | | | themselves whether or not to add complementary |
| acupuncture and its effects on infertility, you'll find all | | | | therapies like acupuncture to their IVF procedure, and |
| kinds of conflicting data. There are, however, plenty | | | | the pregnancy rates are analyzed after the |
| of studies that strongly support acupuncture as an | | | | procedures have taken place. Criticism of this analysis |
| aid to IVF in particular, so you should certainly look at | | | | method includes the suggestion that couples with |
| the results of these studies when making your | | | | more severe infertility problems may be more likely |
| decision. | | | | to choose acupuncture on their own, therefore |
| The first major study on acupuncture's effects on | | | | skewing the test results. Other doctors endeavor to |
| IVF success rates was conducted in 2002 in | | | | eliminate this possibility by asking couples to be part |
| Germany. During this study, 43% of women who | | | | of a study and dividing the agreeing groups randomly |
| underwent acupuncture before and after a round of | | | | into acupuncture and non-acupuncture groups. |
| IVF became pregnant, and only 26% of women who | | | | How it Helps |
| didn't use the complementary therapy became | | | | Scientists who can't agree on whether or not |
| pregnant. In a later American study, 51% of women | | | | acupuncture helps during IVF are even less likely to |
| who used acupuncture to complement IVF became | | | | agree about how the process actually works. Those |
| pregnant, but only 36% of the women who used | | | | who put some stock in the complementary therapy, |
| IVF alone became pregnant. And in that same study, | | | | though, tend to think that the treatment relieves |
| they found that the acupuncture group had a | | | | stress, and there is significant evidence that women |
| miscarriage rate reduced to only 8% of the women | | | | who are less stressed are more likely to become |
| who became pregnant, while the non-acupuncture | | | | pregnant. Some skilled acupuncturists even say that |
| group miscarried 20% of the time. A study out of | | | | the therapy can balance hormones in the body, which |
| Italy shows that acupuncture made women 24% | | | | also makes sense in helping boost fertility rates. |
| more likely to become pregnant. | | | | Others describe specific acupuncture methods that |
| Another study conducted by the University of | | | | increase blood flow to the uterus, therefore |
| Maryland's School of Medicine reviewed 1,366 women | | | | thickening the wall and making it more receptive for |
| who had undergone IVF, and compared those who | | | | the new embryo. |
| received acupuncture against those who received | | | | Regardless of how it works, though, there is certainly |
| either "fake" acupuncture treatments or no additional | | | | plenty of evidence out there that acupuncture does |
| therapy at all. The results were astounding - those | | | | work for many couples trying to conceive. Besides |
| women who received "real" acupuncture had an | | | | this, it's a very safe therapy, and it's relatively |
| increase in pregnancy rates 65% higher than those | | | | affordable. While there are never any guarantees in |
| who received the fake treatment or none at all. | | | | the inexact science of Assisted Reproductive |
| These studies point very strongly toward | | | | Technology, acupuncture is certainly worth a shot if |
| acupuncture as a great complementary therapy for | | | | you're about to undergo IVF. |
| IVF. | | | | |