| If you are having troubles getting pregnant, how | | | | woman's egg from her uterus and fertilizing it in the |
| does the idea of having a bunch of needles stuck | | | | laboratory. The egg is then placed back into the |
| into your body while you pose as a human pin | | | | womb. The procedure is very expensive and success |
| cushion strike you? Well, many people believe that | | | | is not guaranteed. To improve the odds, researchers |
| acupuncture can help increase the odds of them | | | | have studied and experimented with a number of |
| getting pregnant. And it appears as though some | | | | different and outside the mainstream complementary |
| researchers have begun to agree with them. | | | | techniques. Acupuncture is one such technique that |
| At the current time, approximately 3 out of every 20 | | | | has shown promise. |
| woman in the U.S. have problems conceiving and are | | | | So far, in over seven clinical trials involving over 1300 |
| participating in some sort of infertility treatment. | | | | women, acupuncture when used in conjunction with |
| Since the Chinese have used acupuncture for | | | | In vitro fertilization has increased pregnancy rates. |
| centuries to regulate the female reproductive | | | | The why is not precisely known but the theory is |
| system, it was inevitable that at some point | | | | that it somehow affects ovulation and fertility |
| acupuncture would become one of the solutions that | | | | through the elevation of beta-endorphin release which |
| researchers looked at in the U.S. | | | | helps to improve the release of estrogen and |
| Acupuncture is one of the oldest healing disciplines in | | | | progesterone levels from the ovary. Thus far, the |
| the world and has been practiced in China as well as | | | | studies show that the odds of a woman conceiving |
| other Easter countries for over five centuries. | | | | increase approximately 10% if she uses acupuncture |
| Although it's main emphasis is on prevention, it | | | | as part of the IVF process. |
| focuses on cures as well. The way it works is that | | | | It should be noted, however, that a more recent |
| the acupuncture expert inserts fine needles at | | | | study led by fertility expert Dr. LaTash Craig at the |
| specific pressure points throughout the body in an | | | | University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, has |
| effort to balance and restore the body's life force or | | | | cast a bit of doubt on previous studies. Her study |
| energy - also known as Chi. | | | | consisted of 46 women and concluded that |
| Acupuncture has been the focus of many clinical | | | | acupuncture does not increase the odds of |
| studies in the U.S. and has proven to be able to | | | | conception and in fact may decrease them. |
| reduce certain types of pain as well as treat a | | | | The discrepancies and contradictions in these studies |
| variety of chronic conditions. In the United States, | | | | may very well lie in exactly at what point in the IVF |
| acupuncture is rarely used as the main form of | | | | process the acupuncture was administered, the skill |
| treatment. Instead, it is used as a complementary | | | | of the acupuncturist, or some as yet unknown |
| treatment. | | | | factor. Needless to say, however, this only increases |
| Fertility clinical trials in the United States have primarily | | | | the uncertainty and anxiety of the woman with |
| focused on the use of acupuncture with in vitro | | | | fertility problems trying to get pregnant. |
| fertilization or IVF. This process involves removing a | | | | |