Acupuncture for infertility

 

Finally achieving a healthy happy pregnancy

Acupuncture for fertility is widely used, and sadly problems with fertility seem to be on the rise.  If you're experiencing difficulties with your fertility this can be a deeply distressing time in your life.  Your normal experience of life has probably been that if you work hard, you can achieve the goals you set out for.  To try for a baby and have this very basic biological drive seemingly denied to you, while others around you seem to fall pregnant with ease, can be a very cruel experience.  You may have had a specific problem diagnosed, or your partner may have (see Jessica's page on male fertility), or it may just be a frustrating mystery.  The good news is that acupuncture may be able to help! 

 

Case study

“I found myself in the unfortunate position of needing fertility treatment and I wanted to give myself the best possible chance of conceiving, so decided to try acupuncture. I was delighted at the immediate impact it made – I had been recording my temperature and in the first month of receiving acupuncture my temperature charts showed a dramatic positive change (nice smooth temperature charts!). And best of all - I got pregnant first try! I also found the sessions provided a nice outlet for the inevitable stress of fertility treatment – Jessica is a great listener. I would arrive for my sessions a battered London commuter and leave in a zen-like calm, unfazed even by being a sardine on the tube!”

A web editor in her 30s

"Infertility takes over your whole being and I was really struggling when I first went to see Jessica, physically and mentally. I was exhausted trying to balance the demands of my work, being a mother and a busy social life and was feeling like a failure because it seemed impossible to get pregnant second time round. Jessica completely changed my mindset. Her approach is very warm, insightful and highly intelligent and she helps you understand every step of the acupuncture process. Her treatment made me feel rejuvenated, stronger and happy again...and what's more I got pregnant! I would recommend Jessica to anyone who expresses an interest in the (amazing) potential of this Chinese medicine."

A communications consultant in her 30s

"It's a while since I saw you but I just wanted to let you know that I'm 33 weeks pregnant today (with identical twins) and I start my maternity leave at the end of this week. I just wanted to take the opportunity to thank you for all your help in getting me to this place which I went through this time last year. To say that I'm appreciative is an under statement. Thank you so much for helping to get me to this great place in my life."

An HR professional in her 30s

"When I first came to see Jessica I was a wreck. I had been through my first round of IVF treatment at a top London clinic, having acupuncture with a different practitioner alongside the treatment. I had had a miscarriage at 7 weeks and a lot of things had just gone wrong in my life as well. Jessica was like a breath of fresh air. She took all those worries and upsets away with her calm, kind and understanding nature. But more importantly she set to work at treating me as a whole rather than simply focusing on building up my womb lining again ready for the next round of IVF. For me, this was a completely new approach to acupuncture and a fascinating learning curve as to how amazing and powerful the treatment is. Gradually I began to feel better in myself, and after a few months of weekly treatments, as I felt my energy levels increase, I embarked on my second round of IVF, this time through my local NHS hospital. I was so much more relaxed as I felt "human" again, something I had not felt in a long time. Jessica had sorted out so many health issues that I had lived with believing them to be normal. I continued seeing Jessica throughout my treatment and, was very excited to discover that my womb lining was super thick - much better than the previous time - and I believe it was this factor, that enabled our little embryo to attach and become viable. I am now 19 weeks pregnant and still having monthly treatments, only because I believe in the power of acupuncture and how important it is in maintaining a sense of wellbeing. Jessica has totally converted me to acupuncture for any ailment, but I am eternally grateful for the support and the part she played in creating this new life."

A PA in her 30s

"Thank you for all your support during our journey pre/post IVF treatment. I truly believe that your treatment played an important role in the safe arrival of our miracle baby. I will always be grateful for all the guidance and support you have given me during this time."

An entrepreneur in her 30s

 

click for more case studies

 

Research

A 2003 report by the World Health Organisation (WHO)(1) found that female infertility is one of the conditions "for which the therapeutic effect of acupuncture has been shown but for which further proof is needed."

 

2008 research published in the British Medical Journal found that the the success rates of IVF embryo transfer were increased by 65% when the women received acupuncture before and after the transfer, see article in The Times(2).

 

This follows German research from 2002 which found that acupuncture could increase chances of success from IVF treatments by up to 50%, see this BBC article(3).

 

A 2006 review by the British Acupuncture Council(4) found that acupuncture can have significant benefits in for women trying to conceive.  Research showed that in general acupuncture increased the chance of pregnancy, with 31% - 70% of those receiving acupuncture falling pregnant compared to 16% - 45% for those not receiving acupuncture.

 

Meanwhile a review(5) by the British Medical Journal described acupuncture as "very safe" when practiced by an appropriately-qualified practitioner. 

 

The modern evidence base for acupuncture is incomplete, and this is true for a great many areas of conventional medicine too.  The Clinical Evidence website of the British Medical Journal tells us that of the 2,500 conventional medical treatments their databases cover, 46% are of unknown effectiveness (as at October 2009)(6). 

 

Jessica continues to witness the benefits of acupuncture for many people in her work, utilising the knowledge and practice of Chinese medicine built up over thousands of years.  She's happy that more and more modern scientific research is being done into acupuncture, helping to bring it to a wider audience. 

 

A multi-faceted approach

Acupuncture does not take a 'one size fits all' approach to your fertility.  Jessica starts out by asking you to complete an extensive health questionnaire, and at your first appointment will discuss your fertility and your wider health in detail, to reach a fully individualised assessment and treatment plan.  Typically treatment will address several areas at once:

harmonising your emotions

optimising your health overall

addressing any specific blocks to fertility

supporting your reproductive energy during your cycle

supporting you during any medical fertility procedures (eg IVF)

reviewing your lifestyle

 

Harmonising your emotions

People experiencing fertility problems often experience significant levels of depression, anxiety, mood-swings, and other marked signs of stress.  From the point of view of Chinese medicine the physical effects which accompany these emotional states can themselves provide a block to conception, so simply rebalancing your emotions can be a real help.  

 

Acupuncture treatment often starts with points to calm and strengthen your emotions in what is often such a trying time, which in itself may bring you closer to a successful conception. 

 

Optimising your health overall

At the same time, the holistic nature of acupuncture means it will seek to address any other health imbalances you have, to bring you into optimal condition overall to support your reproductive energy. 

 

From the point of view of Chinese medicine, almost no-one is in perfect health, and there will generally be some signs indicating the likely imbalances or blocks which are impeding the smooth flow of this natural process.  Chinese medicine is often concerned with quite subtle signs of disharmony, which would be viewed as 'sub-clinical' by conventional medicine.

 

Addressing any specific blocks to fertility

If you have a known gynaecological or obstetric condition, Jessica's page on gynaecological problems discusses the benefits of acupuncture for conditions like endometriosis, PCOS, or fibroids.  The page on pregnancy describes acupuncture treatment to reduce the chances of miscarriage for those at risk. 

 

Supporting your reproductive energy throughout your cycle

And to boost our reproductive chances, different points are treated at different stages in the month:

supporting the expelling of the endometrium during the period at the start of the cycle

nourishing the womb lining and the ovaries in the run-up to ovulation

boosting the ovulatory energy mid-cycle

supporting the dynamic implantation and growth of the foetus in the luteal phase

 

Supporting you during any medical fertility procedures (eg IVF)

Acupuncture can be used to help support you during any conventional medical fertility treatments you may undertake, such as IVF, IVF with ICSI, IUI, etc. 

 

The ideal is to come for treatment in advance, to address any health issues which may impair your fertility, and get you into optimum condition before the procedures.  If you're in good health in the first place, 2-4 weekly treatments followed by monthly treatments would be ideal. Then in the cycle with the fertility procedures, weekly treatment is ideal, including one treatment just before eggs are taken (if relevant), a treatment as soon as possible before the transfer, and a treatment as soon as possible after the transfer.   

 

Reviewing your lifestyle

Jessica will also review your lifestyle with you, and may suggest specific dietary changes and other steps that could help support your fertility.

 

Timing

The effects of acupuncture on fertility are rarely immediate.  It works more subtly to bring you back into better harmony and build up your reproductive strength.  No amount of acupuncture treatment can 'make' someone fertile, but its aim is to bring you into optimal health, as the best foundation for conception and a successful pregnancy.

 

Some experts in the field will encourage the couple to take as long as three months off from trying for a baby when starting acupuncture treatment.  This is to give time to attain better balance and stronger health, as the soundest foundations for conception and a healthy and successful pregnancy.  Jessica is not keen to place this kind of additional burden on a couple who are already going through a difficult time!  However it is generally after at least 1-2 months of acupuncture treatment for infertility that its successes seem to come. 

 

Ideally treatment is weekly, in order to meet the body's different needs during different parts of the cycle, as above.

 

Optimising the male contribution too

Even if it seems the difficulty in conceiving or carrying may lie with the female partner, the male contribution is also critical, with top-quality sperm a great start for a successful conception and sustained pregnancy.  Acupuncture treatment aims to improve the number, formation, and motility of your partner's sperm.  Each sperm takes about nine weeks to reach maturity.  If your partner is already in good health an optimal approach while trying for a baby is for him to have 2-4 weekly treatments followed by monthly treatments, to give you both the best possible odds.

 

Contact Jessica

Each of us responds differently to acupuncture.  Do get in touch to discuss whether acupuncture is likely to be right for you, or to make an appointment.

 

 

Other conditions

Acupuncture can help with a wide range of health problems, click below to find out more:

 

Detailed references

(1) http://www.acupuncture-schools.us/national-institute-health-nih-acupuncture.cfm, referring to World Health Organisation (2002).  Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trial, see http://apps.who.int/bookorders/anglais/detart1.jsp?sesslan=1&codlan=1&codcol=93&codcch=196

(2) http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article3327648.ece, referring to Manheimer, Eric et al (2008). Effects of acupuncture on rates of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in vitro fertilisation: systematic review and meta-analysis. British Medical Journal, doi: 10.1136/bmj.39471.430451.BE, see http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/short/bmj.39471.430451.BEv1.

(3) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1933901.stm, referring to an article in Fertility and Sterility.

(4) Female infertility: the evidence for effectiveness.  Published by the British Acupuncture Council, Short Briefing Paper 1, November 2006, see http://www.acupuncture.org.uk/content/Library/doc/infertility_short_bp1.pdf

(5) Rampes (2001).  The safety of acupuncture.  British Medical Journal 2001;323(7311):467 (1 September), doi:10.1136/bmj.323.7311.467, see http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/extract/323/7311/467

(6) From the 'About Us' area of the Clinical Evidence BMJ website, page titled 'How much do we know', http://clinicalevidence.bmj.com/ceweb/about/knowledge.jsp.  Extract at Oct 2009: "So what can Clinical Evidence tell us about the state of our current knowledge? What proportion of commonly used treatments are supported by good evidence, what proportion should not be used or used only with caution, and how big are the gaps in our knowledge? Of around 2500 treatments covered 13% are rated as beneficial, 23% likely to be beneficial, 8% as trade off between benefits and harms, 6% unlikely to be beneficial, 4% likely to be ineffective or harmful, and 46%, the largest proportion, as unknown effectiveness"

© Jessica Kennedy 2005-09, all rights reserved