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Couples Turn To Ancient Treatment For Fertility
Acupuncture Helps Couples Have Families
WASHINGTON -- With infertility on the rise, many couples are turning to less invasive natural treatments to help them have a baby. One of those treatments is the ancient Chinese practice of acupuncture.
Laura Cardillo turned to acupuncture after she and her husband wanted a second child. Because she was in her late 40s, she knew it might be more difficult the second time around.
Lauren had several miscarriages and was almost ready to give up when a friend suggested she visit an acupuncturist. She was skeptical, but willing to try it. Acupuncturist Kate Yonkers said Cardillo was a perfect candidate for this type of treatment because she was so stressed out. "She was unable to support a pregnancy for longer than a few weeks. This was not due to chromosomal abnormality, which is a normal reason for the body to miscarriage. She just didn't seem to have the strength in her reproductive system to hold her pregnancy. So we worked to get her to the place where she really could have the strength," Yonkers said.
Studies have shown that diet, stress and hormone imbalances all directly affect ovulation in women. Acupuncture is used to relieve stress and correct disruptions in the flow of the body's energy to bring the body back to good health. Acupuncture is also supposed to enhance the production of endorphins, which affect the hormones of the menstrual cycle.
Yonkers said each woman is a little different and you have to evaluate their lifestyle before you treat them. "We do a treatment the first time she comes in and often that's a treatment to just begin to bring blood flow to the reproductive system. A lot of times it's just to calm her down and relax her, get her system ready for the treatment. A lot of times I'll prescribe herbs at that point, but often will wait to see what she's doing with her Western practioners so I can be balancing my treatment accordingly," Yonkers said.
Because acupuncture treatment for infertility is fairly new in the United States, there are no reliable statistics on its success rate. Yonkers claims that about 50 percent of her patients have done well. "Most of the success stories are coming from women who aren't doing anything besides Chinese medicine, although more and more I'm seeing people are using (in virto fertilization) as well as Chinese medicine in combination," Yonkers said. Once Cardillo learned she was expecting, she continued to see Yonkers throughout her pregnancy. She now has a new daughter, Juliana.
According to the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture, in general, acupuncture is a safe treatment when done by a certified acupuncturist. You may want to see an acupuncturist who is licensed by the state regulatory board. A state license ensures that the acupuncturist has a certain level of training and follows certain practice guidelines. The American Medical Association recommends that women work with their physicians in conjunction with their acupuncturist when seeking treatment.
Acupuncture and Infertility
Acupuncture in the News
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A recent study demonstrated that combining acupuncture with IVF procedure increases the success rate by almost 50 %. [Click here].
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Couples Turn To Ancient Treatment For Fertility: Acupuncture Helps Couples Have Families. [Click here].
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Acupuncture hailed as new infertility treatment. [Click here].
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Acupuncture used as infertility therapy. [Click here].
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Coordinating power of circadian rhythms keeps estrus and pregnancy on track. [Click here].
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Research Articles of Interest
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Research in Acupuncture, Infertility and IVF. [Click here].
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