Dr Maggie Ju
Acupuncture London

Navigating the Complex Landscape of Infertility: A Comprehensive Overview

Infertility is a deeply personal and often challenging journey that affects millions of individuals and couples worldwide. Defined as the inability to conceive after a year of regular unprotected intercourse, infertility can be a complex and emotionally taxing experience.

Understanding Infertility:

Infertility can be attributed to various factors, affecting both men and women. Common causes include issues with ovulation, sperm quality, tubal blockages, or uterine abnormalities. Age also plays a significant role, as fertility tends to decline with advancing years. Additionally, lifestyle factors such as stress, obesity, and certain medical conditions can contribute to infertility.

The Emotional Impact:

The emotional toll of infertility should not be underestimated. Couples grappling with infertility often experience feelings of frustration, guilt, and sadness. The societal pressure to conceive, coupled with the stigma surrounding infertility, can exacerbate these emotions.

Available Treatments:

Advancements in reproductive medicine have provided various treatment options for infertility, offering hope to those struggling to conceive. Some common interventions include:

Fertility Medications: Drugs like Clomiphene and Gonadotropins can stimulate ovulation in women or improve sperm production in men.

Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART): Techniques such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) involve combining eggs and sperm outside the body before implanting the fertilized embryo into the uterus.

Intrauterine Insemination (IUI): Sperm is directly inserted into the uterus during the woman's fertile window, increasing the chances of fertilization.

Surgery: Surgical procedures can address structural issues like blocked fallopian tubes or varicoceles in men.

Holistic Approaches:

While medical interventions are crucial, adopting a holistic approach can also enhance fertility. Lifestyle modifications such as maintaining a healthy weight, managing stress, and avoiding excessive alcohol and tobacco use can positively impact fertility outcomes. Alternative therapies like acupuncture are increasingly being explored as complementary options.

 

How can acupuncture help female infertility? Research update

Female infertility is a growing global issue, and many studies have examined the benefits of acupuncture in treating this condition. With advances in medical technology and scientific research, there has been an increase in investigating the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating female infertility. Current research suggests that acupuncture has a positive treatment effect on female infertility.

But how does acupuncture work to treat female infertility? Recent research has shed light on this question.

Firstly, acupuncture can regulate reproductive hormones, which are critical for reproductive function. These hormones include GnRH, FSH, LH, oestrogen, and progesterone, and they must be balanced at the right levels for the reproductive system to function correctly and for women to conceive. If these hormones are imbalanced, it can lead to difficulties in conception. Acupuncture helps to restore hormonal balance, which can promote pregnancy.

Secondly, acupuncture can improve ovarian function. By reducing inflammation in the ovary and promoting blood supply, acupuncture can create a less toxic environment in the ovary, which can aid in follicle development, ovulation, and overall ovarian function.

Thirdly, acupuncture can help to promote embryo implantation. By helping to resist the maternal immune response to embryos, acupuncture can establish the pathway of material exchange between the mother and embryo. This can lead to improved embryo development and growth in the uterine lining, ultimately increasing the chances of successful implantation.

Overall, recent research suggests that acupuncture can be an effective treatment option for female infertility. Its ability to regulate reproductive hormones, improve ovarian function, and promote embryo implantation make it a promising treatment option for those struggling to conceive.

Reference: Jing-yu Xu et al Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2022; 2022: 3854117.

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Recent research has shown that acupuncture helps you conceive naturally 
Acupuncture has been used for many years to improve fertility in women, but its effectiveness is still a topic of debate. Recent research has sought to clarify the issue by analyzing data up to June 2018 on the use of acupuncture for infertile women with natural conception.

The study reviewed 22 trials with a total of 2591 participants. The participants were women between the ages of 20-40 with partners who had normal semen quality and shape. These women had been trying to conceive for at least one year through unprotected sexual intercourse but had not received any assisted reproductive technology treatment. Additionally, they had a gynecological diagnosis of infertility.

The experimental group received acupuncture or a combination of acupuncture and other therapies, while the control group received other standard therapies such as Western medication in injectable or oral form. The researchers measured the pregnancy rate, confirmed by pregnancy tests and ultrasounds, ovulation rate, endometrial thickness, and endocrine indexes such as luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). They also assessed adverse events.

The results of the study revealed that acupuncture improved fertility in the following ways:

Pregnancy rates significantly increased with acupuncture treatment, with or without other interventions such as Chinese or Western medicine. This increase was seen across all types of infertility, including ovulation disorders.

Ovulation rates also improved with acupuncture treatments.

LH levels were significantly improved with acupuncture treatments.

Endometrial thickness was significantly improved with acupuncture treatments.

Fewer side effects were observed with acupuncture treatments compared to other standard therapies.

In conclusion, the study suggests that acupuncture can be an effective treatment for improving fertility in infertile women with natural conception. It also highlights the need for further research to fully understand the mechanisms behind acupuncture's positive effects on fertility.

References

Yun L et al Medicine (Baltimore). 2019 Jul;98(29):e16463. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000016463.​