Acupuncture treatment of Infertility
What is infertility ?
If a couple have been unable to conceive a baby after 2 years of regular sexual intercourse, it is defined as infertility. Primary infertility means they have never had a child. And secondary infertility means that they have had one or more children in the past, but have been unable to have another child afterwards.
The cause
There are several causes in general. However, in reality, it is reported that the cause of infertility for the 90% of the patients, who consult medical institutions specialized for fertility treatment, are unknown functional infertility. Infertility without having any specific problem with the egg or the shape of uterus is called functional infertility. On the other hand, organic infertility is the case that have a certain problem with reproduction system such as fibroid, endometriosis, and tubal blockage. In terms of sexual ratio, it is said that 50% of the infertility cause is originated to women, 30% is men, and the rest is resulted in both.
The possibility of eastern medicine towards infertility
In eastern medicine, the written information about infertility treatment appeared in more than 400 books written around 5 century such as [諸病源侯論 ]General Treatise on the Pathogenesis and Symptoms of Disease ,[黄帝素問女胎]Yellow Emperor's Internal Canon of Medicine (Inquiring into the Origin of Life and Disease). Infertility treatment was classified as a disease in gynecology already in those era. Recent study shows that the stimulation to the acupoint, SANYINJIAO（三陰交） will increase estrogen, a sort of female hormone, in density. In terms of infertility treatment, acupuncture elevates the possibility of conceiving, combining with the western medicine treatment.
In acupuncture, we can start treatment on the premises of excluding organic problem with womb and ovary. In fertility treatment, acupuncture treatment is effective to improve the quality of ovum, embryo, and the environment of endometrium. In addition, there are a lot of report that the thickness and the shape of endometrium was improved and resulted in pregnancy. Therefore, if blood current in ovary is improved, there is a great possibility that good eggs will be collected. It is thought that acupuncture is effective treatment for functional infertility including implantation failure.
It is important not to give up and to make the fertile body by acupuncture, even if your fertility treatment in medical institution is not fruitful at the moment.
Evidence based fertility treatment data
In terms of fertility treatment, it is reported that acupuncture is effective for intimal damage such as failure of configuration in endometrium or hyperprolactinmia. 9 months is average period of acupuncture treatment pregnancy is confirmed. 90% of the patient who had successful pregnancy conceived within a year of acupuncture treatment. It is supposed that the betterment of the pelvic cavity environment lead to improve the function of uterus. Acupuncture treatment is effective for stress oriented functional infertility, for instance excess of prolactine is caused by strong stress.
-Acupuncture on the Endometrial Morphology, the Serum Estradiol and Progesterone Levels, and the Expression of Endometrial Leukaemia-inhibitor Factor and Osteopontin in Rats.
Fu H1, He Y, Gao Y, Man Y, Liu W, Hao H.
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan Hubei 430022, China.
-Effects of acupuncture on progesterone and prolactin in rats of embryo implantation dysfunction.
Xiong F1, Gui J, Yang W, Li J, Huang GY. Chin J Integr Med. 2014 May 6.