Fertility FAQsWho would the treatments benefit?
Anyone who wishes to become pregnant can benefit from acupuncture and Chinese herbs. Acupuncture promotes the concept of whole body wellness. Therefore, a couple does not need to be dealing with infertility in order to utilize this method.
However couples that have a hard time getting pregnant or have experienced repeated miscarriage would certainly benefit from acupuncture. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal remedies address hormonal imbalance, irregular periods, endometriosis, abnormal sperm counts/motility/mobility, and other impediments to fertility.
Can both men and women be treated for fertility issues?
Yes. Male and female patients are both treated for infertility. Results of balanced Qi and blood include a regulated menstrual cycle and balanced hormonal levels. In men, the quality and quantity of sperm, and sperm motility are affected by acupuncture and are important for a successful pregnancy. Low morphology rates also responds well after 90-100 days of weekly treatment.
When is a good time to start treatment?
When a couple decides to get pregnant, acupuncture treatments can begin. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can be effective before, during, and after a pregnancy, as the treatment addresses overall wellness of the body.
What is Basal Body Temperature (BBT)?
In addition to acupuncture and herbal remedies, tracking a woman’s Basal Body Temperature, or BBT, can aid in overcoming infertility. BBT is a woman’s temperature when she first wakes up in the morning, and is recorded starting from the first day of the cycle. Charting a woman’s BBT is important because it will help the practitioner pinpoint imbalance and disruption in a woman’s fertility system. You may print out a blank BBT here.
How long does it take to get results?
Whenever a couple has a hard time getting pregnant, success can be achieved in a matter of months, depending on the cause of infertility. In men, it takes 70 days for new sperm to be generated. In women, effects of acupuncture treatment should occur after the third complete cycle. There can be many reasons contributing to a couple’s infertility, therefore treatments and their duration are individualized and varied.
How can Chinese medicine work in accordance with Western methods?
Many couples will choose to use acupuncture and herbs in addition to Western techniques. Studies have shown that women undergoing In-Vitro Fertilization in addition to acupuncture had increased chances of becoming pregnant. “Clinical pregnancies were documented in 34 of 80 patients (42.5%) in the acupuncture group, whereas pregnancy rate was only 26.3% (21 out of 80 patients) in the control group. Conclusion: Acupuncture seems to be a useful tool for improving pregnancy rate after assisted reproduction therapy.”
Acupuncture is being combined with conventional fertility therapy because it has been shown that acupuncture can improve circulation to the endometrium, helping to facilitate a thick, rich lining. It has also shown an ability to improve ovarian and follicular function. Patients who are using in vitro fertilization (IVF), or donor-egg transfer commonly are treated with acupuncture therapy for 3-4 months before the procedure. Acupuncture treatments have an accumulative effect, so it is beneficial to have treatments frequently during this period.
A 2-4 month preparation with acupuncture and herbal medicine is recommended before undergoing Intra-uterine Insemination (IUI).
When acupuncture and herbal medicine are being used without conventional therapies to achieve conception successful results typically occur within 6-12 months.
Please visit http://vailfertility.com for more fertility information.
