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Acupuncture and Infertility - Are You Willing To Follow This Chinese Method To Help You Get Pregnant?

Acupuncture is part of the oriental medicine healing system that has been practiced for more than 2000 years. Originating from the Chinese, the practice of acupuncture is based on the belief that a interference in the flow of chi in the body can cause energetic imbalances, which is believed to be the root cause of most of the diseases suffered by human beings. These blockages can be removed and the energy flow of the body can be stimulated by the insertion of slender needles into specific locations of the body. There are more than 2000 different acupuncture insertion points on the human body and the disease determines which insertion points should be used. Acupuncture is now used around the world to treat a variety of conditions, like rhinitis, hiccough, peripheral neuropathies, smoking addiction, infertility and bacillary dysentery.

How is Acupuncture Associated with Infertility?

The use of acupuncture to treat infertility is a fairly new concept for western civilizations. The theory behind acupuncture for infertility is that acupuncture will increase the volume of blood flow to the reproductive organs and balance the hormones present in the body. This practice is attested to be effective by increasing ovarian potency in women and assisting in sperm creation for men.

Using acupuncture for infertility treatment is most regularly used when a couple is having functional issues, like erectile dysfunction or irregular ovulation. In some situations, acupuncture is used as supplementary procedure for in vitro fertilization, helping women to relax their uteruses during the embryo transfer process. A study conducted in 2002 by German researchers found that acupuncture increased the success rate of in vitro fertilization by up to 16% and reduced the amount of miscarriages in women receiving in vitro fertilization by 12%.

What's It Like To Go Through an Acupuncture Treatment?

Acupuncture is a pretty painless procedure and side effects are very uncommon. The most common adverse events reported include minor bleeding at the insertion point, the transmission of infectious agents, and needles broken beneath the skin. These risks will be very much reduced if the acupuncturist is a licensed and competent professional that has gone through the required 2000 to 3000 hours of training and has passed the required board exam.

Acupuncture for infertility treatment can be a long-winded process. On average, acupuncture therapy requires 12 individual visits, each about an hour in length and occurring weekly. During this hour long appointment, a physical examination will be given and any complications or issues that have arisen since the last appointment will be examined.

Using acupuncture to treat infertility is rapidly gaining acceptance in the United States. Although whether the procedure is useful is intensely debated among researchers, the fact of the matter is that it seems to work and it certainly doesn't hurt to try. For couples who have been trying to conceive a child without success, using acupuncture therapy to aid in infertility treatment may give them the boost they need to finally have a bundle of joy.