Infertility
Acupuncture and Infertility
A natural approach to treating both male and female infertility, acupuncture uses specific techniques to target infertility issues and improve blood flow to the reproductive organs [1]. It can also optimize a person’s general health and reduce stress.
Acupuncture and female infertility
encouraging a balanced menstrual cycle, increasing the body’s basal temperature, thickening the lining of the uterus, and bringing on ovulation. Research and clinical observation have shown that acupuncture can increase the progesterone level and regulate the levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and estrogen [2].
Women with the following conditions can benefit from acupuncture:
- Abnormal hormone levels (AMH, FSH and LH)
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Premature ovarian failure (POF)
- Low ovarian reserve
- Chronic pelvic inflammation
- Recurrent miscarriages
- Irregular menstruation
- Uterine lining issues
- Amenorrhea
- Endometriosis
Acupuncture and male infertility
Studies on male infertility show that acupuncture significantly improves the quality of sperm and reduces sexual dysfunction. Dieterle et al. (2006) found through a randomized placebo-controlled study that acupuncture improved severe oligoasthenozoospermia (reduced sperm motility and low spermatozoon count) [3].
Siterman et al. (2009) reported successful acupuncture treatment with males who suffered from low sperm count due to inflammation of the genital tracer causing scrotal hyperthermia. Acupuncture treatment resulted in decreased scrotal temperature and increased sperm count [4].
Pei et al. (2005) indicated a general improvement in the quality of sperm, specifically in the ultrastructural integrity of spermatozoa in men who received acupuncture twice a week for five weeks [5].
Men with the following conditions can benefit from acupuncture:
- Asthenozoospermia – low sperm motility
- Azoospermia – no sperm present in the ejaculate
- Hypospermia – low semen volume
- Oligozoospermia – low sperm count
- Teratospermia – abnormal sperm morphology
- Oligo-astheno-teratozoospermia – low sperm count, motility and abnormal morphology
- Scrotal hyperthermia
- High viscosity semen
- Sperm DNA fragmentation
- High stress
- Fatigue
References
[1] : Raymond Chang, Pak Chung, Zev Rosenwaks, Role of acupuncture in the treatment of female infertility. Fertility and Sterility.Vol.78, No. 6, December 2002
[2]: Aso T, Motohashi T, Murata M, Nishimura T, Kakizaki K. The influence of acupuncture stimulation on plasma levels of LH, FSH, progesterone and estradiol in normally ovulating women. Am J Chin Med 1976; 4:391-401
[3]: Dieterle S, Ying G, Hatzmann W, Neuer A. Effect of acupuncture on the outcome of in-vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection: a randomized, prospective, controlled clinical study. Fertility and Sterility. 2006 May; 85(5): 1347-51
[4]: Siterman S, Eltes F, Schechter L, Maimon Y, Lederman H, Bartoov B. Success of acupuncture treatment in patients with initially low sperm output is associated with a decrease in scrotal skin temperature. Asian Journal of Andrology. 2009 Jan 5; 11: 200-8
[5]: Pei et al. Quantitative evaluation of spermatozoa ultrastructure after acupuncture treatment for idiopathic male infertility. Fertility and Sterility, Vol. 84(1), 141-147, July 2005