Acupuncture for Fertility Assistance
Recent figures from Harley Street Fertility Specialist Dr Talaulikar (ref BMAS Spring meeting 2015) reveal that 1:7 couples will have some degree of fertility issues and in 40% of couples either males or females will have difficulty in conceiving, following a year of regular intercourse.
Current research is now challenging the way acupuncture can help couples conceive whether it is full IVF stimulus, some relaxation needed or indeed just some education about lifestyle choices.
A world leading expert on Acupuncture for Infertility is Elisabet Stener-Victorin, and she has many published medical studies from throughout the world show supporting evidence of the effectiveness of acupuncture for treating fertility issues.
The female body selects which eggs are to be stimulated on each cycle and hormonally ripens each one ready to be released around day fourteen. New research is suggesting the process should be to encourage the healthiest egg development. This will in turn, lead the correct level of hormones to give the fullest lining of the womb leading to successful fertilisation and then implantation and resulting in a positive pregnancy.
Electrical acupuncture stimulates more blood flow to the pelvic organs assisting the chosen egg to be healthier, larger and ripe for fertilisation whether by natural or assisted conception.
Acupuncture to assist conception
Depending on the medical diagnosis and the reason for unsuccessful pregnancy, acupuncture treatment can be used in several ways to assist both men with ( spermogenis) and women ( egg quality ).
Current studies have focused mostly on the time of embryo transfer and the % of success following this process. Recent work by Irena Szmelskyj MSc, DipAc. is focussing on egg quality and acupuncture stimulus to assist the egg’ s development prior to final egg maturation and release/ retrieval ( if undergoing Assisted conception). If the egg is mature then it will allow the bodies natural response to the cascade of hormones to succeed in successful implantation.
Lifestyle choices can also improve chances of conception which are :
- Acupuncture to relax and stimulate follicles ( protocol to follow BMAS )
- Normal weight
- Regular exercise
- Nutritional balanced diet ( with folic acid supplement three months prior to trying for a baby,see your health professional re dose
- Regular intercourse at time of ovulation
