Chinese Medicine & The Human Spirit by Lisa Bernazani in Bedford, MA (Boston, cambridge area).

Lisa Bernazani, Arlington, MA Acupuncture

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Fertility & Infertility

Western Medicine offers many procedures for facilitating conception, but the system of Chinese Medicine, (having been used to treat fertility for over 2000 years), offers an additional solution that is becoming familiar to many couples here in the West. Chinese Medicine in itself can be an effective treatment for fertility but it can also be used in conjunction with Western Medical procedures to improve fertility and the goals of conception and pregnancy.

Traditional Chinese Medicine is a based on the concept of wellness and focuses on restoring and maintaining overall balance to the bodily systems, organs and substances. One's body, spirit and emotional state are treated as something in need of proper nurturing in order to support the healthy growth of a child within it. It is used to restore and maintain overall functioning of the body, promote greater health and well-being, and alleviate or remove the physical manifestations that are the result of imbalance.

A landmark study published in the medical journal Fertility and Sterility (1) found that acupuncture dramatically improves the chances of becoming pregnant when used in conjunction with other assisted reproductive techniques.

Researches from Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York (2) reviewed studies and concluded that acupuncture helps to:

Reduce anxiety, stress and the hormones that are secreted during stressful situations that can significantly decrease fertility

Normalize hormone and endocrine systems that regulate ovulation, especially in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome

Positively affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, which plays a key role in fertility

Regulate menstrual cycle

In a study published in Human Reproduction Journal (3), an ultrasound was used to evaluate blood flow to the uterus during acupuncture treatments. The study found that blood flow increases during treatment. According to Dr. Nancy Snyderman, "When acupuncture needles are placed correctly, it can affect the nervous system." The idea is that if you stimulate the nervous system, you can make the uterus quiet and allow blood to flow. Relaxing the uterus and increasing blood flow allows for the successful implantation of an embryo within the uterine lining.

Conclusion

If you are looking for an alternative or additional solution for increasing your chances of conception, Traditional Chinese Medicine may provide a solution by helping to bring your system back into balance, promoting greater health and well-being, and preparing your body to conceive healthy children and carry them to term. With commitment, motivation and support, there are ways a woman of almost any age can increase her level of fertility.

Credit

All italicized information is taken from the Acupuncture & Fertility pamphlet produced by Acupuncture Media Works, LLC, (2005).

(1) Paulus W., et. al., influence of acupuncture on pregnancy rate in patients who undergo assisted reproduction therapy. Fertility and Sterility, volume 77, April 2002, 721-724.
(2) 5 Ways Acupuncture Can Boost Fertility. Prevention.com, 2002.
(3) Human Reproduction Journal, Volume 11,