Trying To Conceive –Why Acupuncture?
Whether you are trying for a baby or are doing IVF, fertility acupuncture is an effective medical treatment used by Amanda Hughes at her clinic in Dublin 2.
As a therapy, fertility acupuncture works:
– by balancing hormones it plays an important role in the fertility treatments of thousands of women
– by affecting blood flow to the uterus and pelvic area in men and women it helps treat male fertility issues and in women treats blockages to fertility such as endometriosis, dysmenorrhea, PCOS
– It improves digestion and increases absorption of essential nutrients for conception and a healthy pregnancy
Acupuncture is well known as a form of treatment for relieving stress. Trying to conceive can be incredibly stressful for couples who are doing IVF or trying naturally. And because it is a non-pharmaceutical intervention it is an ideal form of therapy to use to increase fertility.
During an acupuncture treatment for fertility and IVF in Dublin, Amanda Hughes uses very thin needles which she are inserts into the skin at specific locations on the body called acupoints. The acupoints used in a treatment session are selected according to what will best treat your own health care needs and the date of your menstrual cycle .
When practiced properly, acupuncture is safe with few adverse side effects. It is part of a whole system of medicine initially developed in ancient China more than 2500 years ago .Amanda has been practising acupuncture in Dublin 2 for over 20 years.
How Does Fertility Acupuncture Work?
The exact reason acupuncture ‘works’ is not well understood. However, there is documentary evidence of some of the changes that occur once a needle is inserted into the body. One of the most commonly reported responses is an increase in endorphins. Endorphins affect mood, appetite, and sex hormones. In studies of acupuncture, there were reported changes changes in hormone levels, blood flow, body temperature, brain and body tissues . Regardless of the mechanism, here are a few of possible benefits of acupuncture, according to the preliminary research:
- Pregnancy rates during IVF treatment cycles, when acupuncture takes place on the day of embryo transfer
- Increased blood flow to the uterus, leading to an improved endometrial lining
- Reduced stress and anxiety levels
- Indication of improvement in ovulation for women with PCOS
- Strong indications of improvement in sperm count and quality in men with infertility
- Regulation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone, which in turn could help regulate ovulation
A typical “course” of acupuncture is dependent on each person and his or her health concern. Some people respond very quickly and require only a few treatments, while others require more. As a general guideline for the amount of treatments you may require if you are trying to conceive naturally would be a 3 month course of weekly treatments of acupuncture, If you are planning to start IVF , you should consider doing a two month programme of acupuncture prior to starting. For male fertility a 5 week course is recommended to optimise sperm health. Everyone’s health status is different and I assess each case on an individual bases ,I make out a clear treatment plan outlining the number of treatments I would recommend .
‘We had another baby boy, his name is Patrick. We are delighted. I just wanted to say thank you, Amanda for all your help and expertise , the acupuncture really helped me’
(1) Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trials (WHOapps.who.int/medicinedocs/pdf/s4926e/s4926e.pdf)
(2) Meldrum DR, Fisher AR, Butts SF, Su HI, Sammel MD. “Acupuncture–help, harm, or placebo?” Fertility and Sterility. June 2013;99(7):1821-4. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2012.12.046. Epub 2013 Jan 26.
(3) Ng EH, So WS, Gao J, Wong YY, Ho PC. “The role of acupuncture in the management of subfertility.”Fertility and Sterility. July 2008; 90(1):1-13. Epub 2008 Apr 28.
(4) Manheimer E, Zhang G, Udoff L, Haramati A, Langenberg P, Berman BM, Bouter LM. “Effect of acupuncture on rates of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in vitro fertilization: systematic review and meta-analysis.” British Medical Journal. March 8, 2008; 336(7643):545-9. Epub 2008 Feb 7.