Accupuncture For Fertility And Nutrition

Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine based on traditional Chinese medicine. Trained therapists insert the tips of needles into specific points on the body to stimulate healing in those areas. Acupuncture may boost fertility in patients and increase the likelihood of pregnancy in some women, as well as have a positive effect on health and nutrition.

Function

Acupuncture can increase sperm volume in men and increase blood flow to the uterus in women. Acupuncture can also promote hormonal health, which stimulates egg production through improved ovarian function.

Acupuncture, when used in tandem with assisted reproduction therapy, or ART, can also produce positive results. A 2002 study performed at the Department of Reproductive Medicine at Christian-Lauritzen-Institut in Ulm, Germany, found patients who received acupuncture treatment before and after embryo transfer had a pregnancy rate of 42.5 percent. Patients who were not treated with acupuncture had a pregnancy rate of 26.3 percent.

Benefits

Acupuncture can reduce stress and promote a general sense of well-being, which may not only improve fertility but also encourage you to make positive changes to your diet. Poor nutrition can negatively impact fertility. Meeting the daily recommended requirement of 9 mg of zinc a day can promote a healthy reproductive system. Don't take more zinc than recommended, however -- taking too much of any vitamin can actually have a negative effect on fertility.

Treatment

Acupuncture is most effective when used in tandem with traditional fertility methods. Patients can be treated before and during pregnancy, although the acupuncturist should no longer insert the needles into the pelvic region after ART or pregnancy. Treatments performed during the first three months of pregnancy may prevent miscarriage.

Drawbacks

Acupuncture won't produce results for women who have tubal scar tissue or pelvic adhesions due to endometriosis -- a condition in which the endometrial cells grow outside the uterus -- or infection of the reproductive organs. Acupuncture, similarly, won't be effective in men who have a blocked reproductive tract. Furthermore, although acupuncture may improve fertility, miscarriage is still possible.

Warning

Acupuncture carries little risk as long as the needles are properly sterilized and disposed of, and the acupuncturist follows aseptic techniques. But complications can occur if the acupuncturist does not take every step to protect the patient. Microbiologists at the University of Hong Kong warn of the dangers associated with acupuncture. Hepatitis B and C, HIV and other infections could occur if clinics aren't taking appropriate measures to practice acupuncture safely. Acupuncture mycobacteriosis, a condition caused due to infected needles inserted into the skin, can also occur, resulting in bacterial infection.