Mind & Body |
|
Acupuncture May Help Infertile CouplesAdding acupuncture to the treatment regimen of women having in vitro fertilization (IVF) may boost the chances of pregnancy. In a study of 160 women undergoing IVF, researchers from the Christian Lauritzen Institute in Ulm, Germany, used acupuncture before and after the embryo transfers in half the patients and found it helped increased the number of pregnancies. The acupuncture-treated group received a treatment 25 minutes before and after the embryo transfer, with needles placed in stomach and colon meridians, as well as the ear meridians, to try to increase blood flow and energy to the uterus, and provide a sedative effect and stabilize the endocrine system. The control group had just the embryo transfer. The women in both groups were on average 32 years old and had undergone an average of two previous IVF cycles. In the IVF-only group, 21 of the 80 patients (26.3 percent) became pregnant; in the IVF-plus-acupuncture group, 34 of 80 (42.5 percent) became pregnant, the researchers reported in Fertility and Sterility, Journal of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Exactly why the acupuncture boosted the pregnancy rates is not known for sure, but study author Wolfgang E. Paulus speculates the chosen acupoints may reduce the uterine contractions that typically occur with embryo transfer and may inhibit implantation. "Therefore," Paulus says, "we try to reduce the contractions by acupuncture in order to improve implantation." The German study "could be a fluke," says Ingrid Rodi, a fertility specialist and gynecologist at the Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center. Yet, she finds it scientifically sound. "This study is an impetus for others [researchers] to look at it," she says. Acupuncture Used to Boost Fertility For YearsTraditional Chinese medicine has employed acupuncture to boost fertility for years. For the past decade or so, Rodi says, many of her patients have told her they have acupuncture treatments before seeing her for traditional infertility treatments, hoping the acupuncture will restore their energy balance and make their body more receptive to the IVF treatments. Rodi is not sure acupuncture will catch on in the United States with fertility specialists as an adjunct to fertility treatments, but she does not dismiss the possibility. However, she points out the US pregnancy rates with IVF are already higher than they are in Europe. The overall pregnancy rate for women under age 35, the age of the women in the German study, is already almost 40 percent, she says. Whether adding acupuncture to IVF treatments for US women would boost the success rate higher remains to be seen, she adds. Additional Research To Determine Effectiveness Is NecessaryIf more studies find a benefit in acupuncture coupled with IVF treatments, it might be possible to transfer fewer embryos per treatment, she says. However, acupuncture will not solve the problem of chromosomal abnormalities, which Rodi says are the biggest source of IVF failures in women over age 35. Always consult your physician for more information. Physicians Using Acupuncture On ChildrenNeedle therapy helps treat chronic pain, nausea, and other problems, advocates say As one more sign of the increasing acceptance of alternative medicine, some mainstream physicians are now recommending acupuncture for children. There are no studies that show the number of US-trained physicians who suggest acupuncture to their young patients. However, several major hospitals around the nation employ acupuncturists to treat young patients with conditions ranging from chronic pain to migraine headaches to nausea from chemotherapy. "Acupuncture can be a viable and helpful therapeutic option that is much less uncomfortable than any other kind of injection," Kemper says. "A lot of people—children included—feel it's pleasant; the overall experience is comforting, relaxing, and they feel better physically and emotionally." Needles are a source of dread for many children, so it might be hard to believe a child would willingly see an acupuncturist. Overcoming a Child's Fear of AcupunctureHowever, physicians and acupuncturists say children can learn to overcome their fear. To ease a child's anxiety, some will put the needles in the child's parents first to show the child they do not hurt. Dr. Lixing Lao, an acupuncturist with the Complementary Program at Kernan Hospital and an associate professor of family medicine at University of Maryland School of Medicine, says age 5 or 6 is a good age to start acupuncture. Younger children do better with a massage called Tui Na, which uses the principals of acupuncture but does not involve needles, Lao says. Lao has used acupuncture to treat everything from attention-deficit disorder to asthma to diarrhea. The number of sessions varies depending on the disorder. Diarrhea or fever might require only one session. An eating disorder might take 10 sessions, he says. A child's session usually lasts about 10 to 20 minutes. What message does Lao have for skeptics? "Try it," Lao says. "Many of my patients tell me they are afraid or skeptical the first time they come. But after the first treatment, they become a believer. The best evidence is their own spirit. The patients feel better after treatment." Always consult your child's physician for more information. Online Resources(Our Organization is not responsible for the content of Internet sites.) American Academy of Medical Acupuncture American Society for Reproductive Medicine Fertility and Sterility, Journal of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine |
March 2003Acupuncture Used to Boost Fertility For Years Additional Research To Determine Effectiveness Is Necessary Physicians Using Acupuncture On Children Overcoming a Child's Fear of Acupuncture Considerations When Choosing Acupuncture Before Considering Complementary or Alternative Medicine More About AcupunctureAcupuncture is the ancient Chinese practice of inserting fine needles into the skin. The Chinese believe there is an energy flow called Qi running through the body. Acupuncture relieves pain and helps other symptoms of illness by restoring the balance of the energy flow. In recent years, Western medicine has tried to figure out whether or not acupuncture works. Dozens of studies have been done, but none have offered a clear answer about whether the treatment has benefit, according to a consensus statement from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). However, many studies seemed "promising" for acupuncture's ability to treat conditions that include chemotherapy nausea, postoperative pain, headache, menstrual cramps, osteoarthritis, asthma and lower back pain, the NIH statement says. One theory about how acupuncture works is that the needles stimulate the release of endorphins, the feel-good, pain-relieving hormones. Kemper, author of "The Holistic Pediatrician," isn't put off by the lack of definitive research. Even in Western medicine, the precise mechanisms for many well-accepted treatments remain cloudy, she says. "We used aspirin for hundreds of years before we figured out why it worked," she adds. "And we still may not have the complete picture of why it works." In a survey by Kemper and her colleagues of 47 young people aged 5 to 20, 70 percent said acupuncture helped their symptoms. Two-thirds said they found acupuncture pleasant. Considerations When Choosing AcupunctureBecause scientific studies have not fully explained how acupuncture works within the framework of Western medicine, acupuncture remains a source of controversy in the medical world. It is important, therefore, to take the precautionary steps listed below:
Always consult your physician for more information. Before Considering Complementary or Alternative MedicineMost complementary and alternative medicine fields are not standardized or controlled by any Western medical guidelines. Always consult with your physician before beginning any complementary or alternative medicine therapy, because some therapies may interfere with standard treatment. Being an informed healthcare consumer when considering complementary or alternative medicine is important. Ways to gather information before starting any therapy include:
|
