You are not alone! One in six Americans are affected by fertility issues, which means over 7 million couples fail to conceive every month. Unfortunately, most of them will never know that Asian Medicine can increase their chances of becoming pregnant by nearly 50% or more.

What is ART?

ART, Assisted Reproductive Technologies, is a term used to describe medical procedures designed to increase the probability of fertilization and to promote implantation.

What Is Infertility?

Inability of a couple to conceive after 12 consecutive months of unprotected sex during ovulation

For women under age 35, time is reduced to 6 consecutive months of unprotected sex during ovulation

Inability to carry a pregnancy to term

Premature Ovarian Failure

Low sperm count, poor motility, poor morphology, sterility

Difficulty getting the sperm to the egg

Sperm not penetrating the egg

Menstrual disorders, cervical pathologies, uterine fibroids

Ovarian cysts, tubal blockages

Sperm DNA Fragmentation

Hormonal disorders, endocrine dysfunctions

Smoking

Alcohol and drugs

Trauma, surgical scarring

Sexually transmitted diseases

Stress

Improve egg quality

Lower FSH

Thicken uterine lining

Increase estrogen and/or progesterone levels

Improve sperm count, motility and morphology

Reduce stress, anxiety, insomnia and irritability

Increase pregnancy and live birth rates

Increase blood flow to the uterus to promote implantation

Improve ovarian function

Strengthen immune system and support general health

Increase the number of follicles by regulating hormones

Improve quality of semen to create better quality and quantity of embryos

Acupuncture has a success rate of 30-40% for most women with fertility challenges. It has been proven to increase the success rate of IVF procedures from 26.1% to 42% according to a study published in Fertility and Sterility Journal in April, 2002. Our success rate is well over 80%.

Research

A 2002 German article, published in Fertility and Sterility, has shown that acupuncture can increase the success rate of IVF in women by nearly 50 %. According to BBC News, "The theory is that acupuncture can affect the autonomic nervous system, which is involved in the control of muscles and glands, and could therefore make the lining of the uterus more receptive to receiving an embryo.” The researchers concluded that "the results demonstrate that acupuncture therapy improves pregnancy rate."

A Swedish study, conducted in 1996, showed that acupuncture increases blood flow in the uterine arteries to promote implantation of the embryo. The May 2006 issue of the journal, Fertility and Sterility, featured series of acupuncture related articles. Two of the original articles reported higher pregnancy rates among patients who received acupuncture in conjunction with their IVF cycles versus patients who received “placebo acupuncture” or no treatment.

A study, published in the 2nd quarter 1997 issue of the Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine by Cai Xuefen of the Obstetrical & Gynecological Hospital, Zhejiang Medical University, Zhejiang Province 310006, found that "acupuncture is effective in ovulation induction and also in the remission of OHSS (ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome) induced by HMG (human menopausal gonadotropin)"

Male Factor

About 40% of fertility issues are caused by men. They can be resolved by:

Improving sperm count and mobility

Correcting erectile dysfunction

Increasing semen quantity

Invigorating sperm

Strengthening immune system

Improving general physical and emotional well being

Needle insertion can be compared to plucking eyebrows, and you may feel a “floating” or “tingling” sensation, which is a sign that energy is moving through your body. Each treatment lasts 30 minutes to an hour. While weekly visits are highly recommended, the course of treatment varies for each patient depending on their individual goals.

Recommended Readings

Taking Charge of Your Fertility, by Toni Weschler

The Infertility Cure, by Randine Lewis

The Tao of Fertility, by Daoshing Ni

Natural Solutions to Infertility , by Marilyn Glenville

Acupuncture & IVF, by Lifang Liang

Then Infertility Cure, by Randine Lewis