infertility

- Relaxing your body and mind - Reducing stress, helping cope with the emotional demands

- Strengthening your immune system - Helps with implantation - Reducing side effects from hormonal treatments

- helps balance and stabilizing hormone levels - Enhance uterine wall lining thickness

- Reduce miscarriages

- Improving circulation and blood flow to your reproductive system, thus strengthening ovarian functions

- Improving sperm count, motility, and morphology in men

There are many gynecological conditions that can influence fertility. Kathy has treated women with PCOS, amenorrhea, endometriosis, fibroids, and high FSH levels.  TCM acupuncture can also be effective for those with unexplained infertility, the "doctors can't figure it out" group. The goal of fertility treatment is to optimize your menstrual cycle, strengthening ovarian functions for better follicle development and enhancing the quality and thickness of the endometrium lining.

A recent German study, published in the American medical journal (Fertility and Sterility 2002 781149-1153), showed that women undergoing ART with the help of acupuncture have a higher success rate compared to the control group(embryo transfer without acupuncture).
Choosing acupuncture to complement IVF/IUI/ICSI works primarily by encouraging blood flow to the uterus, helping relax the uterus and fallopian tubes to preventing spasm. It is also helpful in alleviating some side effects associated with infertility drugs during the cycle.

Pregnancy Rates for:
Control Group (Embryo transfer w/o acupuncture)
26%
Acupuncture Group (Embryo transfer with acupuncture) 43% 

The same study also showed that those trying to conceive with acupuncture were just as likely to conceive as those using fertility drugs. 

“A review of medical literature regarding the benefits of acupuncture to women's fertility reveals that the ancient technique can help reduce stress, increase blood flow to the reproductive organs and help normalize ovulation--all of which can help a woman conceive.”

“Researchers have also discovered that acupuncture can boost blood flow to women's reproductive organs, providing them with better nourishment. In addition, acupuncture appears to improve the lining of the uterus, the place where the embryo becomes embedded after conception.”

Source: Reuter’s Health: Fertility and Sterility200278:1149-1153. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/3042006/Acupuncture-helps-women-have-babies.html