For as long as people have been around, we’ve been trying to make more people. But nature is not always our friend in this regard and infertility is a very real issue that affects many people. Luckily, there has been a remedy for infertility for thousands and thousands of years: acupuncture. Want to know how it works? Keep on reading.
Okay, Fun Story, But Does It Really Work?
Yep! Studies have shown that adding acupuncture to traditional In Vitro Fertilization treatments substantially increased pregnancy success. In a study of 160 women undergoing IVF, half of the women received acupuncture treatment while half did not. And lo and behold, more of the women who receive acupuncture became pregnant than their un-acupunctured counterparts. In fact, there were 34 pregnancies for the acupuncture group and 21 for the other.
But why is that the case?
Theory 1
Well, western medical practitioners may say that acupuncture changes the blood supply to the ovaries. This possibly causes a dilation of the arteries and increases blood flow. The increased blood flow might cause the ovaries to receive more significant hormonal stimulation. This high blood flow may also help the lining of the uterine wall by allowing it to absorb the nutrients and hormones necessary to help it grow strong enough to hold onto an implanted embryo. But the truth is, we don’t really know.
Theory 2
On the other hand, if you ask a Tradition Chinese Medicine practitioner, they might say that acupuncture restores and moves your body’s energy, Qi. By placing needles at key energy meridians, an acupuncturist can shift the flow of Qi from somewhere where energy is abundant to a place where it is deficient. So, if the pins are placed at meridians linked to reproductive organs, their flow of Qi will increase and ultimately become more active.
Conclusion
Whichever theory you like, it’s clear that well placed needles can help with infertility. Especially when acupuncture is used in conjunction with more traditional western practices like IVF.
Want to learn more? Contact BT Wellness today for a chat. Or, even better, schedule an appointment! Happy babies to you!
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