Making the decision to have a baby late in life, for some women, comes with a heavy price– infertility. However, it’s not a totally lost case for many women. Maybe you’re already an older mom and want to have another baby or perhaps this is your first time around but you’re having problems conceiving. As we know older women often have more difficulty conceiving than younger women. That’s where fertility treatment comes in. If you are having trouble conceiving you may be able to boost your fertility using acupuncture.
According to an article published in the February 2004 issue of Prevention, acupuncture may boost a woman’s fertility in five ways:
(1) It reduces the stress hormones that may interfere with ovulation.
(2) It normalizes the hormones that regulate ovulation. This assures that an egg will be released.
(3) If you have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), acupuncture improves ovulation, which in turns may make it easier for a woman to actually get pregnant.
(5) The overall pregnancy rates in women who are undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) may improve.
Other research also supports this assertion. For example, a group of German researchers claim a 50% success rate in women undergoing IVF who also used acupuncture, as does the 2002 issue of Fertility and Sterility .
Acupuncture is typically used to treat pain using thin needles inserted into the skin. However, new research shows hope for women who are experiencing the pain of infertility. If you can stand the pain of those little needles, then this may very well be an option you may want to consider. Women who wish to use this option are advised to see a physician who is also a licensed acupuncturists. The American Academy of Medical Acupuncture’s website list physicians who meet this requirement.