Fertility Treatments: Why choose acupuncture and Chinese Medicine?

Posted on July 17, 2015

Baby SleepingAcupuncture and Chinese Medicine are chosen as treatments for infertility for a number of reasons.

Treat the root cause: Traditional Chinese Medicine suggests that aliments are treated via the correction of underlying energetic imbalances within the body. An interesting benefit of this approach is that it can offer a more long-term benefit compared to other fertility treatments. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine patients who have had difficulty conceiving their first child have been known to successfully conceive a second child without additional treatment (since the first conception). This is in contrast to IVF where the treatment only benefits the menstrual cycle in which it is administered. In addition to this, acupuncture and Chinese medicine can also treat other aliments which are related to the imbalance in question. For example fertility patients often find continued improvements in their menstrual cycle – such as: less period pain; more regular cycles and less PMS. Improvements have also been observed in other non-gynaecological symptoms such anxiety; IBS and headaches.

They are both natural treatments: Acupuncture uses the insertion of fine needles into the skin and Chinese medicine mostly uses plant-based herbs. When administered correctly, both have minimal to no risk of side effects. In contrast IVF uses medication to manipulate hormone levels. This carries an implicit risk of side effects.

Suitable as an adjunct treatment: Because acupuncture and Chinese medicine work outside of the Western medicine paradigm, they are less likely to have a co-interaction with drug-based treatments such as IVF. This is especially the case for acupuncture and it is why acupuncture treatments have become popular during a round of IVF.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease: It can reduce your pregnancy chances.

Posted on March 2, 2012

Pelvic inflammatory disease can reduce your chances of falling pregnant. It is caused by a bacterial infection which starts in the vagina and/or cervix and spreads throughout the pelvis causing inflammation. The infection which leads to PID can come from numerous sources. For example, the bacteria can be initially caused by sexually transmitted diseases as well as childbirth, or even when just having an IUI fitted.

Please be aware PID can reduce your chances of conception. This is especially the case for instances of PID which are the result of a sexually transmitted disease. A common side effect is damaged fallopian tubes and increased chances of an ectopic pregnancy. You also need to be aware the disease can also affect the health of a foetus. During gestation it can cause both physical and mental side effects to unborn children and it also increases the risk of miscarriage.

The symptoms which are indicative of PID are:

  • Pain in the lower abdomen and/or lower back;
  • Pain or discomfort during intercourse;
  • Irregular vaginal discharge with a strong odour;
  • Pain when urinating;
  • Heavy period or bleeding between periods;
  • Pain or discomfort in the legs;
  • As well as nonspecific symptoms such as fever, vomiting or nausea.

If you have any of these symptoms and you are trying to fall pregnant, you should seek the advice of your doctor. It is also important to be aware that PID can be asymptomatic and some women have been infected and have been unaware.

Infertility: Do you underestimate your chances?

Posted on February 29, 2012

A recent study caught my eye on the overestimation amongst men and women on their likelihood of being infertile.

The study was conducted at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore and will be published in the March edition of Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health. The researchers surveyed 3.2 million women and 2.6 million men and asked each subject to assess their own fertility. The study found 19% of American women aged between 18-29 years of age believed they were infertile, and 13% of men believed they were infertile. In both instances the perception of infertility was far greater than is actually true. In reality, it is well accepted that only 6% of American couples are infertile.

Why is there a tendency to underestimate our own personal fertility? This question was addressed by the researchers. One of the possible explanations was attributed to sex education and public health messages. For obvious reasons, such messages are often oversimplified and exaggerate the likelihood of a pregnancy. This has caused many to believe that if a pregnancy has not occurred after several or even as few as one act of unprotected sex, they must be infertile.

Based on my clinical experience I would also offer some of the blame of underestimated fertility on the fertility industry. Many of the IVF clinics recommend fertility treatment as soon as after six months of trying to conceive. Realistically 85% of couples are unable to conceive after one year of trying. Yet very few of these couples are truly infertile. From a clinical perspective, all this misinformation serves to do is unnecessarily induce stress into the process of conception.

What do you think? Do those in the fertility industry purposely misinform prospective patients for the benefit of profit? Why is there an absence of public health programs designed to give a more realistic gauge on falling pregnant?

TTC: Promise of unlimited eggs.

Posted on February 28, 2012

For many years now there has been a general consensus that women have a limited amount of eggs they can produce within their lifetime. A new study headed by Jonathon Tilly from the Massachusetts General Hospital has challenged this long held belief.

The research examined both humans and mice. They found that oogonial stem cells (OSCc), which are present throughout a female’s adult life until menopause, can generate oocytes. This was true for both humans and mice. Oocytes are immature ova which in turn become eggs. For ethical reasons the study had limitations on the involvement of the humans. The research on the mice however had less rigorous ethical considerations. As a consequence, the researchers were able to fertilise the mice oocytes and produce embryos. If the human oocytes are able to respond the same as the mice, then we too may be capable of producing an embryo using the same method.

Professor Peter Illingworth from IVF Australia said the practical application of this research will be a ‘long way a way”. He also pointed out individual differences need to be considered as women lose eggs at differing rates. Consequently, women should not rely on this development in their future plans to start a family. Professor Mark Bowman, who is President of the FSA said, this technique has the potential to help woman who suffer from infertility due to illnesses. For example, cancer patients who need their eggs removed preceding chemotherapy. He does not consider this knew knowledge to be of any benefit for older women who are hoping to conceive.

IVF: Fertility financing a concern in USA.

Posted on February 25, 2012

I was in a state of shock when I read an article by Jessica Silver-Greenberg in the Wall Street Journal. The article was about the rise of “fertility financing” for couples who are undergoing fertility treatments such as IVF. I had no idea there was such an industry in the United States. I am from Australia and have never heard of the term “fertility finance”. Yet, Ms Silver-Greenberg used it in such a manner as to suggest it is a commonly used and understood term for Americans.

It was reported that some couples have taken out unsecured loans carrying interest rates of up to 22%! This is much higher than the average American credit card interest rate of 17%.

During slow economic times with low demand for conventional lending, financiers have honed in on the fertility industry, eyeing the $20,000 plus treatments. Banking regulators do not keep a track of this “fertility financing” but it is estimated to be an industry totalling at around $4 billion.

Surprisingly, there is no medical regulatory body overseeing this trend. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine does not have a policy in relation to this matter. It seems “fertility financing” is being regulated by the greed of financiers and doctors using the scheme to grow their practice. Lenders have recruited doctors to either sell or place brochures and marketing material in their waiting rooms. Some doctors even facilitate the processes on line by soliciting applications on their clinic’s website.

You may say, what is my problem? Being involved in reproductive treatments I understand how vulnerable couples can be when they are desperate to have children. There is just too much scope for abuse in such a system. Having funds so readily available will no doubt allow more couples to be “sold” fertility treatments. Come on doctors isn’t this about what is right for the patients? I have witnessed some predatory marketing tactics in the fertility industry, but this is just too much!

Endometriosis linked to low grade ovarian cancer.

Posted on February 22, 2012

Endometriosis is a condition where the lining of the womb grows in areas which are outside the womb, such as on nearby organs. Its most common side effect is menstrual pain and it requires treatment by surgery or hormonal therapy. It has been long understood that endometriosis is linked to a slight increase in the incidence of ovarian cancer.

A recently published study conducted by the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium has carried out a meta-analysis to further understand this relationship. The data from 13 previous studies were combined to allow the researchers to analyse a total of 23,000 women, 9,800 of whom had ovarian cancer.

The results did confirm the link between endometriosis and a slight increase in the incidence of ovarian cancer. More interestingly, the results indicated that endometriosis is more synonymous with three types of ovarian cancer. These are clear cell, endometrioid, and a low grade serous ovarian cancer. It must be stressed that these cancers are not very common. Even if you have endometriosis, the increased risk is still only small. For example, the chance of developing clear cell cancer for an endometriosis sufferer is 1 in 180 (0.55%) chance compared to 1 in 500 (0.2%) for other women.

Pregnancy: Long term effects of birth complications.

Posted on February 20, 2012

Women who experienced pregnancy related hypertensive disorders and gestational diabetes may lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) later in life. Hypertension during pregnancy is called preeclampsia. It, along with gestational diabetes, are both risk factors which have long been associated with CVD.

This Journal of the American Heart Association study examined a range of complications which may be experienced during late pregnancy and tried to find out how closely they were link with CVD. 3,416 pregnant women were considered in the study. Of these, 29.8% had pregnancy complications, 5.2% had two complications and 0.8% had three. The complications which were examined included: gestational diabetes; high blood pressure during pregnancy; preterm delivery; and the size of the baby at birth. 18 years after giving birth, the same women were assessed to find out if these complications during birth were associated with health later in life.

The results suggested that each complication had its own relationship with CVD. A summary of the results is as follows:

Preeclampsia is associated with:

  • A 31% greater risk of developing heart disease during middle age;
  • Increased scores on the body mass index and larger waist circumferences;
  • Increased readings of blood pressure, lipids and insulin.

Gestational diabetes is associated with:

  • A 26% greater risk of developing heart disease during middle age;
  • Higher levels of insulin as well as glucose when fasting.

It is important to point out that the researches were unable to determine if preeclampsia and gestational diabetes shared common causational characteristics on the risk of CVD later in life.

Infertility: Are you feeling alone?

Posted on February 17, 2012

Recently at the Fertility & IVF Acupuncture Clinic I have witnessed a spike in the number of women who are experiencing significant levels of stress or anxiety due to their difficulty in trying to conceive. The worrying commonality between these women is they are trying to bear the battle with infertility on their own.

If this sounds familiar to you, please let somebody know how you are feeling. It is not necessary for you to take the burden on your own. First of all, let those who are close to you know how you feeling. I am sure your partner would be concerned and willing to support you. Share your thoughts with a close confidant. Do not get hung up on the stigma associated with infertility. You may well find those who you take into your confidence have experienced problems associated with infertility as well. Statistics suggest that 85% of couples will take longer than one year to conceive, and that one in six couples will experience infertility at some stage in their life. Remember, if you remain silent, you are only helping to perpetuate the stigma that now imprisons you.

If you feel the stress is getting too much, let your doctor or your treating physician know. They will be able to refer to you an expert who will help you see through the tough times. Try to keep things into perspective, be patient, the longer you stay in the game, the more chance you will have. Be encouraged that only 2-3% of women are truly infertile, the rest will conceive in time. Also remember acupuncture is effective at treating both stress and anxiety.

Laparoscopy: Improve your recovery with acupuncture.

Posted on February 15, 2012

The January 2012 volume of the Chinese medicine journal Zhong Zhen Jiu has published a study which tested the effectiveness of using acupuncture as an adjunct treatment to general anaesthesia for laparoscopies.

The clinical trial was randomised and involved the participation of ninety subjects. Each subject was assigned to one of three groups: a) those who received general anaesthesia only; b) those who received an electro-acupuncture (treatment #1) in addition to general anaesthesia; c) those who received an alternate electro-acupuncture (treatment #2) in addition to general anaesthesia.

The results indicated that group A, who only received the general anaesthesia, reported the most side effects and the slowest recovery period from the laparoscopy procedure. The subjects in both the electro-acupuncture treatment groups required lesser dosages of anaesthesia and were to maintain more stable heart rates and blood pressure. They also needed less time to open their eyes in the recovery room.

The best results were found in those who received electro-acupuncture treatment #1. These subjects were less restless, had reduced postoperative pain and respiratory depression as well as fewer side effects of shivering, nausea and vomiting.

A laparoscopy is a procedure used by the  gynaecologist or IVF specialists to  inspect the uterus, fallopian tubes and the ovaries. The procedure involves a small incision in the abdomen (usually though the navel), then a pencil shaped instrument is first inserted which acts a funnel through which a telescope (called a laparoscope) in introduced. With advancements in IVF, the use of laparoscopies has declined, but they are still needed to correct certain problems before an IVF cycle.

IVF: Results from the American 2010 IVF Success Rate National Summary.

Posted on February 13, 2012

The Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology has released their 2010 IVF Success Rate National Summary. This is an annual report which summarises IVF success rates and following incidence of multiple births in respect to the age of the mothers. In 2010 370 American IVF clinics reported on 146,693 IVF cycles. Some of the outcomes from the survey are as follows:

  • 58,727 babies were born.
  • Live birth success rates: Women younger than 35 years – 41.7%; 35-37 years – 31.9%; 38-40 years – 22.1%; 41-42 years – 12.5%; older than 42 – 4.1%.
  • The average number of embryos transferred per IVF cycle: Women younger than 35 years – 2.0; 35-37 years – 2.2; 38-40 years – 2.6; 41-42 years – 3.0; older than 42 – 3.5.
  • Elective single cell embryo transfer: Women younger than 35 years – 9.6%; 35-37 years – 5.3%; 38-40 years – 1.7%; 41-42 years – 0.6%; older than 42 – 0.5%
  • Percentage of live births with twins: Women younger than 35 years – 32.4%; 35-37 years – 27.2%; 38-40 years – 22.1%; 41-42 years – 16.9%; older than 42 – 9.6%.
  • Percentage of live births with triplets: Women younger than 35 years – 1.5%; 35-37 years – 1.5%; 38-40 years – 1.1%; 41-42 years – 1.1%; older than 42 – 0.9%.