Acupuncture for management of infertility is likely the most popular alternative treatment for those trying to get pregnant. The media seems to report on studies with respect to acupuncture and fertility every few months, and increasing number of fertility practices offer or recommend acupuncture treatment along with conventional infertility therapies such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine insemination (IUI). While IVF stands for in vitro fertilization, which literally means "in lab conception", IUI means artificial insemination for women who are infertile.
Acupuncture is a part of traditional Chinese medicine, sometimes abbreviated as TCM. Acupuncture involves inserting hair-thin needles into specific acu-points on the body. The points, according to the Traditional Chinese Medicine, run along the channels of energy, also known as meridians. From the TCM perspective, an imbalance or blockage of these meridians in the body can lead to malfunction, such as infertility. Eliminate the blockage by stimulating particular acu points along the energy channels is thought to improve health. The National Institutes of Health has issued a consensus statement indicating that "There is sufficient evidence of acupuncture's value to expand its use into conventional medicine"
Given all the excitement over acupuncture and infertility, you might think that the gains from acupuncture therapy have been well documented. However, that's not exactly the case. Some scientific investigation have shown improved pregnancy rates for women trying acupuncture, while other studies have shown no or non-statistically significant results. Investigators on both sides of the issue are in agreement that acupuncture treatment is in general harmless, and just about everyone concurs it improves relaxation, lowers stress levels, and raises beta-endorphins - the feel good, pain-busting hormones.
If acupuncture does not do any harm, why invest so much time and money into the studies related to the issue? Why not send everyone who wants to be pregnant for acupuncture therapy? Well, if acupuncture really can improve pregnancy rates, then acupuncture treatment should be included as a matter of protocol when dealing infertility. Physicians should encourage patients to see an acupuncturist for treatments, and insurance companies should also be willing to foot some of the cost.
Although not inexpensive, acupuncture is definitely a lot less expensive than most infertility therapies. If acupuncture could assist women become pregnant, while spending much less money, less time, and risking less side effects, then of course acupuncture should be moved out from the "alternative" medicine and into the mainstream. However, if acupuncture cannot be shown to change fertility rates, then the treatment shouldn't be automatically incorporated into Western medicine's approach to infertility.
Acupuncture is not the only method to achieve relaxation. While doctors should help their patients to reduce their stress level, pushing acupuncture over other approaches would be uncalled for. Meditation, Yoga, Guided Imagery, and other basic relaxation training can also help those with infertility cope with stress, and for much less cost than acupuncture treatments. When a fertility doctor, or any doctor for that matter, recommends a procedure, the patient believes the recommendation is supported by scientific research. Before recommending acupuncture to patients, doctors need to be sure that they are suggesting a therapy that will really help, but not just offer a false sense of hope.
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