Acupuncture as an Alternative Fertility Treatment Option
Infertility often occurs due to ovulatory disorders involving hormonal problems (too much luteinizing hormone and not enough follicle-stimulating hormone), failure of the hypothalamus to signal the pituitary gland and malfunctioning of the pituitary gland. Both glands are responsible for manufacturing and releasing hormones vital to providing a woman with mature eggs capable of being fertilized in the fallopian tubes.
Treating Infertility--East v. West
Western medications prescribed for treating infertility include Clomid® (increases FSH levels); hMG (human menopausal gonadotropins) and follicle-stimulating hormone injections. All three may cause side effects in some women such as nausea and vomiting, headaches, mood swings and occasionally, development of ovarian cysts. Synthesized drugs are used to stimulate the production and release of hormones necessary for increasing fertility. Alternately, women opting to use acupuncture to treat infertility issues do not have to worry about experiencing side effects. By encouraging blood flow to the endocrine and reproductive systems, acupuncture has been shown to elevate levels of estrogen, progesterone, luteinizing hormones and follicle-stimulating hormones to promote fertilization of healthy eggs.
Stress and Infertility
For some women, the inability to conceive causes severe stress and anxiety. When we are chronically anxious, a hormone called cortisol is constantly being released by the adrenal gland into the bloodstream. Sometimes we need cortisol when faced with a stressful situation because it provides us with short, intense bursts of energy and strength needed to escape perceived danger. However, when cortisol remains in the bloodstream for extended periods, it negatively alters hormonal levels and disrupts pituitary gland functioning vital to regulating a woman's normal reproductive cycle. Acupuncture can relieve stress and reduce abnormally high amounts of blood cortisol that may be responsible for infertility. In addition to promoting release of endorphins (the body's natural stress and pain relievers) and raising serotonin levels in the brain, acupuncture may also help regulate hormones implicated in ovulation, conception and fertility.
Other Popular Fertility Treatment Options
New York Reproductive Wellness also offers the following fertility treatments: - Intrauterine Insemination
- Traditional In Vitro Fertilization
- Mini IVF
- Donor Egg IVF
- Natural Cycle IVF
- Ovulation Induction
If you would like to learn more about our advanced fertility enhancement procedures, including acupuncture, massage therapy and artificial insemination, please call our center today at (516) 612-8466 to speak to a knowledgeable staff member or to schedule a consultation appointment.
