Acupuncture may help increase IVF success rates by 65%

GUARDIAN

Sarah Boseley, health editor

Thu 7 Feb 2008 19.14 EST

Acupuncture can increase the chances of getting pregnant for women undergoing fertility treatment by 65%, a review of the evidence concludes today.

Acupuncture, which involves inserting fine needles under the skin at particular points in the body depending on the condition being treated, has long been used in China to help with a range of diagnoses, including regulating female reproduction.

To establish how effective the treatment is, doctors in the US collated evidence from all relevant, well-conducted studies and published their conclusions in today’s British Medical Journal.

colleagues looked at seven studies. All had been published in English since 2002 and conducted in four different western countries. The trials involved 1,366 women undergoing in vitro fertility treatment – where eggs and sperm are removed and mixed in the laboratory and one or more resulting embryos returned to the womb.

In the trials some women were given genuine acupuncture, others “sham” acupuncture, such as putting needles in the wrong places, and some no treatment at all. Overall the genuine acupuncture improved a woman’s chances of pregnancy by 65%. All the acupuncture took place within a day or so of embryo transfer. Not all the pregnancies would have resulted in a live birth. In trials where the clinic’s pregnancy rate was already high, there was a smaller, non-significant increase. Manheimer said the results were not necessarily a reason for every infertile woman to seek out acupuncture.

“I think the findings should be regarded as somewhat preliminary,” he said. “Acupuncture can improve the rates of pregnancy and live birth. Some couples might want to choose acupuncture but others might want to wait until further research has been done.”

But Edzard Ernst, professor of complementary medicine at the Peninsula medical school, Exeter, urged caution. “IVF may not seem to be ‘placebo-prone’ but it probably is: if women expect it to be helpful they are more relaxed, which in turn would affect pregnancy rates.”

Manheimer argued a placebo response was unlikely, arguing that acupuncture may stimulate the body to produce neurotransmitters which influence the menstrual cycle, ovulation and fertility.

Why Acupuncture Is Going Mainstream in Medicine – TIME MAGAZINE

BY ELIZABETH MILLARD

APRIL 29, 2022 2:21 PM EDT

When the opioid addiction crisis began to surge in the U.S. about a decade ago, Dr. Medhat Mikhael spent a lot of time talking to his patients about other ways to heal pain besides opioids, from other types of medications to alternative treatments.

As a pain management specialist at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, Calif., he didn’t anticipate leaving behind the short-term use of opioids altogether, since they work so well for post-surgical pain. But he wanted to recommend a remedy that was safer and still effective.

That turned out to be acupuncture.

“Like any treatment, acupuncture doesn’t work for everyone, but the majority of my patients who have tried it have found relief,” he says. “When I started looking into studies, I discovered how much evidence there was behind this treatment, and that made me feel comfortable suggesting it as an alternative or a complement to pain medication and other treatments.”

That blend of anecdotal success, research-backed results, and growing level of openness from the medical community are all driving the popularity of acupuncture as a therapy. According to a 2021 World Health Organization report, acupuncture is the most widely used traditional medicine practice globally, and it’s gaining traction in the U.S. In 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services began covering acupuncture for the first time for chronic low back pain.

Although scientists don’t yet understand all the nuances of how it works, research indicates it can have a significant effect on certain conditions, and it shows promise for others.

What is acupuncture?

The goal of acupuncture is the same now as it was thousands of years ago when it was first developed in China: restoring balance to the body, says Kevin Menard, a sports medicine acupuncturist and Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner in Sag Harbor, New York.

The practice is based on how energy, or qi, flows through the body along a series of channels called meridians—similar to the way nerves and vessels carry messages and blood throughout every system.

“According to Chinese medicine theory, each meridian is related to a specific organ, and placing thin needles at certain points along these meridians can effect certain changes in the body to restore homeostasis,” says Menard. The needles aren’t the type you’d use to draw blood; they’re very thin and flexible, almost like bits of wire.

Placement along the meridians is believed to cause reactions like sending more blood or lymphatic fluid to specific organs or allowing muscles to release in a way that reduces tension on joints and bones. The needles may also stimulate nerves and tweak nervous system regulation to result in a relaxation response, which relieves pain, Mikhael says.

Acupuncture is also thought to stimulate the immune system and control inflammation, Menard says, two effects that can bring benefits throughout the body. Depending on the condition or injury, relief might happen with just one treatment, but it usually takes a series of sessions, Menard says, especially if an issue is complex or chronic.

What the research says

Research on acupuncture has been extensive, and so far, robust evidence supports its effectiveness for some, but not all, conditions. According to one analysis published in February 2022 in the BMJ that analyzed more than 2,000 scientific reviews of acupuncture therapies, the science is strongest behind acupuncture’s efficacy for post-stroke aphasia; neck, shoulder, and muscle pain; fibromyalgia pain; lactation issues after delivery; lower back pain; vascular dementia symptoms; and allergy symptoms.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) finds that acupuncture for pain relief tends to have the most evidence, especially for conditions that have become chronic like osteoarthritis and lower back pain, as well as tension headaches. A review of 11 clinical trials also suggests that acupuncture may help with symptoms associated with cancer treatment, the NIH notes.

That’s been a booming area of interest for the field, says Sarah Weaver, an acupuncturist and massage therapist at Northwestern Health Sciences University in Minnesota, which focuses on integrative health professions, such as acupuncture, chiropractic, and Traditional Chinese Medicine. For cancer patients, sessions there can focus on reducing nausea, numbness, and tingling (called neuropathy), brain fog, low appetite, acute and chronic pain, and mood challenges that come with cancer care.

“Often, people with cancer want to add complementary treatment that doesn’t affect their chemotherapy or radiation, and that’s where an option like acupuncture can be helpful,” she says. “It’s the reason more healthcare systems are bringing this treatment into their integrative care options.”

What’s next in the field

Acupuncture is far from a proven and accepted therapy for most conditions—even for the ones that show promise. That’s in part because the studies that support it are sometimes not high quality, and the field lacks standardized protocols that would better allow it to be scientifically evaluated, the recent WHO report finds.

For instance, one 2016 research review analyzed studies looking at acupuncture for substance abuse and addiction. Among the 83 research articles included in the review, the researchers found substantial variations in study quality, acupuncture frequency, how long needles were left in the body during treatment, which points along the meridians were used, and other potentially important factors. That made it difficult to evaluate how effective the acupuncture really was. The field also lacks clear terminology and universally accepted agreement about the location of acupuncture points, researchers argue.

Issues like these will have to be resolved to get more clarity, and to earn recommendations from reputable organizations in the future. International experts in the field are pushing to make clinical trials more rigorous in order to prove acupuncture’s utility for patient care and to help providers adopt the best practices as more benefits become clear.

Some potential directions for future studies include studying how acupuncture may affect hormonal regulation, such as alleviating hot flashes in menopause or addressing menstrual irregularity. Research indicates that the practice can boost estrogen and other hormones, and acupuncture for gynecological issues is becoming more popular, says Menard. Some researchers are also focused on studying acupuncture’s impact on fertility; some small, preliminary studies indicate its use may be linked to getting pregnant sooner and having better outcomes from IVF treatments.

Acupuncture for mental health issues like depression and anxiety is another major research direction, especially in terms of how these issues affect overall health. For example, chronic pain has often been linked to depressive symptoms, so researchers are looking at whether acupuncture can address both: a person’s pain and their depression. Researchers are hopeful. A study published in 2020 in the journal Frontiers in Neurology found that people with migraines who did acupuncture treatments had a lower risk of depression and anxiety, and tended to use medical services less often, compared to migraine patients who didn’t do acupuncture.

As the evidence base expands, acupuncture will likely continue to grow in popularity. Although acupuncture has been used for centuries, only in the past decade has there been a seismic shift in acceptance by both Western medical doctors and patients, Menard says. Ongoing research efforts and increased interest from health systems means that the treatment may be part of more conversations like Mikhael had with his patients.

“At the end of the day, doctors want their patients to feel better, and many people are looking for non-pharmaceutical paths for wellness,” Menard says. “Depending on the condition, those little needles can make a huge impact.”

Acupuncture for fertility

Here’s what the American Society for Reproductive Medicine has to say: “Acupuncture proponents have recommended it for a variety of medical conditions that affect fertility. These include polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), fibroids, endometriosis, and issues with ovarian reserve and sperm quality. It may also help relieve some of the side effects associated with fertility drugs (such as bloating and nausea). Acupuncture has been shown to promote relaxation. While some medical studies have shown acupuncture to be helpful in treating these fertility problems, other studies have not.”

How might acupuncture help me?

Acupuncture proponents have recommended it for a variety of medical conditions that affect fertility. These include polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), fibroids, endometriosis, and issues with ovarian reserve and sperm quality. It may also help relieve some of the side effects associated with fertility drugs (such as bloating and nausea). Acupuncture has been shown to promote relaxation. While some medical studies have shown acupuncture to be helpful in treating these fertility problems, other studies have not.

When should I start acupuncture treatment?

Women are often advised to start acupuncture 3 months before they start treatments such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intrauterine insemination (IUI). However, starting acupuncture along with your doctor’s recommended fertility therapy may still be beneficial.

BENEFITS OF ACUPUNCTURE DURING PREGNANCY

Bringing a child into the world is one of life’s greatest journeys.

Acupuncture and Diabetes

25.8 million Americans have diabetes.  Of those people, 7 million don’t even know they have the disease.  In addition, 79 million Americans are at risk of developing diabetes, if they do not change their lifestyle.

THIS IS A CALL TO ACTION

Diabetes is a serious illness that can lead to complications such as blindness, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and amputation.

You are at risk if you:

• Are overweight.
• Have impaired glucose tolerance fasting blood glucose 100-125, random blood glucose 140-199 or A1C 5.7-6.4
• Are older than 45.
• Have a parent, brother, or sister with diabetes.
• Have a family background of African American, American Indian, Asian American, Hispanic American / Latino, or Pacific Islander.
• Had gestational diabetes or gave birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds.
• Have blood pressure greater than 140/90, or have been told you have high blood pressure.
• Have a HDL cholesterol 35 or lower or are your triglyceride level is greater than 250.
• Are inactive or you exercise less than three times a week.
• Have polycystic ovarian disease.

If you have any of the above risk factors, ask your physician for a blood glucose test. 

*Information is provided by the DRWF

Placebo or not, acupuncture can help with pain