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A Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine Clinics
665 Main St. E. Hamilton ON L8M 1K1
107--2201 Brant St. Burlington ON L7P 3N8
508--2000 credit Valley Rd. Mississauga ON L5M 4N4
Phone: (905) 317-8650
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Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine Clinics

Infertility and TCM: Mechanisms of Action                        

A study done at Harvard showed that stress reduces the hypothalamic-anterior pituitary-ovarian axis
function, and should thus be considered in the infertility workup. Acupuncture releases endorphins that
mitigate one’s response to stressful stimuli, thus enhancing the possibility of conception.

Biologically, since the hypothalamus regulates both stress responses as well as the sex hormones, it’s
easy to see how stress could cause infertility in some women. Excessive stress may even lead to
complete suppression of the menstrual cycle, and this is often seen in female marathon runners, who
develop “runner’s amenorrhea.” In less severe cases, it could cause anovulation or irregular menstrual
cycles.

When activated by stress, the pituitary gland also produces increased amounts of prolactin, and
elevated levels of prolactin could cause irregular ovulation. The female reproductive tract contains
stress-hormone receptors, stress can affect fertility. However, more complex mechanisms may be at
play, and researchers still don’t completely understand how stress interacts with the reproductive
system.  Research has shown that the brain produces special molecules called neuropeptides in
response to emotions, and that these peptides can interact with every cell of the body, including those
of the immune system. In this view, the mind and the body are not only connected, but inseparable, so
that it is not surprising that stress can have a negative influence on fertility. Similarly stress can reduce
sperm counts as well.  

The stress factors that acupuncture addresses stems from both psychological and emotional factors
as well as physical ones. For example, extremely painful premenstrual or mid-cycle pain can be
debilitating. This type of physical stress no doubt produces emotional stress as a result of missed
work, interference in activities, and the pain itself, which in turn can compromise the function of the
reproductive system.  

The hormone ACTH, which is released as a response to acupuncture needle stimuli,  has an anti-
inflammatory effect that may improve fertility (for example, by improving with tube factor–based
infertility as a response to pelvic inflammatory disease). In addition, the insertion of acupuncture
needles has been shown to effectively increase blood circulation. Enhanced blood flow to the uterine
lining undoubtedly contributes to a healthier and more growth-oriented endometrium.  

East Meets West  

It is becoming more and more prevalent that research conducted by Western scientists and physicians
are highlighting the effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine.

In an article published in the December 2002 issue of the medical journal Fertility and Sterility, the
authors reviewed existing evidence regarding the role of acupuncture in the treatment of infertility, and
identified a number of studies indicating that acupuncture can increase the success rates of infertility
treatments, including IVF. In a study conducted by Dr. Wolfgang Paulus (Christian-Lauritzen-Institut,
Ulm, Germany) and colleagues, half of a group of 160 women who were about to undergo IVF were
randomly assigned to receive acupuncture therapy before and after embryo transfer. In the women who
received acupuncture, the needles were placed at points believed to influence reproductive factors (for
example, by improving blood flow to the uterus). The acupuncture group had a higher rate of pregnancy
compared with those not given acupuncture (43% versus 26%), suggesting that acupuncture can be
used to improve pregnancy rates during IVF.  

One TCM diagnosis that exists which may be help to explain male or female infertility is called Liver qi
stagnation. Key identifiers of an individual with this condition are anger, rage, frustration, depression,
and anxiety.  Dr. Secondo Fassino (University School of Medicine, Turin, Italy) and colleagues
recorded the personal characteristics of 156 infertile and 80 fertile couples, and measured their
degree of psychopathology. When the researchers divided the couples according to the nature of the
infertility—organic, functional, or undetermined—they found that anxiety, depression, and a tendency
toward anger suppression could predict the diagnosis of organic or functional infertility in women with
97% accuracy. For infertile men, anxiety was also an important independent predictor of functional
infertility, increasing the likelihood of having this form of infertility five-fold, while depression was more
predictive of organic infertility.

Chinese Medicine seeks to restore balance to the body. Therefore, the practitioner begins by doing a
Chinese medical diagnosis to determine the patient's individualized pattern of disharmony even with
the same condition?ainfertility. Based on the individualized pattern diagnosis, the practitioner will then
craft a personalized treatment plan encompassing all aspects of the patient's life. No matter whether
your practitioner primarily uses acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine or some combination of both,
their focus will be on eliminating the root imbalance that is causing your infertility.

Our practitioners Celia Wei Zhen and Yongping Sun were medical doctors and professors in
BEIJING UNIVERSITY OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE which is the world's leading university
in this field and they have been practicing in teaching hospital and private clinics for more than 24
years. Their rich knowledge and clinic experience has earned them a high reputation in successfully
treating a wide range of health condition.

Patients seeking fertility & IVF/IUI enhancement, relief from endometriosis, recurrent pregnancy loss,
PCOS, aging eggs, thin endometrial lining, elevated FSH level, luteal phase defects, menstrual
disorder, ovulatory defects, ovarian insufficiency and menopause syndrome make up of our current
workload.