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Research: Male and female infertility
| Male infertility |
Acupuncture and male infertility
Quantitative evaluation of spermatozoa ultrastructure after acupuncture treatment for idiopathic male infertility.
Fertilty Sterility. 2005 Jul;84(1):141-7. Pei J, Strehler E, Noss U, Abt M, Piomboni P, Baccetti B, Sterzik K.
Influence of acupuncture on idiopathic male infertility in assisted reproduction therapy.
Dr. M. Zhang et al. J Huazhong University SCI Technology Medicine SCI 2002; 22(3):228-30.
Effect of acupuncture on sperm parameters of males suffering from subfertility to low sperm quality.
Arch Andrology. 1997 Sep-Oct;39(2): 155-6, Siteman S, Eltes F, Wolfson V, Lederman H, Bartoov B, Institute of Chinese Medicine, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Effects of acupuncture and moxa treatment in patients with semen abnormalities.
Asian J Androl, 2003 Dec; 5(4): 345-8, Gurfinkel E, Cedenho AP, Yamamura Y, Srougi M., Human Reproduction Division, Discipline of Urology, Sao Paulo Federal University, Paulista School of Medicine, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Idiopathic male infertility
In a prospective, controlled and blind study, nineteen patients between 24 and 42 years of age, with semen abnormalities in concentration, morphology and/or progressive motility without apparent cause, were randomized into two groups and submitted to acupuncture and moxa treatment at the therapeutic (Study Group) and the indifferent points (Control Group), respectively, for 10 weeks. The Chinese Traditional Medicine acupuncture and moxa techniques significantly increased the percentage of normal-form sperm in infertile patients with oligoastenoteratozoospermia (OAT).
Gurfinkel E , Cedenho AP , Yamamura Y , Srougi M. Effects of acupuncture and moxa treatment in patients with semen abnormalities. Asian J Androl. 2003 Dec; 5(4):345-8.
Forty men with idiopathic oligospermia, asthenospermia, or teratazoospermia were divided into a treatment group and a control group. The treatment group consisted of twenty eight patients. This group received acupuncture twice a week for a period of 5 weeks. The samples from the treatment group were randomized with semen samples from the 12 men in the untreated control group. A significant increase was found in the percentage and number of sperm without ultra structural defects after the course of acupuncture treatment.
Pei J , Strehler E , Noss U , Abt M , Piomboni P , Baccetti B , Sterzik K. Quantitative evaluation of spermatozoa ultra structure after acupuncture treatment for idiopathic male infertility. Fertil Steril. 2005; 84(11):141-7.
Low sperm count (oligospermia)
In this study researchers questioned the effect of acupuncture on males with very low sperm count. 15 were azoospermic, two pseudoazoospermic and three had severe oligoteratoasthenozoospermia (OAT). After a treatment course of acupuncture, the OAT patients had a slight increase in sperm count, however of the azoospermic patients 67% showed a definite increase in sperm count, seven of them significantly. Males with genital tract inflammation exhibited the most remarkable improvement in sperm density. Two pregnancies were achieved in conjunction with IVF-ICSI. The authors conclude that acupuncture might be a useful treatment for males with very poor sperm count, especially those with a history of genital tract inflammation. Siterman S, Eltes F, Wolfson V, Lederman H, Bartoov B. Does acupuncture treatment affect sperm density in males with very low sperm count? A pilot study. Andrologia. 2000 Jan; 32(1):31-9. SPERM
Motility
16 patients with sub fertility were treated with acupuncture twice a week for 5 weeks and compared to a control group. The sperm motility increased in the study group. Siterman S, Eltes F, Wolfson V, Zabludovsky N, Bartoov B.Effect of acupuncture on sperm parameters of males suffering from sub fertility related to low sperm quality. Arch Androl. 1997 Sep-Oct; 39(2):155-61.
SPERM MORPHOLOGY
28 men received a total 10 acupuncture treatments for three weeks. Researchers observed a statistically significant improvement of sperm quality following pre and post sperm analysis and hormone testing. They reported that acupuncture treatment around the time of ovulation may increase the chances of conception. Fischl F, Riegler R, Bieglmayer C, Nasr F, Neumark J. [Modification of semen quality by acupuncture in sub fertile males] Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd. 1984 Aug;44 (8):510-2.
Low sperm count, motility and high abnormals
Another study examined 54 males with impaired fertility. For a period of 1-3 months acupuncture treatment was given, and sperm analysis carried out before and after treatment. Of the 54 males 20% were previously diagnosed with azoospermia and immunological impairments, and showed no improvements. However a larger percentage (55.5%), successfully conceived, and a further 24% showed a significant improvements in sperm parameters. The best improvements measured was in those men with abnormal sperm morphology. Qian, Z [Clinical observation of 54 cases of male infertility treated by acupuncture and moxibustion] Journal of Chinese Medicine, 1996 Sep; 52.
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| IVF assistance |
Acupuncture improves IFV success rate
A meta-analysis of seven clinical trials in which acupuncture was used to support embryo transfer during IVF has concluded that it improves rates of pregnancy and live birth. Dutch and American researchers analysed results from seven clinical trials (selected as eligible from a total of 108), all published since 2002 and carried out in four Western countries. They included data on 1366 women and compared acupuncture given within one day of embryo transfer, with sham acupuncture, or no additional treatment. All except one used a similar acupuncture protocol (based on Paulus et al). The analysis showed that combining real acupuncture with embryo transfer was associated with significant and clinically relevant improvements in clinical pregnancy rate. Women who underwent acupuncture were 65% more likely to have a successful embryo transfer procedure and 91% more likely to have a live birth. On the basis of ‘number needed to treat’, this means that ten women undergoing IVF would need to be treated with acupuncture to bring about one additional pregnancy. (Effects of acupuncture on rates of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in vitro fertilisation: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ. 2008 Mar 8;336(7643):545-9.)
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| High FSH |
High FSH and Acupuncture
High FSH levels according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) indicate a deficiency in kidney yin energy, which is normally needed to make good, fertile eggs. As in Western medicine, fertility declines with age, in Chinese Medicine, the kidney yin and energetics of the kidneys decline as we get older. Acupuncture nourishes and supports the kidney yin energy, and can reduce high FSH levels. However, high FSH levels could also be related to factors such as the movement of blood in the uterus, or the emotional state of a person and in these circumstances acupuncture can stabilise FSH levels in the body.
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| Ovulatory Dysfunction |
Auricular acupuncture seems to offer a valuable alternative therapy for female infertility due to hormone disorders
Abstract: Following a complete gynecologic--endocrinologic workup, 45 infertile women suffering from oligoamenorrhea (n = 27) or luteal insufficiency (n = 18) were treated with auricular acupuncture. Results were compared to those of 45 women who received hormone treatment. Both groups were matched for age, duration of infertility, body mass index, previous pregnancies, menstrual cycle and tubal patency.
Women treated with acupuncture had 22 pregnancies, 11 after acupuncture, four spontaneously, and seven after appropriate medication. Women treated with hormones had 20 pregnancies, five spontaneously, and 15 in response to therapy.
Four women of each group had abortions. Endometriosis (normal menstrual cycles) was seen in 35% (38) of the women of each group who failed to respond to therapy with pregnancy. Only 4 of the women who responded to acupuncture or hormone treatment with a pregnancy had endometriosis, and 7% had normal cycles. In addition, women who continued to be infertile after hormone therapy had higher body mass indices and testosterone values than the therapy responders from this group.
Women who became pregnant after acupuncture suffered more often from menstrual abnormalities and luteal insufficiency with lower estrogen, thyrotropin (TSH) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) concentrations than the women who achieved pregnancy after hormone treatment. Although the pregnancy rate was similar for both groups, eumenorrheic women treated with acupuncture had adnexitis, endometriosis, out-of-phase endometria and reduced postcoital tests more often than those receiving hormones. Twelve of the 27 women (44%) with menstrual irregularities remained infertile after therapy with acupuncture compared to 15 of the 27 (56%) controls treated with hormones, even though hormone disorders were more pronounced in the acupuncture group.
Side-effects were observed only during hormone treatment. Various disorders of the autonomic nervous system normalized during acupuncture. Based on our data, auricular acupuncture seems to offer a valuable alternative therapy for female infertility due to hormone disorders.
By Gerhard I; Postneek F. [Auricular acupuncture in the treatment of female infertility] Gynecological Endocrinology, 1992 Sep, 6(3):171-81. (UI: 93071204) (Requested library location(s) not linked. Try F PE .)
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