Western medicine is slowly catching up to its eastern counterpart and acupuncture is being more widely used as a remedy for pain.
Now it appears to be useful as a fertility aid. Researchers found in-vitro fertilization paired with acupuncture raised a couple's odds of pregnancy by 65 percent. That means one out of ten women will find added success with acupuncture added to IVF.
The research is published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) and comes from the University of Maryland Medical School which compiled seven different studies involving 1,366 women.
Why it works is a mystery, but the theory is the Chinese practice might increase blood flow to the uterus when needles are inserted at strategic locations. Acupuncture may also stimulate the production of hormones that regulate fertility.
Dr. Ann Trevino, a 37-year-old family physician tried it and is a believer. Previously she tried three times to conceive at a fertility clinic. At $12,000 per try that can get expensive. Then she added acupuncture with IVF at a fertility clinic in San Antonio where she used to live.
"I had been reading about acupuncture, probably like every other patient on the Internet. I was just willing to do anything possible to improve our chances," she said. With acupuncture, "I just felt very warm and relaxed" when the embryos were placed she says.
Many more women are asking for acupuncture with their IVF treatments and many more clinics are providing it since it seems to have no drawbacks and might help.
Emerging western medicine is slowly confirming the effectiveness of acupuncture for some ailments. The ancient Chinese practice uses sterilized needles inserted at points in the body to restore health and well-being.
The American Medical Association stresses that the American Association of Medical Acupuncture is a group of 700 physicians who set the standard of practice in the U.S.
In 2006, the AMA voted to form a committee to study the background of acupuncturists and other alternative practitioners. #