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Acupuncture proves fertile ground for a healthy conception

Can acupuncture really increase a woman’s chances of conceiving? Research has found that acupuncture treatment can have a positive effect on those trying for a baby and can actually aid the conception process. Over the past twenty years, fertility problems have increased dramatically. At least 25* percent of couples in the UK planning a baby will have trouble conceiving, and more and more couples are turning to fertility treatments to help them start a family.

Fertility focused acupuncture treatment can help to increase blood flow to the reproductive organs, balance hormone levels, regulate the menstrual cycle and help improve the lining of the uterus and quality of eggs released. Additionally, conditions such as polycystic ovaries and endometriosis have also been shown to improve with acupuncture

Men today also face fertility problems. Benefits to male fertility have been helped by acupuncture with positive effects on sperm count, morphology and mobility.

Some of the positive effects of acupuncture in fertility treatment are thought to include:
* regulate the menstrual cycle and promote regular ovulation
* regulate the hormones to produce a larger number of follicles
* improve the functions of ovaries to produce better quality eggs
* enhance the vitality of sperm
* relieve the side effects of drugs used in IVF
* increase the thickness of the uterine lining so to encourage successful implantation
* reduce the chance of miscarriage

It is known that stress has an adverse effect on the fertility hormones. Acupuncture can be used to strengthen the constitution, thus enabling couples to cope with any stress and anxieties they may experience during the process of trying to start a family. The acupuncture treatment can help promote a calm, positive, relaxed frame of mind which can bring a more successful outcome for conception.

Gerad Kite, acupuncturist and British Acupuncture Council member explains how it can help: “Unexplained infertility is becoming endemic as more and more couples decide to wait to start a family until their 30’s. Acupuncture has now been recognised as a viable treatment to help this patient group increase their chances of conception. The treatment supports the person by finding the key that will unlock the natural healing mechanism that not only brings balance to their system but can dramatically increase fertility”.

Research

Previous studies have proved the effectiveness of acupuncture for infertility.
A 2004 study conducted by the Reproductive Medicine and Fertility Center in Colorado found that 51% of women who underwent both IVF and acupuncture treatment at the same time became pregnant, while only 36% of those who only underwent IVF did. The latter group also had higher rates of miscarriage and stillbirth (20%) compared to those women who had received acupuncture (8%).

A 2005 study conducted by Shanghai University in China found that acupuncture also helped treat male infertility. Of the men who participated, those who had acupuncture had an increased percentage of sperm in their semen; their sperm structure and morphology was also healthier than their counterparts who did not undergo acupuncture infertility treatment.

A report published in the journal Fertility and Sterility (2002) found the pregnancy rate in the group receiving acupuncture group was 42.5%, compared to the group which did not receive the therapy, where the rate was 26.3%.

To find your nearest qualified British Acupuncture Council practitioner please visit www.acupuncture.org.uk or call 020 8735 0400

BAcC practitioners are available for interview, expert comment and case histories.
Press Contact:
Paul Joseph, Mandate Communications
Tel: 0207 379 5000 Email: paul.joseph@yourmandate.com

About the BAcC:
The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) has a membership of over 2,800 professionally qualified acupuncturists. It is the UK’s largest professional body for the practice of acupuncture.

BAcC members practise a traditional, holistic style of acupuncture diagnosis and treatment based on a system developed and refined over 2,000 years. To achieve BAcC membership, practitioners must first undertake extensive training in traditional acupuncture (minimum three years full-time or part-time equivalent), which includes physiology, anatomy and other biomedical sciences appropriate to the practice of acupuncture.

Background notes:

Acupuncturists would always conduct a full consultation prior to treatment, as they need to fully understand the problem, in order to take a holistic approach and assess a patient individually.

What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture is an Oriental therapy that aims to improve the overall wellbeing of the patient, rather than treating specific symptoms in isolation.
Traditional Chinese philosophy states that our health is dependent on the body’s motivating energy - known as Qi - moving in a smooth and balanced way through a series of meridians (channels) beneath the skin.

For any number of reasons, Qi may become unbalanced and lead to illness. By inserting fine needles into the channels of energy or Qi, an acupuncturist can stimulate the body’s own healing response and help restore its natural balance.

Breast cancer prevention is important for women to learn about, especially since breast cancer is the most commonly occurring cancer in women. The American Cancer Society’s web site reports that over two-hundred thousand women were diagnosed with this disease in 2006 and there are over two million women in the United States who have received treatment for breast cancer. With numbers this staggering, preventing cancer should be a priority for all women.

The first and easiest step in breast cancer prevention is knowing what you are up against. This means learning all about the risk factors that may affect you. Family history and genetic make-up are two risk factors women cannot control, but must be aware of when it comes to prevention.

If your mother, grandmother or even sister has been diagnosed with breast cancer, your risks go up too. The choices you make in life also become risk factors. Women who take oral contraceptives could have a greater chance of developing this deadly disease. Having children before the age of thirty can put women at a higher risk for breast cancer. Although some risk factors are easier to control than others, familiarizing oneself with plenty of information will only make fighting cancer easier for you.

There are certain medications available to women who fall under high risk factors for breast cancer. The drug Tamoxifen has been used in the United States for over twenty-five years to help in the fight for breast cancer prevention. The drug is taken once daily as a pill and interferes with the female hormone estrogen, preventing it from attaching itself to cells in the breast tissue. This medication can also be used to treat women already diagnosed with breast cancer because it can slow down or cease the growth of cancerous cells. Tamoxifen has even been associated with helping prevent a recurrence in women who previously suffered from breast cancer.

A more common way to prevent breast cancer is through mammograms. A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast and is the most common form of prevention. Women who are over forty years of age should get mammograms on a yearly basis. For women in their twenty’s and thirty’s, the American Cancer Society’s web site recommends getting clinical breast exams at least every three years from a medical professional. This test is performed using the tips of the fingers to check the entire breast area and under the arm. In addition to mammograms and clinical breast exams, women should also perform breast self exams each month to recognize any signs of lumps or abnormalities in the tissue.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) is able to help women who fall within the lower poverty levels, are uninsured or underserved gain access to screenings for breast cancer. This program is called the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. The CDC’s web site touts it has served more than two million women under this program since its inception in 1991. In 2000, Congress expanded this service by opening it up to women who are on Medicaid. This breast cancer control act, formally titled the Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act, is a way to help women, who may have little access to quality health care, have a chance at breast and cervical cancer prevention.

For anyone who has suffered from breast cancer, maintaining prevention is critical. It should be just as important for those who never have experienced this disease. Breast cancer prevention is about learning your genetic make-up and if anyone in your family suffered from cancer. Prevention is also about making healthier lifestyle choices by eating right, exercising and avoiding cigarettes. Be smart and make the right decisions to ensure you will have a long and healthy life.

Tags: breast cancer prevention, breast and cervical cancer prevention, breast and cervical cancer prevention and treatment, breast cancer



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Anorexia nervosa is a complicated psychiatric disorder which affects mostly females. Only 10% of sufferers are male.

Younger women in particular are vulnerable, and even when identified the disorder can quickly become chronic and life-threatening.

Should you see someone exhibit the following warning signs, you should contact a doctor who specialises in eating disorders as soon as possible.

* depression
* preoccupation with food
* preoccupation with not gaining weight
* a belief they are fat when they are actually thin
* refuses to eat
* denies being hungry, or eats a ridiculously small meal when pressed
* brittle nails and brittle hair
* a fine layer of hair on the face or body like a newborn baby
* irregular or absent periods
* abnormal hair loss
* obsessive exercising
* always complaining of being cold (low body temperature)

Tags: anorexia nervosa, depression, warning signs of anorexia nervosa



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