Pregnancy is an amazing time in a woman's life. Many women report feeling healthier than they have ever felt before; however, the physical growth of the baby and changes in hormone levels can bring about pain, discomfort and a variety of health problems.
Acupuncture and Oriental medicine can provide a safe, effective alternative for many of the health complications that may arise before, during and after pregnancy. A growing number of women are choosing acupuncture to use throughout their pregnancy and as an optional treatment for an overdue or difficult labor.
Planning for a Healthy Baby
Healthy parents produce healthy babies. With acupuncture and Oriental medicine, parents can improve their health to create the most optimal environment for their unborn child. In addition to their ability to strengthen, support, and balance overall health and well-being, acupuncture and Oriental medicine are an effective treatment for regulating menstruation and hormone levels, reducing stress and addressing any pre-existing medical conditions or concerns that a woman may have.
Acupuncture during Pregnancy
Acupuncture and Oriental medicine can play a vital role in the comfort of a pregnant woman. There is strong evidence to support that acupuncture is highly effective at treating some of the most common problems experienced during pregnancy including morning sickness, heartburn, insomnia, water retention and sciatica.
Here is a list of some of the problems that an acupuncturist often treats during pregnancy:
* Nausea and Vomiting
* Heartburn
* Constipation
* Hemorrhoids
* Edema and Swelling
* Urinary Tract Infection
* Pelvic Pain
* Neck and Back Pain
* Sciatica
* Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
* Leg Cramps
* Fatigue and Exhaustion
* Insomnia
* Anxiety and Depression
Acupuncture for Childbirth
While there are acupuncture points that can provide natural pain relief during labor, acupuncture is more commonly used to induce labor. There are several points that stimulate contractions and influence cervical ripening. There is also an acupuncture point that has been found to turn a breech baby.
Acupuncture Postpartum
Many women feel depleted after the birth experience. Acupuncture and Oriental medicine can help the transition of those first few months after birth to ensure a quick recovery. Postpartum care focuses on the physical, emotional and psychological recovery of the mother from the effects of pregnancy and labor, as well as encouraging breast feeding.
Here are some of the postpartum disorders that can be treated with acupuncture:
* Fatigue
* Postpartum Depression
* Mastitis
* Insufficient or Excessive Lactation
* Post Operative Healing
* Night Sweats
If you would like to know more how acupuncture and Oriental medicine ease discomfort and facilitate pregnancy, please call for more information.
UB 67 for Turning Breech Babies
An acupuncture point on the small toe of the foot (Urinary Bladder 67) has been found to effectively revolve fetuses in breech presentation.
In an Italian study, 240 women at 33-35 weeks of gestation carrying a fetus in breech presentation were randomized to receive acupuncture plus moxibustion (an herb used to apply heat to an acupuncture point) or to be assigned to the observation group. At delivery, the proportion of babies that had turned from breech position to vertex (head-down) position was 53.6 % in the group treated with acupuncture while the proportion of babies that had turned from breech position to vertex position in the observation group was 36.7%.
Source: J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2004 Apr;15(4):247-52
Safety of Acupuncture While Pregnant
Acupuncture is safe to use while you are pregnant; however, there are some points that can cause contractions and should NOT be needled during pregnancy or should be used with extreme caution.
Acupuncture Points to Avoid During Pregnancy:
* Large Intestine 4
* Spleen 6
* Gallbladder 21
* Points on the sacrum
* Point on the lower abdomen
* Point on the low back
There are also many herbal remedies that are contraindicated during pregnancy. Always err on the side of caution with all herbs and medications while you are expecting.
Common Acupuncture Points used During Pregnancy
Zhubin (K 9) – 'beautiful baby point'
Location: Above the medial malleolus (inner ankle bone), right below the calf muscle.
Function: Calms the mind, builds or tonifies blood.
Indication: Good for hypertension, fear, anxiety, nightmares, and mental disorders.
Zusanli (St 36)
Location: Four fingers below the knee cap, on the outer edge of the tibia.
Function: Strengthens overall constitution, builds blood and Qi, resolves edema, and harmonizes meridians that control digestive functions.
Indication: Great point for diarrhea, constipation, gastric pain and indigestion. Also helps with insomnia, edema (water retention), and increases energy level.
Neiguan (P6) – 'morning sickness and motion sickness point'
Location: Two fingers above the inner wrist.
Function: Calms the mind, harmonizes the stomach.
Indication: This is THE point for nausea and vomiting. It is also one of the most relaxing acupuncture points and is used for both insomnia and anxiety.
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Showing posts with label Fertility. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fertility. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
February QiMail Newsletter - Fertility
Acupuncture and Reproductive Health
Current statistics state that one in five couples over the age of 30 have difficulty conceiving after one year of trying. Many of these couples are turning to acupuncture and Oriental medicine for a safe, effective and natural solution to have a healthy baby.
Oriental medicine has a long history when it comes to enhancing fertility for both men and women. In fact, evidence that acupuncture and herbal medicine have been used to aid fertility can be found in early medical literature dating back to 3AD.
Fertility treatments were first recorded by Zhang Zhong Jing, a famous physician from the Han Dynasty, in his discussion of diseases in women in the Jin Gui Yao Lue or Essentials of the Golden Cabinet.
How Acupuncture Can Enhance Fertility
According to the principles of Oriental medicine, a person's health is determined by the quality of Qi, the vital life energy, and blood circulating through the body. When Qi and blood are circulating properly, the body is properly nourished and functioning optimally which, in turn, enhances fertility.
Researchers have confirmed its benefit in the following areas:
1. Regulate menstrual cycle.
2. Improve sperm count and motility.
3. Reduce stress and anxiety associated with infertility.
4. Normalize hormone and endocrine systems.
5. Improve blood flow in the uterus.
6. Decrease chance of miscarriage.
7. Increase the chance of pregnancy for women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Fertility treatments vary from person to person, but are usually scheduled for at least three consecutive cycles (twelve weeks). Treatments can include acupuncture, customized herbal therapy, stress reduction and dietary counseling. Treatments work alone but are an excellent addition to any Western intervention.
Please call for more information of to schedule a consultation.
Acupuncture Increases IVF Success by 65%
Women undergoing IVF were 65 percent more likely to become pregnant when they combined the procedure with acupuncture, a recent study has shown.
The remarkable success rate occurred across seven acupuncture trials involving 1,366 women in a systematic review and meta-analysis published in a February, 2008 issue of the British Medical Journal.
Acupuncture was delivered either just before or just after embryo transfer – a step in the process of in vitro fertilization (IVF) whereby one or several embryos are placed into the uterus.
The research was carried out by scientists from the University of Maryland in the United States and the VU University of Amsterdam in Holland.
It is thought that acupuncture stimulates the neurotransmitters that trigger the production of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone, which controls the menstrual cycle and a woman's ovulation.
Acupuncture is also thought to stimulate blood flow to the uterus and boost the production of endogenous opioids, inducing the body to relax.
Source: British Medical Journal, February 2008
Acupuncture Improves Sperm Quality
A study published in the July 2005 issue of the journal Fertility and Sterility found that acupuncture helped infertile men by apparently helping improve sperm quality in their semen.
In the research project, 28 men received acupuncture in addition to traditional infertility treatments, while another 12 men received only the traditional treatments. All of the men were diagnosed with infertility of unknown origin.
Acupuncture was associated with fewer structural defects in the sperm of men who received it, although it had no effect on other abnormalities, such as sperm immaturity or premature death.
Previous studies have shown a link between acupuncture and improved sperm production and motility.
Source: Fertility and Sterility, July 2005
Current statistics state that one in five couples over the age of 30 have difficulty conceiving after one year of trying. Many of these couples are turning to acupuncture and Oriental medicine for a safe, effective and natural solution to have a healthy baby.
Oriental medicine has a long history when it comes to enhancing fertility for both men and women. In fact, evidence that acupuncture and herbal medicine have been used to aid fertility can be found in early medical literature dating back to 3AD.
Fertility treatments were first recorded by Zhang Zhong Jing, a famous physician from the Han Dynasty, in his discussion of diseases in women in the Jin Gui Yao Lue or Essentials of the Golden Cabinet.
How Acupuncture Can Enhance Fertility
According to the principles of Oriental medicine, a person's health is determined by the quality of Qi, the vital life energy, and blood circulating through the body. When Qi and blood are circulating properly, the body is properly nourished and functioning optimally which, in turn, enhances fertility.
Researchers have confirmed its benefit in the following areas:
1. Regulate menstrual cycle.
2. Improve sperm count and motility.
3. Reduce stress and anxiety associated with infertility.
4. Normalize hormone and endocrine systems.
5. Improve blood flow in the uterus.
6. Decrease chance of miscarriage.
7. Increase the chance of pregnancy for women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Fertility treatments vary from person to person, but are usually scheduled for at least three consecutive cycles (twelve weeks). Treatments can include acupuncture, customized herbal therapy, stress reduction and dietary counseling. Treatments work alone but are an excellent addition to any Western intervention.
Please call for more information of to schedule a consultation.
Acupuncture Increases IVF Success by 65%
Women undergoing IVF were 65 percent more likely to become pregnant when they combined the procedure with acupuncture, a recent study has shown.
The remarkable success rate occurred across seven acupuncture trials involving 1,366 women in a systematic review and meta-analysis published in a February, 2008 issue of the British Medical Journal.
Acupuncture was delivered either just before or just after embryo transfer – a step in the process of in vitro fertilization (IVF) whereby one or several embryos are placed into the uterus.
The research was carried out by scientists from the University of Maryland in the United States and the VU University of Amsterdam in Holland.
It is thought that acupuncture stimulates the neurotransmitters that trigger the production of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone, which controls the menstrual cycle and a woman's ovulation.
Acupuncture is also thought to stimulate blood flow to the uterus and boost the production of endogenous opioids, inducing the body to relax.
Source: British Medical Journal, February 2008
Acupuncture Improves Sperm Quality
A study published in the July 2005 issue of the journal Fertility and Sterility found that acupuncture helped infertile men by apparently helping improve sperm quality in their semen.
In the research project, 28 men received acupuncture in addition to traditional infertility treatments, while another 12 men received only the traditional treatments. All of the men were diagnosed with infertility of unknown origin.
Acupuncture was associated with fewer structural defects in the sperm of men who received it, although it had no effect on other abnormalities, such as sperm immaturity or premature death.
Previous studies have shown a link between acupuncture and improved sperm production and motility.
Source: Fertility and Sterility, July 2005
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