Acupuncture

Adding Acupuncture Improves Ovarian Reserve in IVF

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of acupuncture plus medication in the treatment of poor ovarian response (POR) patients and to explore its mechanisms in assisting pregnancy. METHODS: A total of 100 volunteer POR women undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transplantation (IVF-ET) were recruited in the present study. On the 1st cycle of IVF-ET, these POR women received microstimulation of ovulation program (oral administration of Clomiphene, muscular injection of Menotrophin, Chorionic Gonadotrophin triggering, etc.). Before receiving the 2nd period of IVF-ET, these patients were equally and randomly divided into control, medication (Climen, composed of estradiol valerate and cyproterone acetate), acupuncture and acupuncture+medication […]

Sperm

A Man’s Sperm Passes on Poor Diet and Lifestyle

A couple of eye-opening studies were recently released that showed how non-DNA information is picked up by the sperm and transferred to the offspring.      The information passed along seems to be a current snapshot of the guy’s state of health – trauma,  emotions, overeating, sleep deprivation, current infection etc.    These studies were done on mice, not men.  Although there is no relation to a John Steinbeck novel it shows that men pass on more than DNA genetics – so guys take care of yourself.    You need treatments and healthy lifestyle as much as the one carrying the […]

Balanced Translocation and Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

About 9 months ago a couple came to me because they heard that Chinese Medicine and acupuncture can help with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL).  They had 4 miscarriages – all after 12 weeks and one in the third trimester which is heartbreaking.  They were both in their early 30’s and a complete workup  did not reveal any clear patterns on why she was not succeeding in carrying to term.   Her menstrual cycle was like clockwork with no complaints. He had perfect sperm parameters. (although sperm testing alone is almost useless for a male – epigenetic changes need to be measured with […]

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Acupuncture Improves IVF Outcomes

There is no doubt in my clinical experience that a couple getting care with acupuncture, herbs and nutrition improve their health and chances of conceiving. It is difficult to mimic the outcome of working with an experienced clinician into an evidence based study. There are many studies that try to do this and the one that most mimics a real clinical setting is one by my acupuncture research hero Lee Hullender-Rubin. Lee’s study showed that services such as ours significantly increase live birth rates over no treatment. A recent study was published, albeit with a small sample size of only […]

Need for Common IVF Procedure Passes Fertility Issues to Offspring

To almost anyone that calls my clinic for fertility support, which unfortunately is 99.99% of the time a female, I’ll inform them that I also need to see their male partner (if they have one). Most of the time the male partner reluctantly obliges. However by the time they leave my clinic they understand the importance of the visit as well as their potential role in (or cause of)  their female partner’s “infertility”. Male factor is implicated in infertility as often as female factor.   But you would not know that based on how much focus is placed on the […]

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