THE THEORY BEHIND ACUPUNCTURE

Acupuncture has its origins in ancient China, but it has been in continuous evolution for over 2,500 years. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, energy described as Qi (pronounced Chee) travels through the body along specified channels referred to as meridians. Each meridian is linked to a major organ of the body. Any problem with the flow of energy through one of these channels can lead to illness.

Acupuncture focuses on finding the abnormal areas of energy flow and stimulating these areas to restore balance. Special acupuncture needles are inserted into specific acupoints (there are over 1,000 such specific points) that stimulate the areas of low energy or energy blockage and to restore health. Much research is currently ongoing to relate these ancient theories with current scientific knowledge.

STUDIES ON ACUPUNCTURE COMBINED WITH IVF

Bonaventura Reproductive Medicine now offers acupuncture to patients during their IVF cycles. We are excited to announce our collaboration with Dr. Evelyn White, M.D., a local OB-GYN. She recently completed her training in acupuncture and is focusing on the applications of this treatment approach in women's health, including infertility.

While people usually associate the practice of acupuncture with the elimination of pain, researchers are starting to look at this traditional Chinese practice as a way of improving the results of ART. It is believed that acupuncture can help improve the success rate of IVF in a number of ways, including:

• improving the function of the ovaries to produce
• better quality eggs
• regulating the hormones to produce a large
• number of follicles
• increasing blood flow to the uterus
• increasing the thickness of the uterine lining
• preventing the uterus from contracting
• lessening the side-effects of drugs used in IVF
• strengthening the immune system
• decreasing the chances of miscarriage
• improving semen to create better quality and quantity of embryos
• relaxing the patient
• reducing the patient's stress

One study in Germany by Paulus et al found that using acupuncture shortly before and after embryo transfer increased the success rate of IVF. The rate of conception in the patients receiving acupuncture was 42% versus a rate of 26% in those patients who did not receive the treatment. Another study by Laing et al shows that the success rate of conception can possibly be increased from 40% to 60% by using traditional Chinese medicine, including acupuncture, to prepare and support the patient throughout the IVF process. Studies in this interesting and promising area continue. In the meantime, patients may wish to consider the option of integrating acupuncture in their infertility treatment plan.

EVE WHITE, MD FACOG
Eve White, MD is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology. A Georgia native, she completed her BA at Emory University and obtained her MD degree and training in OB-GYN at the Medical College of Georgia. She was on the faculty at MCG as an Assistant Professor in OB-GYN until 1997, when she relocated to Indianapolis. Dr. White has authored several scientific papers and book chapters. In 2005, Dr. White successfully completed her training in acupuncture at the Academy of Pain Research of the University of California, Irvine.

While people usually associate the practice of acupuncture with the elimination of pain, researchers are starting to look at this traditional Chinese practice as a way of improving the results of ART.