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Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is often the first recommendation to patients experiencing difficulty with conception. It is more affordable and less invasive compared to IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation). It is a method which combines hormone treatment for the woman and a painless insemination procedure where washed sperm is placed directly into the uterus, followed by the natural fertilisation in the womb.
Who should consider IUI?
If you or your partner experience the below conditions, you may consider IUI as your fertility treatment:
Women who are under the age of 40
Women without blocked Fallopian tubes
Men who have mild sperm motility, count and morphology issues
Women requiring sperm donation
Women with cervical mucus that is too thick
Men with sexual or erectile dysfunctions
How does acupuncture work to support IUI?
Acupuncture is able to increase implantation and ongoing pregnancy rates when used in conjunction with IUI. Research shows improved blood flow to the reproductive system through the uterine arteries after acupuncture treatments, which may over time enhance egg quality and thickness of the endometrium (uterine lining), as well as reduce the chance of miscarriage post-IUI. Other benefits of acupuncture when used with IUI include hormonal regulation, immune system balance, reduced stress and cortisol levels, reduced side effects of medications, better response to medications, and decreased contraction of the uterus post-IUI.
Intrauterine Insemination along with acupuncture can help in the following ways:
Increased blood flow to the ovaries and the uterus that can enhance implantation rates.
Enhance the health of follicle and eggs.
Prevent contraction in uterus thereby supporting implantation.
Regulate the axis of hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary.
Lower stress levels and ensuring the regulation of a sympathetic nervous system that can play a crucial part in successful pregnancy results.
Decrease the fertility medications’ side effects.
How often should you do acupuncture for IUI support?
Acupuncture works before, during and after the IUI process. I recommend that treatments begin 3 months prior to the procedure. If this is not possible you should begin treatments as soon as possible. One should consider booking an acupuncture treatment and consumption of herbal formulas before fertilization and schedule an acupuncture treatment one day before and after the procedure for better results.
Evidence on acupuncture and Chinese medicine supporting Intrauterine insemination (IUI)
Traditional Chinese medicine is one of the most sophisticated herbal systems that exists and has been used for more than two thousand years to treat gynaecological disorders including infertility. In the last decades, experimental and clinical studies have shown that the appropriate use of Chinese herbs increases fertility two-fold within a four month period[1].
A case study showed that by optimizing the uterine and ovarian health, Chinese herbal formulas works well to improve follicle count and quality[2]. The report reviewed a 43-year-old woman with diminished ovarian reserve and multiple uterus fibrosis treated with Chinese herbal medicine for 6 months and achieved a natural conception and a live birth of a healthy baby.
Study shows a significant increase in fertility when the therapies are administered side-by-side [3]. Out of the 29 women in the test group, 65.5 percent conceived, and 41.4 percent delivered healthy babies. In the control group, only 39.4 percent conceived and 26.9 percent delivered.
What are the ingredients in the herbal formulas and are they safe?
Herbal treatments rarely use single herbs, but are rather prescribed as balanced, targeted formulas to provide holistic cure and lead to a higher conception and successful pregnancy rate. After a proper diagnosis, I will select around 7-9 different ingredients among hundreds of herbs in the Chinese pharmacy that best fit your condition.
Herbal formulas are prescribed to help enhance egg quality and sperm parameters, and to improve implantation rates and prevent miscarriage post-IUI. They are also helpful when used prior to IUI to control many of the underlying causes of infertility, including endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), fibroids, high follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), poor egg quality, blocked Fallopian tubes, and immune system imbalance. Much research has been done on the effect of herbs on these individual disorders. [Read more: TCM wisdom on endometriosis and other female reproductive system abnormal growth]
Contact Us For More Information
For more information about how acupuncture, herbal therapy and other alternative healing treatments can help you, please contact AKU ENERGIJA. We are taking new patients in Novo mesto, Ljuljana and Maribor together with our associate Dr Wei from SHENG TKM.
Reference
Karin Ried. Chinese herbal medicine for female infertility: an updated meta-analysis.Ried K. Complement Ther Med. 2015 Feb;23(1):116-28. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2014.12.004. Epub 2015 Jan 3.PMID: 25637159
Benqi Teng, Jie Peng, Madeleine Ong and Xianqin Qu. (2017) Successful Pregnancy after Treatment with Chinese Herbal Medicine in a 43-Year-Old Woman with Diminished Ovarian Reserve and Multiple Uterus Fibrosis: A Case Report. Medicines (Basel) 2017 Mar; 4(1): 7. Published online 2017 Feb 9. doi: 10.3390/medicines4010007
Sela et al. (2011) Acupuncture and Chinese herbal treatment for women undergoing intrauterine insemination. European Journal of Integrative Medicine, Volume 3, Issue 2, e77–e81.