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Poking for pregancy

The fear of needles is something many people share so why would someone willingly opt to have many small needles…

By Anna Fong , in Blogs Health and wellness , on February 28, 2008

The fear of needles is something many people share so why would someone willingly opt to have many small needles inserted into their body?

Well, if you’re having trouble getting pregnant, then it might be something you’d consider.

I saw an article on CCN online about a study from the British Medical Journal that found a link between acupuncture and increases in the chances of conception.

The researchers observed a slight increase in the conception rates of women who used acupuncture in combination with In-vitro fertilization treatments.

I was curious as to how this would actually work, so I contacted an acupuncturist who has been practicing for 24 years.

She told me that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) often takes a holistic approach to illnesses. This means it does not just focus on the reproductive system when dealing with infertility.

She talked about a client who could not bear children. It was discovered the woman had intestinal problems, which made it difficult for her to absorb nutrients easily. Acupuncture was used to fix her intestinal condition and she was then able to have two children naturally.

The basis of TCM is all about balance. Acupuncture works at bringing the body back into alignment through the release of pressure points. The needle placements are very specific.

However, TCM used in combination with other medical treatments is difficult to assess. And the researchers admitted that other studies did not agree with their findings.

But there were no negative side effects to using acupuncture during fertility treatments. They also said couples may still want to use acupuncture because of the expensive costs per fertility treatment. Any method that could increase their chances to conceive could save them additional money.

I am still unsure about the link but it’s interesting to know there are options that could help potential parents which are less expensive.