Women turn to acupuncture to treat infertility
Story By: Bea Karnes
Source: NBC
About ten percent of women in the United States face some difficulty getting pregnant. There are many options available to help overcome infertility, including acupuncture.
Michele Sweeney is enjoying the best job she said she's ever had, being mom to three-month-old Brodie. Because she is in her early 40s, doctors advised Sweeney to try in-vitro fertilization right away. She did twice and it did not work.
"It's the emotional part that's the hard part. It's very hard when you see friends around you getting pregnant without any assistance and you're spending all kinds of money and time and it's a huge commitment, and at the end of all that you don't have a pregnancy," she said.
Before going through another round of fertility treatment, Sweeney tried acupuncture. Reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Michael Doyle offers acupuncture services at his clinic in Bridgeport. "There are studies that have indicated acupuncture in some women may increase fertility rates by increasing blood flow to either the ovaries where the eggs are being produced, or to the uterus lining where implant occurs," he said.
Acupuncturist Cindy Lawrence said about 70 percent of her patients come in for fertility related issues. "According to theory, there are hundreds of acupuncture points on the body and they're connected by energy channels called meridians. Basically your health and well-being depends on a smooth flow of energy throughout these meridians," she said.
She said the acupuncture needles release stuck energy in those channels, improving overall health. It looks intimidating, but Lawrence said there's no pain.
"The needles are very, very fine. They're solid stainless steel and honestly most people feel nothing at all during treatment." Sweeney believes the acupuncture was instrumental in helping her conceive Brodie.
