Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine Improves Success Rate Of IUI

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A new research at Tel Aviv University Israel has found that women using Traditional Chinese Medicine (Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine) had a much greater rate of getting pregnancy with Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) treatment.

Of the women in the test group, receiving acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine alongside their IUI treatment, 65.5 percent were able to conceive, compared with just 39.4 percent of the control group who received IUI only.

Women receiving TCM also had a better rate of live birth: 41.5% compared to 27% of the control group. This is of particular interest to the researchers when the age of the average participant was taken into account, Dr. Lev-Ari and Sela note. “The average age of the women in the study group was 39.4, while that of the control group was 37.1. Normally, the older the mother, the lower the pregnancy and delivery rates,” they explain.

The researchers have established that acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine have played a major role in the success of IUI. They will plan to design a randomized blinded clinical trials, including placebo treatment to further validate their findings.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/afot-emw010912.php

Vitamin D deficiency in womb may link to language difficulty

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New research from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has found that children of mums who had low levels of Vitamin D during pregnancy are twice as likely to have language difficulties.
The research, published in the latest edition of the international journal Pediatrics, is the largest study of its kind into the link between a mother’s vitamin D levels and the effect on her child’s speech and behavioural development.

The study looked at Vitamin D concentrations during the pregnancies of more than 740 women, with follow up investigations of their child’s development and behaviour at regular periods up to 17 years of age.

Lead author, Associate Professor Andrew Whitehouse, said the finding was significant, given that Vitamin D levels among women are known to have decreased steadily over the past 20 years.

“The developing baby is completely reliant on the mother for its Vitamin D levels and what we have shown is that this might have an impact on the child’s brain development,” Dr Whitehouse said.

“While these findings are tremendously exciting, they will need to be replicated by other research groups. More research is needed for us to fully understand the impact of Vitamin D levels on the developing brain.”

Dr Whitehouse said the findings had significant implications in that it could provide an early intervention to prevent some language difficulties.

“We would now like to explore whether Vitamin D supplements in pregnancy could reduce the risk of language problems for children.”

The study found no association between Vitamin D levels and childhood behaviour and emotional problems.

Citation:
Whitehouse, A.J.O., Holt, B.J., Serralha, M., Holt, P.G., Kusel, M.M.H., Hart P.H. (in press). Maternal serum vitamin D levels during pregnancy and offspring neurocognitive development. Pediatrics.

Antioxidants May Improve Chances of Conceiving in Male Subfertility

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Antioxidant supplements may benefit couples who have difficulty conceiving naturally, according to a new systematic review published January 18 in The Cochrane Library. The review provides evidence from a small number of trials that suggest the partners of men who take antioxidants are more likely to become pregnant.

Male subfertility affects one in 20 men. Chemicals called reactive oxygen species (ROS) are said to cause damage to cells, and in particular sperm cells, which may result in lowered sperm counts and interfere with their ability to fertilise eggs. Antioxidants include natural and synthetic chemicals, including certain vitamins and minerals, which help to reduce the damage caused by ROS.

The review focused on 34 trials involving 2,876 couples undergoing assisted reproductive techniques such as in vitro fertilisation and sperm injections. Most men in the trials had low sperm counts or low sperm motility. The trials explored the use of many different types of oral antioxidants, including vitamin E, L-carnitine, zinc and magnesium.

Compared to controls, a couple was more likely to have a pregnancy or live birth if the man took antioxidants. However, these results are based on just 964 of the couples in the review for pregnancies and 214 couples for live births. Other trials tested the effects of antioxidants on sperm motility and concentration and showed mostly positive effects, although study group sizes were small.

“When trying to conceive as part of an assisted reproductive program, it may be advisable to encourage men to take oral antioxidant supplements to improve their partners’ chances of becoming pregnant,” said lead researcher Marian Showell, who works in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Auckland in Auckland, New Zealand. “However, these conclusions are currently based on limited evidence.”

There were not enough data comparing different antioxidants to reach any conclusions about the relative effectiveness of supplements. “We need more head-to-comparisons to understand whether any one antioxidant is performing better than any other,” said Showell.

The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by Wiley-Blackwell, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110118200813.htm

Lower back pain and fertility

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Did you know that lower back pain may related to fertility?

Lower back pain is one of the most common condition in clinic. It is estimated that 90% people may have some degree of lower back pain in their life.

The causes of lower back pain varies for different people. Generally it is caused by injuries, heavy lifting, poor posture, sitting for too long time, lack of exercises, arthritis, etc.

However, did you know that lower back pain may related to fertility?

In Chinese medicine theory, lower back pain may be an indicator of low fertility energy - Kidney Deficiency.

Kidney is a very special organ in Chinese medicine. The function of kidney includes:

  • Stores the essence (The primary essence from parents);
  • Controls the growth, development and reproduction of the body.

Lower back, in Chinese medicine theory, is the “House of Kidney”.  Lower back pain may be caused by Kidney deficiency: the essence of kidney is insufficient to nourish the local area, hence lower pain pain happens.

The symptoms of lower back pain caused by Kidney deficiency are:

Lower back pain, worst after standing or sitting too long time, or physical exertions. The pain often is chronic. Pain better with warmth, resting. You may have knee pain or weakness, feel tired all the time. For men erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation can be common. For women may have late menstrual cycle, even amenorrhoea (no period), infertility.

For women who have difficulty in conceiving , it is common to have regular lower back pain before menstrual period. This type of lower back pain strongly suggests Kidney deficiency. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can help treat the lower back pain and improve the fertility.

The treatment strategy is Tonifing Kidney.

Common used acupuncture points are: Kid3, BL23, Du4

Common used Chinese herbs are:

Du Zhong -Eucommia ulmoides Oliver

 

 

 

 

 

Xu Duan -Radix Dipsaci

 

 

 

 

Niu Xi - Achyranthes bidentata

Women’s Seven-Years Life Cycle

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“Women seven and men eight” is the Chinese statement on the growth cycle of human being from the “Yellow Emperor”. That is, the number of women’s life cycle is seven and the number of men’s life cycle is eight. Every seven or eight years, women or men’s life change.

The physical change of women occurs obviously every seven years; and men’s change occurs every eight years.

“Yellow Emperor” Women’s Cycles of Seven

7 year old:  a moman’s kidney energy growing strong, teeth change and hair grows longer and stronger; (the 1st 7 years)

14 year old: her menstruation appears  as the Ren meridian (the sea of Yin/Essence) flows and the Qi and blood in the Chong meridian (the sea of blood) becomes prosperous, she can have a child; (14 years)

21 year old: her kidney energy is balanced, her adult teeth completely developed and her body grows to full height; (3rd 7 years)

28 years old: her bones and muscles are strong, her hair grow to full length, her body is at optimal condition; (4th 7 years)

35 year old: Her peak condition declines gradually. Her energy in Yangming meridian declines. Her face starts wither and her hair starts to fall.(5th 7 years)

42 year old:  Sanyang energy declines. Her face wanes and she starts to have white hair. (6th 7 years)

49 year old:  The Ren meridian (Conception Vessel) and Chong meridian vital energy declines, her menstruation dried up, her physique turns old and feeble; She is no longer to conceive. (7th 7 years)