Infertility Treatment

Pregnancy is a complex process composed of many interconnected parts, compounds, and composites. To complete the full term of pregnancy, all key points in the pregnancy process must be optimized. An imbalance in the body’s neuroendocrine system, in particular, can lead to infertility. Stress is also often a factor in infertility, and it is more common in women who live in stressful environments or work in stressful jobs.

Approximately 6 days after ovulation, the fertile window closes. Based on menstrual tracking, women with regular cycles can determine the typical day of ovulation. Intercourse should begin 6 days before ovulation and continue every 1 to 2 days for 1 week to maximize monthly conception rates. The number of women seeking assistance in becoming pregnant has increased over several decades, with at least 1 million medical visits every year. Infertility may be considered a quality-of-life issue by some healthcare providers. There is considerable psychological distress associated with infertility in a large number of patients. Compared to cancer patients and chronically ill patients, women with infertility experienced similar levels of psychological distress. The fertility potential of women declines rapidly and significantly after the age of 40. The fertility of women in their late 30s is half that of women in their early 20s.

As the first step in IVF treatment, ovarian stimulation is used to induce multiple follicles to grow. It is then possible to harvest monocytes in vitro and fertilize them with sperm under US guidance following controlled ovarian stimulation. The strongest embryo is then selected for transfer into the uterine cavity after being incubated for 3–5 days. The endometrium must be receptive to blastocyst invasion and ready to undergo decidualization to establish a pregnancy, a transformation of uterine stromal cells that are influenced by hormonally regulated molecular processes that allow pregnancy establishment, involving the interaction of ovarian hormones and growth factors.

Throughout Chinese medicine’s thousand-year history, acupuncture has been proven to increase the rate of pregnancy. According to current accumulating research on acupuncture and fertility around the world, acupuncture may help correct problems with the body’s neuroendocrine system. In addition to stimulating the ovaries, the adrenal glands, and the reproductive organs with acupuncture, the brain is also stimulated to release hormones. Particularly, acupuncture may be more effective in helping women who are infertile due to polycystic ovary syndrome and in vitro fertilization. Researchers found a benefit from acupuncture on the day an embryo was transferred into a woman’s uterus in two studies in Acupuncture in Medicine and the Journal of Endocrinological Investigation. Acupuncture treatment can increase a woman’s fertility by enhancing blood flow to her ovaries and uterus to improve the quality of eggs and optimize the thickness of the uterus lining. Infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, endometriosis, pelvic pain, and uterine leiomyoma are common uterine pathologies characterized by dysregulation of steroid hormone signaling. Infertility can be successfully treated with acupuncture in both men and women.