Acupuncture Could Promote Fertility

Study Will Examine Ancient Technique

The miracles of modern medicine can often help a woman conceive a miracle of her own. But these days, more and more women struggling with infertility are turning to the ancient technique of acupuncture.
　　
NewsCenter 5's Rhonda Mann reports that acupuncturists say that the treatments promote a deep state of relaxation and may stimulate reproductive hormones. Cambridge Health Associates has had a 30-40 percent success rate in treating fertility problems.

"There are a lot of people who come to us, both men and women, where Western medicine is unable to understand why they're not getting pregnant," licensed acupuncturist Bill Mueller said. "Everything looks good, everything should be working, but it isn't. And in many of those cases, acupuncture can make a difference."

It worked for mother Lee Collins. After four years of trying to get pregnant, including four cycles of in vitro fertilization, she tried acupuncture.

"By the time I was on my fifth cycle, I was so desperate that I thought, OK, I'll even try this," Collins said.

While acupuncture has been used for thousands of years, there isn't any good clinical data in this country to prove that it works for infertility. Soon, a new study at the Brigham and Women's Hospital will get underway.

"Patients will frequently ask advice, and it's hard to advise them in the absence of data," Dr. Mark Horstein of Brigham & Women's Hospital said. "But there are some suggestions that it may be beneficial, and I think that's intriguing to us."