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There are countless reasons why couples have trouble conceiving children - some of which are inexplicable. Fortunately, modern medicine has made great advances in technology and procedures, helping couples have families. In addition to modern medicine, a growing number of people are also turning to complementary methods, particularly acupuncture.

“Using both complementary and conventional medicine maximizes your chances for success when seeking fertility,” says Gary Gross, M.D., gynecologist and fertility consultant at the Marino Center for Integrative Health, affiliated with Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School.

In existence for more than 2000 years, acupuncture is among the most commonly used medical procedures in the world. It’s said to be effective for a variety of conditions, including: chronic pain, anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, addictions, allergies, asthma and infertility.

Chinese medicine says our bodies are made up of several pathways, known as meridians, which conduct energy (qi), between the body’s surface and its organs. Qi is said to maintain spiritual, emotional, mental and physical balance, and is influenced by opposing forces called yin and yang. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), when yin and yang are balanced, they work together with the proper flow of qi. This helps the body achieve and maintain good health. Practitioners believe acupuncture balances yin and yang, making sure the normal flow of energy isn’t blocked, restoring proper health to the body and mind.

The Marino Center has several well-trained acupuncturists, one of whom has specific training utilizing acupuncture in the treatment of infertility. Dr. Gross says he incorporates acupuncture in conjunction with specific infertility procedures, such as in vitro fertilization or gonadotropin stimulated intra-uterine insemination cycles.

“Acupuncture enhances blood flow to the ovaries and to the uterus. It promotes implantation or a more vigorous ovulation, particularly in controlled cycles,” says Dr. Gross. He says a woman’s ovarian follicles and corpus luteum (located in the ovaries) are dependent on blood flow. Blood flow brings them both nutrition and information. The latter leads to the release of an egg during ovulation or helps to sustain the corpus luteum.

“We use acupuncture on the eve of when we’re inducing ovulation, and if we’re doing in vitro fertilization, we try to use it between the retrieval of the eggs and embryo transfer, and we use it again, immediately after the transfer of the embryos,” says Dr. Gross. He points to European literature suggesting one can double the implantation rate per embryo by having acupuncture done just before the transfer and after. Acupuncture seems to play a key role in helping the so-called poor IVF responder.

Dr. Gross says acupuncture may benefit men as well. “We don’t have as solid data in males as we do in females, but we do encourage men to undergo regular sessions of acupuncture twice a week while we’re in the process of treating couples,” he says.

Another important part of treating infertility is diet and nutrition, “Particularly for women who have ovulation difficulties related to insulin resistance,” says Dr. Gross. “We try to provide them with a good anti-diabetic diet.”

Psychological stresses of infertility are also addressed at the Marino Center. “We work very hard to be aware of the patient and the couple as whole people, to be aware of both their minds and their bodies.”

Future plans for Dr. Gross and the Marino Center include utilizing acupuncture to improve the quality of a woman’s natural cycle as well as natural cycle in vitro fertilization. He says he hopes to be doing this by the end of the summer.

Dr. Gross says combining the technology of today’s Western medicine with alternative methods and proper nutrition improves ovarian function. That, in turn, enhances fertility.

For a free lecture on integrative medical approaches, please call us at 617-499-5094.