Acupuncture Supports Intrauterine Insemination

How acupuncture and Chinese medicine support Intrauterine insemination (IUI) ?

IUI is often the first recommendation to patients experiencing difficulty with conception in a fertility clinic as it is more affordable and less invasive as compared to IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation). It is a method which combines hormone treatment for the woman and a painless insemination procedure where washed sperm is placed directly into the uterus,
followed by the natural fertilisation in the womb.

Who should consider IUI?

If you or your partner experience the below conditions, you may consider IUI as your fertility treatment:

• Failure to ovulate caused by stress, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome(PCOS) or over-weight
• Hostile cervical mucus that prevents the sperm from penetrating
• Mild male factor infertility such as poor motility, low count, or abnormal morphology
• Sexual dysfunction including premature or inhibited ejaculation or erectile dysfunction
• Unexplained fertility
• Donor sperm

How does acupuncture work to support IUI?

Research shows that for women, acupuncture improves blood flow to the ovaries and uterus, which can lead to improving the egg quality and ovulation, as well as nurturing an uterine lining that is more receptive to implantation. Fertility specialist and registered Chinese medicine practitioner and acupuncturist, Master Ruth Lee sums up the seven benefits of acupuncture support to IUI:

1. Regulate the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian-axis for a balanced system.
2. Enhance the production of healthy follicles and eggs.
3. Stimulate the ovulation.
4. Decrease the side effects of hormone medications.
5. Calm down the stress response.
6. Facilitate healthy endometrium and the internal environment of the uterus.
7. Support implantation by preventing uterine contractions.

How often should you do acupuncture for IUI support?

Acupuncture works before, during and after the IUI process. Ruth recommends that treatments begin 3 months prior to the procedure. If this is not possible you should begin treatments as soon as possible. One should consider booking an acupuncture treatment and consumption of herbal formulas once a week before fertilization and schedule an acupuncture treatment one day before and after the procedure for best results.

How does Chinese herbal help for IUI and fertility?

Traditional Chinese medicine is one of the most sophisticated herbal systems that exists and has been used for more than two thousand years to treat gynaecological disorders including infertility. In the last decades, experimental and clinical studies have shown that the appropriate use of Chinese herbs increases fertility two-fold within a four month period[1].

A case study showed that by optimizing the uterine and ovarian health, Chinese herbal formulas works well to improve follicle count and quality[2]. The report reviewed a 43-year-old woman with diminished ovarian reserve and multiple uterus fibrosis treated with Chinese herbal medicine for 6 months and achieved a natural conception and a live birth of a healthy baby.

What are the ingredients in the herbal formulas and are they safe?

Herbal treatments rarely use single herbs, but are rather prescribed as balanced, targeted formulas to provide holistic cure and lead to a higher conception and successful pregnancy rate. After a proper diagnosis, Ruth will carefully select around 10-20 different ingredients among thousands of herbs in the Chinese pharmacy that best fit your condition. Some commonly use herbals include angelica root, rehmannia root, Chinese dodder seed, glossy privet fruit, and sometimes minerals like fluorite or ingredients from animal-derived ingredients like Antler Pilose Antler and Colla Corrii Asini may be applied according to the needs. The formula is customized based on one’s dietary restrictions and preference.

Working with a qualified professional who will help ensure that herbal ingredients are pure, without any additives, or chemicals like pesticides or heavy metals is the key to a successful pregnancy. Ruth selects herbal manufacturing companies which are of excellent quality adopting systematic standard operating procedures that are strictly in compliance with the GMP standards of the PRC and Australia and the USP.

How to contact Master Ruth?

If you or a loved one is suffering from infertility, Ruth would like to help.
Please contact us at +852-25303315 or appt@balancehealth.com.hk for a personalized consultation.

[1] Karin Ried. Chinese herbal medicine for female infertility: an updated meta-analysis.
Ried K. Complement Ther Med. 2015 Feb;23(1):116-28. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2014.12.004. Epub 2015 Jan 3.PMID: 25637159

[2]Benqi Teng, Jie Peng, Madeleine Ong and Xianqin Qu. (2017) Successful Pregnancy after Treatment with Chinese Herbal Medicine in a 43-Year-Old Woman with Diminished Ovarian Reserve and Multiple Uterus Fibrosis: A Case Report. Medicines (Basel) 2017 Mar; 4(1): 7.
Published online 2017 Feb 9. doi: 10.3390/medicines4010007