Acupuncture for Fertility (1)

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The Eight Extraordinary Vessels Acupuncture for
Fertility
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Acupuncture for Fertility

• Infertility is when a couple cannot get pregnant
  (conceive) despite having regular unprotected
  sex. Around 1 in 7 couples may have difficulty
  conceiving. About 84 of couples will conceive
  naturally within a year if they have regular
  unprotected sex (every 2 or 3 days). Clinical
  studies in Chinese medicine have shown that
  acupuncture has complementary benefits in
  treating infertility, especially for those with
  infertility caused by ovulation and tubal
  problems.
• There is also research in the West that supports
  the idea that acupuncture may be helpful for
  couples undergoing IVF. At present, in most
  Chinese hospitals, acupuncture is generally only
  used as an adjunct to infertility treatment.

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• Acupuncture is based on the theory of 'qi', which
  is the ability to travel throughout the body
  along specific channels. By using acupuncture
  needles to stimulate certain acupuncture points
  along the channels, the "qi" in the body is
  balanced as much as possible, thus maintaining
  health. In 2002, German researchers studied 160
  women undergoing IVF treatment and found that
  acupuncture significantly improved their chances
  of conceiving. 42 of the women treated with
  acupuncture became pregnant, compared to 26 of
  those who did not receive acupuncture treatment.

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• Since then, there have been more studies
  demonstrating the benefits of acupuncture for
  women undergoing IVF treatment. A study (also
  conducted in Germany) showed that women who were
  treated with IVF or intracytoplasmic injections
  and received acupuncture during the second half
  of their menstrual cycle (i.e. the luteal phase)
  had higher rates of both conception and
  continued pregnancy. A Danish study showed that
  conception rates were maximised if acupuncture
  treatments were received on the embryo implanted
  in the uterus.
• Their research also showed that neither the
  conception rate nor the continuation rate
  increased if acupuncture treatments were
  repeated two days later. The researchers believe
  that acupuncture may help to increase the amount
  of blood flowing to the uterus and relaxes
  muscle tissue, therefore increasing the chances
  of successful embryo implantation.

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Acupuncture can increase sperm count and
viability

• Acupuncture may be helpful for male infertility
  as well. Regular acupuncture treatments have
  been shown to increase sperm count and improve
  sperm motility (i.e. the ability of sperm to
  travel) in men with fertility problems.
• However, the results are not always as dramatic.
  To increase the likelihood of pregnancy
  naturally, acupuncture treatments need to
  increase a man's sperm count to a level
  sufficient for conception, which means that he
  should ejaculate at least 10- 12 million viable
  sperm each time.

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• For couples considering assisted reproductive
  treatment, a study published in 2005 suggests
  that acupuncture does improve sperm quality.
  Researchers separately analysed the sperm status
  of men with unknown causes of infertility before
  and after acupuncture treatment, and they found
  that acupuncture was associated with both a
  reduction in sperm structural defects and an
  increase in the number of normal sperm.

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There are other studies on acupuncture and
fertility

• Acupuncture may improve sperm quality and count
  the number of infertile men.
• Acupuncture may improve the inner lining of the
  uterus, including increasing blood flow to the
  uterus.
• Acupuncture may help regulate hormone levels,
  particularly gonadotropin-releasing hormone,
  which in turn may improve ovulation rates.
• Acupuncture can help women with PCOS and
  anovulatory cycles.
• Acupuncture can help those with thyroid
  problems. (And thyroid problems can lead to
  fertility problems.)
• Acupuncture may increase the number of follicles
  produced during IVF treatment.

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Du Mai ??

• Du means to superintend, oversee.
• Tonifies Kidney Yang
• Strengthens the back
• Nourishes Brain and Marrow
• Strengthens Mind
• Expels Exterior Wind
• Extinguishes
• Think of Yang in excess what are the Yang
  Pathogens, Yang deficiency leads to Cold. Think
  about the location of the Du. Du Mai is also
  related to acupuncture for hay fever.

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Ren Mai ??

• Meaning of Ren is to take up and official post,
  or let permit someone, to hold someone to the
  chest. Another meaning related to the character
  is the extreme of yin gives birth to yang.
• Regulates the Uterus
• Moves Qi in the lower Jiao.
• Promotes descending of Lung Qi
• Nourishes Yin
• Think about the nature of breathing when you do
  Qi Gong. Strong link to the Du Mai.

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Chong Mai ??

• Chong means thoroughfare
• Controls Blood of the Uterus (round mouth/
  beards eunuch)
• Sea of Blood strong connection to the Stomach
  and Heart (production and movement)
• Downward energy.

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Gynaecology

• Dr. Zhang Congzheng(1156-1228) was the first to
  believe that the Du,Ren and Chong Vessels are 3
  branches of the same source. These vessels
  connect the uterus.
• PCOS with weight gain
• Chong and Ren channel obstruction
• Dai Channel accumulations
• Kidney Deficiency
• Spleen Qi deficiency
• Phlegm-Damp accumulation

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Dai Mai ??

• Dai means belt
• Resolves damp in the lower burner (bai dai
  leucorrhoea)
• Regulates Qi in the legs. (sitting in water, shi
  above xu below)
• Abdominal pain
• Harmonises Liver and Gall Bladder

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Yin Qiao Mai ???

• Qiao means lift a leg or finger, originally stilt
  walker connection, qiao qiao ban seesaw
• Sleep or too sleepy
• Painful red eyes
• Wei syndrome balancing Yin and Yang medial and
• lateral sides
• Lower abdominal pain KI8 the xi cleft point is
  called jiao xin, xinshui means period
• ST 9 connect to the Sea of Qi also think about
  Ren
• Strongly connected to the kidney channel

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Yang Qiao Mai ???

• Sleep mental problem excess of Yang in the head
• Sciatica and the hip
• With Yin Qiao Mai useful for unilateral symptoms
• Strongly connected to the bladder channel

• Yin Wei Mai ???
• Wei means to bind tie up, used to be the rope on
  a sedan chair, maintain, protect
• Stagnation in the chest such as mental
• emotional
• Headaches connect with Yang Wei Mai

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Yang Wei Mai ???

• Intermittent fevers
• Sides of the body
• Ear problems

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Extra Channel Paired Channel Master Point Coupled Point
Ren Mai Yin Qiao LU-7 KI-6
Yin Qiao Ren Mai KI-6 LU-7
Du Mai Yang Qiao SI-3 BL-62
Yang Qiao Du Mai BL-62 SI-3
Dai Mai Yang Wei GB-41 SJ-5
Yang Wei Dai Mai SJ-5 GB-41
Chong Mai Yin Wei SP-4 PC-6
Yin Wei Chong Mai PC-6 SP-4
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LU 7
GB41
KI 6
SJ 5
SI 3
PC 6
SP 4
BL 62