Having fertility treatment can be very stressful, and I speak from personal experience. It was my own fertility journey that brought me to acupuncture. The years of trying to conceive naturally, raised hopes, disappointments, endless doctor and specialist appointments and medical procedures might be behind me now, but I still vividly remember the emotional stresses that went hand in hand with it all. For me, it was all worth it in the end and on top of it, the fertility treatments made me go and see an acupuncturist… a turning point, not just for our family, but also for my career. I was fascinated, so went on to study a degree course and have now been supporting couples through their own fertility journey for several years.
I often compare the whole IVF procedure to a hurdle race as stress levels are high at every stage, not just whilst waiting for the end result. You are riding a rollercoaster of emotions, not helped by the fact that taking all the different drugs can make you feel as though your hormones are out of your control. Your partner may feel slightly left out with all the focus on your body. In addition, he too will be desperate for the treatment to work.
Counselling is a very good way of dealing with the emotions of fertility treatment in a safe environment. Ask at your fertility clinic if they have a counsellor available, and if they don’t, speak to your GP. Alternatively, the British Infertility Counselling Association (bica) has a search facility on their website. Complementary medicine can’t unblock tubes or make eggs if you’ve had an early menopause, but it can help get you in the best possible shape to deal physically and mentally with the challenges ahead when trying to conceive. Whilst some studies have shown that moderate stress levels can even be beneficial for success rates in IVF cycles, the often constantly high stress levels during several years are, however, detrimental. Fertility patients are often left feeling out of control and this type of stress plays havoc on health.
Research has shown that acupuncture may benefit stress levels, anxiety disorders and even depression by acting on areas of the brain known to reduce sensitivity to pain and stress. It regulates levels of neurotransmitters and hormones such as serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine, hence altering the brain’s mood chemistry to help to combat negative affective states. Stress activates the sympathetic nervous system, while acupuncture can activate the opposing parasympathetic nervous system, which initiates the relaxation response. Patients often talk of getting into that lovely, almost slightly drowsy, relaxed state. Magic needles!
On top of that, I find that once patients start feeling better, they often find their own strategies to control stress. They also find the strength to address their lifestyle and diet, all important factors in fertility.
You might have heard of clinical trials, of which most seem to suggest that acupuncture may be useful in the embryo transfer stage of IVF, and results in an increased pregnancy rate and a greater number of live births. Please check out the website of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC), for more detailed references to this research. Statistics, protocols and success rates are one thing, however. Traditional acupuncture takes a holistic approach to health and endeavours to re-address the imbalances in each individual. The traditional acupuncturist’s skill lies not just in being aware of the latest research and protocols, but also in identifying the precise nature of the underlying disharmony and selecting the most effective treatment. The choice of acupuncture points will be specific to each patient’s needs.
When I first walked into my acupuncturist’s treatment room 10 years ago, little did I know how it would change my life for the better, and in how many different ways. I still get stressed, of course I do, but I now feel I have the tools to deal with it much better.
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