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Female infertility

Acupuncture Normalizes Dysfunction of Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Ovarian Axis

Conclusions: Observations reveal that acupuncture may regulate the abnormal function of HPOA in many ways.

J.L. Fratterelli, M.R. Leondires, K.Fong, A Theall, S. Locatelli, R.T. Scott, Reproductive Medicine Associates of new Jersey, Morristown, NJ
Acupuncture for Infertility: Is It An Effective Therapy?

Conclusion: Most of the studies suggested that acupuncture plays a positive role in the management of infertility including ovulation dysfunction, IVF-ET, and male infertility. Acupuncture may improve ovulation via modulation of the central and peripheral nervous system, the neuroendocrine and endocrine system, the ovarian blood flow, and metabolism. Acupuncture can improve the outcome of IVF-ET, and the mechanisms may be related to an increased uterine blood flow, inhibition of uterine motility, and a reduction of depression, anxiety and stress. Its effect in modulating immune function also suggests helpfulness in improving the outcome of IVF-ET. Acupuncture may play a positive role in male infertility.

HUANG Dong-mei (黄冬梅)1, HUANG Guang-ying (黄光英)1, LU Fu-er (陆付耳)1, Dieterle Stefan2,3, Neuer Andreas3, and Greb Robert3
Acupuncture improves Clinical Pregnancy Rates (CPR) and Live Birth Rates (LBR) among women undergoing IVF.

Conclusions: Acupuncture improves CPR and LBR among women undergoing IVF based on the results of studies that do not include the Streitberger control. The Streitberger control may not be an inactive control. More positive effects from using acupuncture in IVF can be expected if an appropriate control and more reasonable acupuncture programs are used.

Cui Hong Zheng, M.D.; Ph.D.a, Guang Ying Huang, M.D., Ph.D.a; Ming Min Zhang, M.D., Ph.D.b; Wei Wang, M.D., Ph.D.c.. Fertility and Sterility. 1-11-2012.
Acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer significantly improves the reproductive outcome in infertile women: a prospective, randomized trial

 Conclusions:

Lars G. Westergaard, M.D., Ph.D.,a Qunhui Mao, M.D.,b Marianne Krogslund,a Steen Sandrini,c
Suzan Lenz, M.D., Ph.D.,a and Jørgen Grinsted, M.D., Ph.D.a
Acupuncture and Poor IVF Responders: A Cure?

Conclusion:This study is the first to demonstrate that the use of acupuncture in patients with poor prognoses (elevated Peak FSH, longer history of infertility, poor sperm morphology) can achieve similar pregnancy rates to normal prognosis patients

P.C. Magarelli, D.K. Cridennda. Reproductive Medicine & Fertility Center, Colorado Springs, CO.

Male infertility

Does acupuncture treatment affect sperm density in males with very low sperm count? A pilot study.

It is concluded that acupuncture may be a useful, nontraumatic treatment for males with very poor sperm density, especially those with a history of genital tract inflammation.

Siterman S, Eltes F, Wolfson V, Lederman H, Bartoov B.
Source: Institute of Chinese Medicine, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Can Walnuts Boost Male Fertility?

 By Dr. Carmelo Sgarlata

In a recent article in the journal Biology of Reproduction, healthy young men exhibited a small but statistically significant improvement in sperm health after adding walnuts to their diet.

Conclusions
The authors conclude that walnuts improved sperm development and function. Walnuts were also associated with increases in omega-3 ALA and omega-6 fatty acids. While walnuts appear to improve sperm function and development, it is not currently known if walnuts will help improve male fertility and improve birth outcomes. Further research is required.
Soy food and isoflavone intake in relation to semen quality parameters among men from an infertility clinic

Conclusions: These data suggest that higher intake of soy foods and soy isoflavones is associated with lower sperm concentration.

Jorge E. Chavarro, Thomas L. Toth, Sonita M. Sadio and Russ Hauser
Quantitative evaluation of spermatozoa ultrastructure after acupuncture treatment for idiopathic male infertility

Conclusions: The treatment of idiopathic male infertility could benefit from employing acupuncture. A general
improvement of sperm quality, specifically in the ultrastructural integrity of spermatozoa, was seen after
acupuncture.

Jian Pei, Ph.D.,a,b Erwin Strehler, M.D.,b Ulrich Noss, M.D.,c Markus Abt, Ph.D.,d
Paola Piomboni, Ph.D.,e Baccio Baccetti, Ph.D.,e and Karl Sterzik, M.D.b

 
Effects of glycol ethers on male fertility

Conclusions: Glycol ether exposure was related to low motile sperm count in men attending fertility clinics. This suggests that, at the time of the study, glycol ethers continued to be a hazard for male fertility. 

Nicola Cherry, Harry Moore, Roseanne McNamee, Allan Pacey, Gary Burgess, Julie-Ann Clyma, Martin Dippnall, Helen Baillie, Andrew Povey

Pregnancy

Acupuncture for Depression During Pregnancy

Conclusions: acupuncture holds promise for the treatment of depression during pregnancy.

Manber R, et al. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University. 401, Quarry Rd., Stanford, CA 94305, United States
Acupuncture for cervical ripening and induction of labor at term--a randomized controlled trial.

Conclusions: Acupuncture at points LI4 and SP 6 supports cervical ripening at term and can shorten the time interval between the EDC and the actual time of delivery.

Rabl M, Ahner R, Bitschnau M, Zeisler H, Husslein P., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Vienna, Austria.
Acupuncture for Cervical Maturation

Conclusions: This protocol showed that it was possible to improve cervical maturation if acupuncture sessions were carried out at the beginning of the 9th month.

by Tremeau ML; Fontanie-Ravier P; Teurnier F; Demouzon J.
Acupuncture and care interventions for the relief of inflammatory symptoms of the breast during lactation

 

KEY CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

If acupuncture treatment is acceptable to the mother, this, together with care interventions such as correction of breast feeding position and babies' attachment to the breast, might be a more expedient and less invasive choice of treatment than the use of oxytocin nasal spray. Midwives, nurses or medical practitioners with specialist competence in breast feeding should be the primary care providers for mothers with inflammatory symptoms of the breast during lactation. The use of antibiotics for inflammatory symptoms of the breast should be closely monitored in order to help the global community reduce resistance development among bacterial pathogens.

 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Floor 2, Helsingborg Hospital, Helsingborg, SE-251 87 Sweden. linda.kvist@helsingborgslasarett.se
Acupoint Stimulation Can Help Induce Labor

Conclusions: The authors’ experience indicates that acupuncture can be helpful in accelerating the dilation of the cervix: the treatment is effective in about 75% of patients.

Allais, G., et al. Acupuncture in labor management. Minerva ginecologica 55(6): 503-10.

Injuries and pain

Effectiveness of Acupuncture as Adjunctive Therapy in Osteoarthritis of the Knee

Conclusions: Acupuncture seems to provide improvement in function and pain relief as an adjunctive therapy for osteoarthritis of the knee when compared with credible sham acupuncture and education control groups.

Brian M. Berman, MD; Lixing Lao, PhD; Patricia Langenberg, PhD; Wen Lin Lee, PhD; Adele M.K. Gilpin, PhD; and Marc C. Hochberg, MD
Acupuncture versus metoprolol in migraine prophylaxis: a randomized trial of trigger point inactivation.

Conclusions. Trigger point inactivation by dry needling is a valuable supplement to the list of migraine prophylactic tools, being equipotent to metoprolol in the influence on frequency and duration (but not severity) of attacks, and superior in terms of negative side-effects.

Hesse J, Mogelvang B, Simonsen H. Journal of Internal Medicine. 1994; 235: 451-456. 
Acupuncture Relieves Gynecologic Surgery Pain

 Acupuncture reduces post-operative pain following gynecologic and abdominal surgeries. A new study published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology concludes that, “Pain control after hospital discharge is suboptimal for many women after both vaginal and abdominal surgery.” The researchers add that there is a need to improve post-operative at-home pain control measures, “Given increasingly rapid hospital discharge….” Acupuncture helps to improve recovery times and improves at-home pain control.
Acupuncture for Migraine and Recurrent Headaches

Conclusions: Acupuncture fared most favorably when compared to sham treatments. Nine of the 14 trials comparing true and sham acupuncture in migraine and tension-type headache patients either "showed trends in favor of acupuncture" or had patients who "did significantly better than those in the sham acupuncture group."
Acupuncture is as effective as low-dose prednisolone for mild-to-moderate carpal tunnel syndrome.

Conclusions: Short-term acupuncture treatment is as effective as short-term low-dose prednisolone for mild-to-moderate CTS. For those who do have an intolerance or contraindication for oral steroid or for those who do not opt for early surgery, acupuncture treatment provides an alternative choice.

Abstract Source: Clin J Pain. 2009 May;25(4):327-33. PMID: 19590482
Abstract Author(s):Chang MH, Hsieh CL, Hwang KL, Li TC, Wang NH, Yang CP, Yu SC

General Health

A study of a Chinese herbal medicine preparation for moderate to severe menopausal symptoms and quality of life in postmenopausal women

Conclusions: DBT preparations at 6.0 g/day significantly improve physical and psychological scores and significantly reduce vasomotor symptoms from baseline. The treatment was well tolerated, with no serious adverse events noted during the 12-week intervention period. The changes do not affect hormones and lipid profiles.

Wang, Chi Chiu MD, PhD; Cheng, King Fai MD; Lo, Wing Man RN; Law, Cindy BNurs; Li, Lu MD, PhD; Leung, Ping Chung MD; Chung, Tony Kwok Hung MD; Haines, Christopher John MD
Women with PCOS benefited from acupuncture

 Acupuncture and physical activity improved hormone levels and menstrual patterns in women with polycystic ovary syndrome, according to a study conducted by researchers in Sweden.

Jedel E. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2011;300:37-45.
The efficacy of acupuncture in treating urge and mixed incontinence in women: a pilot study

Conclusions:  Subjects randomized to the true acupuncture group had a mean 63.30% (median = 65.99%) reduction in daytime accidents/day at 1 week postacupuncture and 67.47% reduction (median = 75.76%) at 4 weeks postacupuncture. In contrast, the mean reduction in daytime accidents was 18.88% (median = 19.64%) at 1 week and 16.67% (median = 0%) at 4 weeks post-sham acupuncture.

J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2009 Nov-Dec;36(6):661-70. 
 
Depression and Acupuncture: A Controlled Clinical Trial

Conclusions: In this study, based on a small outpatient sample of women with major depression, it appeared that acupuncture provided significant symptom relief at rates comparable to standard treatments such as psychotherapy or pharmacotherapy. The effect sizes observed in this small sample were at least as large or larger than those seen in trials of antidepressant medication or psychotherapy, and they suggest that a larger clinical trial is warranted.

 

by John J.B. Allen, Ph.D.

March 2000, Vol. XVII, Issue 3

 
Acupuncture for the Treatment of Vasomotor Symptoms in Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Hormone Suppression Treatment

Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that adding acupuncture to breast cancer treatment regimens may establish an integrative approach that is more effective in managing symptoms due to treatment with fewer side effects than conventional pharmacotherapy treatment.

E. M. Walker1, A. I. Rodriguez2, B. Kohn2, J. Pegg1, R. M. Bell2, R. A. Levine2

Breast Cancer

TCM Aand Radiotherapy

Recovery of the hematopoietic system by Si-Jun-Zi-Tang in whole body irradiated mice.
Hsu HY, Yang JJ, Lian SL, Ho YH, Lin CC.

Source: School of Technology for Medical Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical College, Taiwan, R.O.C.
New meta-analysis shows carotenoids (e.g., carrots, pumpkin, green beans, etc.) protective against breast cancer.

The purpose of this article is to comprehensively summarize the associations between carotenoids and breast cancer and quantitatively estimate their dose-response relationships.

Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2012 Jan;131(1):239-53. Epub 2011 Sep 7.
Mammographic Breast Density and Subsequent Risk of Breast Cancer in Postmenopausal Women According to Tumor Characteristics

 Conclusions

The findings suggest that higher mammographic density is associated with more aggressive tumor characteristics and also with in situ tumors.

 Affiliations of authors: Department of Surgery, Division of Public Health Sciences, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, St Louis, MO (LY, GAC); Division of Epidemiology, Department of Health Sciences Research, Institute for Public Health, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO (GAC); Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (LCC, SJS); Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (BR, RMT); Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN (CV) 
Correspondence to: Rulla M. Tamimi, ScD, Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 181 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115 (e-mail: nhrmt@channing.harvard.edu). 
Healthy lifestyle on the risk of breast cancer

CONCLUSIONS:
Healthy lifestyle was associated with a reduction in the odds of having breast cancer. Primary prevention of this disease should be promoted in an integrated manner. Effective strategies need to be identified to engage women in healthy lifestyles.

Source: Centro de Investigación en Salud Poblacional, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
Electroacupuncture Reduces Breast Cancer Hot Flashes

CONCLUSION:
Electro-acupuncture is a possible treatment of vasomotor symptoms for women with breast cancer and should be further studied for this group of women.

Source Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University Hospital of Linköping, Sweden.

Massage

Stable Preterm Infants Gain More Weight and Sleep Less after Five Days of Massage Therapy

 Conclusion:

Stable preterm infants gained more weight and slept less after five days of massage therapy than infants who did not receive massage, according to a recent study.

- Source: Touch Research Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine, and the Center for Prenatal Assessment and Human Development, Emory University, with support from Johnson and Johnson. Authors: John N.I. Dieter, Ph.D.; Tiffany Field, Ph.D.; Maria Hernandez-Reif, Ph.D.; Eugene K. Emory, Ph.D.; and Mercedes Redzepi, Psy.D. Originally Published in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 2003, Vol. 28, No. 6, pp. 403-411."Stable Preterm Infants Gain More Weight and Sleep Less after Five Days of Massage Therapy" was conducted by staff at the Touch Research Institutes, University of Miami School of Medicine; and the Center for Prenatal Assessment and Human Development, Emory University.
Sleep problems in infants decrease following massage therapy

 Conclusion:
Infants who were massaged before bedtime showed fewer sleep delay behaviors than the non-massaged control group.

Field, T., & Hernandez-Reif, M., (2001). Sleep problems in infants decrease following massage therapy. Early Child Development and Care, 168, 95-104.

 
Pregnancy massage reduces prematurity, low birthweight and postpartum depression

 Conclusion: Depressed prenatal women who received massage therapy in addition to psychotherapy showed a greater decrease in depression and anxiety levels as well as a greater decrease in cortisol levels.

Field, T., Deed, O., Diego, M., Gualer, A., Sullivan, S., Wilson, D. & Nearing, G. (2009). Benefits of combining massage therapy with group interpersonal psychotherapy in prenatally depressed women. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therpies, 13, 297-303.
Pregnancy massage reduces prematurity, low birthweight and postpartum depression

 Conclusion:

Depressed prenatal women who received massage therapy in addition to psychotherapy showed a greater decrease in depression and anxiety levels as well as a greater decrease in cortisol levels.


Field, T., Deed, O., Diego, M., Gualer, A., Sullivan, S., Wilson, D. & Nearing, G. (2009). Benefits of combining massage therapy with group interpersonal psychotherapy in prenatally depressed women. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therpies, 13, 297-303.
Pregnancy and labour massage therapy

Conclusion:

Women who received massage therapy reported decreased depression, anxiety, and leg and back pain. Cortisol levels decreased and, in turn, excessive fetal activity decreased, and the rate of prematurity was lower in the massage group. In a study of labor pain, women who received massage therapy experienced significantly less pain, and their labors were on average 3 h shorter with less need for medication. An underlying mechanism we have been exploring is that these effects are mediated by increased vagal activity.

 

Field, T. (2010). Pregnancy and labor massage therapy. Expert Review of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 5, 177-181.

 
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