Alternative Treatments

For couples who are trying to conceive, a variety of alternative treatment options are available.

Some couples choose to pursue these methods independent of mainstream treatments, but many couples prefer to use them in conjunction with mainstream infertility treatments.

• Acupuncture helped Adrien with fertility treatment.

What about vitamins and herbs?

Some people are totally convinced by the use of herbal remedies. Some herbs have been traditionally used for infertility, but the medical jury is still out regarding whether or not they are helpful. In fact, some herbs can actually increase the risk of miscarriage if you are pregnant, or could potentially interact with other infertility treatments you may be undergoing. So it's important to tell your doctor about any and every vitamin and herb you are taking.

Vitamin supplments are of special interest, and there's still much to learn about the role they play in fertility. Some studies demonstrate that certain supplements may be useful in helping to treat infertility. For example, regarding male infertility: One study showed that men who took a combination of acetyl-L-carnitine and L-carnitine (amino acids) had increased sperm motility. This, in turn, resulted in a slight increase in pregnancies among study participants.¹

Another study showed that men with low sperm counts who took vitamin E had a higher rate of fertilization than those who took a placebo (sugar pill).²

Unfortunately, there is not much evidence for women. Additional research needs to be conducted on this subject.

It's important to understand that herbal and nutritional supplements are only partly regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. It's also essential that you tell your doctor about any and every supplement you are taking, since they could potentially interact with other infertility treatments you may be undergoing.

Acupuncture

As alternative medicine becomes more accepted and widespread, people are increasingly turning to acupuncture either as a replacement or supplement to medical treatment for infertility. An integral part of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture is one of the oldest healing practices in the world. It involves inserting very thin needles into certain body points to improve health and well-being.

Recent scientific studies are revealing that acupuncture may, in fact, offer some fertility benefits to women. One study discovered that treatment with electro-acupuncture induced ovulation in more than one third of patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome.³ Another more recent study found that acupuncture appears to be a useful tool for improving pregnancy rates with patients undergoing assisted reproductive technologies. The data demonstrated that patients who received acupuncture treatments during in vitro fertilization (IVF) experienced higher pregnancy rates than those who did not (42.4% versus 26.3%).⁴

Want more information on acupuncture? Visit these sites:

• Medline Plus Acupuncture Pages
• National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Acupuncture Pages

Talk to your doctor before pursuing any alternative therapies for infertility.

• 1. Balercia G, Regoli F, Armeni T, Koverech A, Mantero F, Boscaro M. Placebo-controlled double-blind randomized trial on the use of L-carnitine, L-acetylcarnitine, or combined L-carnitine and L-acetylcarnitine in men with idiopathic asthenozoospermia. Fertil Steril. 2005;84(3):662-71.
• 2. Kessopoulou E, Powers HJ, Sharma KK, et al. A double-blind randomized placebo cross-over controlled trial using the antioxidant vitamin E to treat reactive oxygen species associated male infertility. Fertil Steril. 1995;64(4):825-31.
• 3. Stener-Victorin E, Waldenström U, Tägnfors U, Lundeberg T, Lindstedt G, Janson PO. Effects of electro-acupuncture on anovulation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2000;79(3):180-188.
• 4. Paulus W, Zhang M, Strehler E, El-Danasouri I, Sterzik K. Influence of acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in patients who undergo assisted reproduction therapy. Fertil Steril. 2002;77(4):721-724.