Fertility Updates and Information:

1.Folic Acid Supports Sperm
A study analyzed nutrient intake and sperm health in 89 healthy men. Those with the highest folate intake had the lowest incidence of chromosomally-abnormal sperm - up to 30 percent less than the low folate group. This is one of the first studies to find a relationship between folate intake and male reproductive health. Other nutrients, including beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, and zinc had no effect on chromosome defects.

Young SS, Eskenazi B, Marchetti FM, et al. The association of folate, zinc and antioxidant intake with sperm aneuploidy in healthy non-smoking men. Human Reproduction 2008; p 1-9.


2.Reduction of blood flow impedance in the uterine arteries of infertile women with electroacupuncture.
In order to assess whether electro-acupuncture (EA) can reduce a high uterine artery blood flow impedance, 10 infertile but otherwise healthy women were treated with Electroacupuncture in a prospective, non-randomized study. Compared to the mean baseline uterine artery pulsatory index was significantly reduced both shortly after the eighth EA treatment and 10-14 days after the EA period . It is suggested that these effects are due to a central inhibition of the sympathetic activity.

Stener, Victorin et al. Reduction of blood flow in the uterine arteries of infertile women with electroacupuncture. Human Reproduction 1996; June 11(6) p 1314-7.


3.Influence of acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in patients who undergo assisted reproduction therapy.
To evaluate the effect of acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in assisted reproduction therapy (ART) two groups were compared. One group of patients received acupuncture treatment shortly before and after embryo transfer with a control group receiving no acupuncture. Clinical pregnancy was defined as the presence of a fetal sac during an ultrasound examination 6 weeks after embryo transfer. Clinical pregnancies were documented in 34 of 80 patients (42.5%) in the acupuncture group, whereas pregnancy rate was only 26.3% (21 out of 80 patients) in the control group. Acupuncture seems to be a useful tool for improving pregnancy rate after ART.

Paulus, We et al. Influence of acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in patients who undergo assisted reproduction therapy.  Fertility and Sterility. 2002; April 77(4)  p 721-4.


4.Quantitative evaluation of spermatozoa ultrastructure after acupuncture treatment for idiopathic male infertility
To evaluate the ultramorphologic sperm features of idiopathic infertile men after acupuncture therapy twenty eight  patients received acupuncture twice a week over a period of 5 weeks. The samples from the treatment group were randomized with semen samples from  12 men in the untreated control group. Statistical evaluation showed a statistically significant increase after acupuncture in the percentage and number of sperm without ultrastructural defects in the total ejaculates. A statistically significant improvement was detected in acrosome position and shape, nuclear shape, axonemal pattern and shape, and accessory fibers of sperm organelles. However, specific sperm pathologies in the form of apoptosis, immaturity, and necrosis showed no statistically significant changes between the control and treatment groups before and after treatment. 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, although we did not identify specific sperm pathologies that could be particularly sensitive to this therapy.

Pei, J et al. Quantitative evaluation of spermatozoa ultrastructure after acupuncture treatment for idiopathic male infertility.  Fertility and Sterility. 2006; February 175(2)  p 7663-4.



Pregnancy

1.Caffeine Doubles Miscarriage Risk.
Women who drink 200mg or more per day of caffeine during pregnancy have almost double the risk of miscarriage compared to women who stay away from such drinks. The link between caffeine and the risk for miscarriage is not new. In fact, there have been more than a dozen studies on the issue in recent years

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.


2.Maternal DHA Intake Supports Fetal and Infant  Neurodevelopment
The supply of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) important for fetal/infant neurodevelopment, depends on the maternal fatty acid status. A dose of 200 mg/day DHA from mid-pregnancy through lactation seems appropriate to improve the DHA status of mothers and infants

Bergmann, RL. et al. Supplementation with 200 mg/Day Docosahexaenoic Acid from Mid-Pregnancy through Lactation Improves the Docosahexaenoic Acid Status of Mothers with a Habitually Low Fish Intake and of Their Infants. Ann Nutr Metab.2008 Apr 29;52(2):157-166.

3.Acupuncture plus moxibustion to resolve breech presentation: a randomized controlled study.

In many Western countries breech presentation is an indication for elective Cesarean section. In order to correct fetal presentation, the stimulation of the acupoint BL67 by moxibustion, acupuncture or both has been proposed. Since no studies had previously been carried out on Western populations, pregnant Italian women at 33-35 weeks gestational age carrying a fetus in breech presentation were enrolled in a randomized, controlled trial involving an active BL67 point stimulation and an observation group.  A total of 240 women at 33-35 weeks of gestation carrying a fetus in breech presentation were randomized to receive active treatment  of acupuncture plus moxibustion or to be assigned to the observation group. Bilateral acupuncture plus moxibustion was applied at the BL67 acupoint (Zhiyin). At delivery, the proportion of cephalic version was lower in the observation group (36.7%) than in the active-treatment group (53.6 %) (p = 0.01). Hence, the proportion of Cesarean sections indicated for breech presentation was significantly lower in the treatment group than in the observation group (52.3% vs. 66.7%, p = 0.03). Acupuncture plus moxibustion is more effective than observation in revolving fetuses in breech presentation. Such a method appears to be a valid option for women willing to experience a natural birth.