Welcome to Part II of PCOS, Babies & You

Are you are trying to get pregnant but having problems with regular ovulation or your menstrual cycle? This blog has important information about what is called: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). PCOS directly affects fertility, but here is how acupuncture helps.

There are many fertility blood tests out there. Two important ones are:

• Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and
• Luteinizing Hormone.

These are best drawn on your Cycle Day #3. For the purposes of fertility, it is healthy for your FSH and LH to be in what is called a One to One ratio. So for example: if a woman’s FSH is 6, ideally her LH would also be 6. Women with Polycsytic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) have a much higher LH (often 2-3x more LH) than FSH.

Science shows that acupuncture improves this very important fertility ratio of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing Hormone in your body. ¹ (Please see Part I of this blog for additional information about other signs of PCOS.)

 

Acupuncture is effective for PCOS. Here is how:

Acupuncture promotes ovulation. ²

Acupuncture and Chinese herbs are highly effective in lowering testosterone levels in women with PCOS. ³ (Testosterone is another hormone, which is related to getting pregnant. It is usually high in women with PCOS.)

The results of a clinical trial by a researcher, Shi reflect lowering testosterone levels by 80.6% with Chinese herbs alone and lowering testosterone levels by 93.8%using       both acupuncture and Chinese herbs together.

Acupuncture regulates:

•             Hormone (endocrine) functions (like FSH, LH & Testosterone)
•             Blood sugar levels,
•             Cholesterol (lipid) levels. ⁴

 A study done by the famous infertility researcher, Elisabet Stener-Victorin, states that Acupuncture when received consistently over time has lasting benefits on hormones and ovulation for PCOS. ⁵

PCOS is complicated. It impacts your ovulation, menstrual cycle, fertility hormones as well as blood sugar and cholesterol. Your body is a finely tuned but also delicate operation. Anything that throws wrenches in your gears, distorts your baby making production line. Acupuncture can help you and baby making run more smoothly.

Thank you for reading PCOS, Babies, and You~Parts I & II. All content here is written personally by me in with the goal that it is be helpful to you. Please enjoy and feel free to share with me your thoughts or questions here. As long as you include the link for this blog entry to credit me as the author, it is fine to repost or share this article if you wish. For scheduling information and appointment availability, do please visit my website at: KReynoldsAcupuncture.com.

¹ Pastore, L.M., Williams, C.D., Jenkins, J., Patrie, J.T. (2011). True and sham acupuncture produced similar frequency of ovulation and improved LH to FSH in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 96(10):3143-3150.

 ² Liu, Z.C., Sun, F.M., Zhu, M.H., Wang, X.Z. (2004). Effect of acupuncture on insulin resistance in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. Journal of Acupuncture and Tuina Science, 2(6): 8-11.

³ Shi, Y., Feng, H.J., Liu, H.R., Zhu, D. (2009). Observation on therapeutic effect of acupuncture combined with Chinese herbs on polycystic ovary syndrome of kidney deficiency and phlegm stasis type. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu, 29(2):99-102. Chinese.

⁴ Liu, Z.C., Sun, F.M., Zhu, M.H., Wang, X.Z. (2004). Effect of acupuncture on insulin resistance in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. Journal of Acupuncture and Tuina Science, 2(6): 8-11.

⁵Stener-Victorin, E., Jedel, E., Manneras, L. (2008). Acupuncture in polycystic ovary syndrome: Current experimental and clinical evidence. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 20(3): 290-298.