Many stars swear by acupuncture for assistance in conceiving children and maintaining good health during pregnancy. After years of infertility, popstar Celine Dion combined acupuncture with in-vitro fertilization (IVF) to successfully conceive twins. Dion passed this advice on to Mariah Carey, who attributes acupuncture in helping her conceive her twins in 2010 without having to resort to IVF. Actress Natalie Portman reportedly received acupuncture treatments throughout her pregnancy to reduce stress and promote physical well-being. It is said that Titanic actress Kate Winslet relied on acupuncture to alleviate pain while she was giving birth.
Mechanism
According to Sunita Kapur, senior consultant, Department of Medical Acupuncture at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, acupuncture can stimulate the body’s hormonal system to do what it is supposed to: secrete the right hormones at the right time in a woman’s cycle.
In 2002, a headline appeared on the science pages of many newspapers and on health sites: “Acupuncture could help women undergoing fertility treatment conceive.” Fertility and Sterility, a journal published by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, reported on a study by German researchers investigating the effects of acupuncture on women undergoing IVF. The researchers stimulated acupuncture points that were meant to “relax the uterus according to the principles of traditional Chinese medicine.” Meridians were selected in an effort to create “better blood perfusion and more energy in the uterus.” Ear points were used to stabilise the endocrine system, and points designed to promote patients’ general relaxation and well-being also were chosen. The women in the treated group received one acupuncture session before embryo transfer and one afterward. Ultrasound testing six weeks after embryo transfer revealed that almost twice as many women from the acupuncture group than from the untreated group became pregnant. The two groups and their embryos were quite similar in all respects.
Another study by Cornell University, published in the December 2002 issue of Fertility and Sterility, reported, “The peripheral impact of acupuncture in improving uterine artery blood flow and hence endometrial thickness, provides encouraging data regarding its potential positive effect on implantation of embryo.” Men also can benefit from the pituitary stimulating effects of acupuncture. Acupuncture treatments can improve the concentration, volume, motility and quality of sperms.
For a number of celebrities, acupuncture is a regular part of their health and wellness routine. Jim Carey has been quoted as saying that regular acupuncture treatments have “led to a marked change in my physical vitality and my general state of well-being.” Other stars using acupuncture as a way to maintain health and energy levels include Lucy Lui, Sandra Bullock, and Matt Damon. The popularity of acupuncture is not confined to Hollywood. Many superstar athletes receive acupuncture treatments as a means to recover faster from injuries. The New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants both have acupuncturists on staff to treat players. Dwayne Wade, star NBA player, relies on acupuncture treatments to soothe knee pain.
Starry Acupuncture
After years of infertility, popstar Celine Dion combined acupuncture with in-vitro fertilization (IVF) to successfully conceive twins. Dion passed this advice on to Mariah Carey, who attributes acupuncture in helping her conceive her twins in 2010 without having to resort to IVF. Actress Natalie Portman reportedly received acupuncture treatments throughout her pregnancy to reduce stress and promote physical well-being.
