From a western perspective the evidence for treating fibroids is not that good. In a major review undertaken two years ago
http://www.thecochranelibrary.com/userfiles/ccoch/file/Acupuncture_ancient_traditions/CD007221.pdf
the authors concluded that while acupuncture was heavily used in China to treat fibroids, there was not enough research conducted according to the best practice in the West to be able to draw firm conclusions. The same applies to acupuncture for the treatment of (in)fertility. As our own factsheet acknowledges such evidence as there is does not really provide a strong enough foundation to make sustainable claims.
However, one of the great strengths of Chinese medicine is that it operates with an entirely different understanding of pathology and physiology. There are ways in which conditions which are given western labels like 'fibroids' are understood which do not overlap or translate exactly with the western label. Fibroids, for example, are sometimes described as 'Blood stasis' or as manifestations of 'Dampness', and the treatment protocols are aimed at these as systemic problems which manifest in the local disturbance. If the diagnosis is one of 'blood stasis' or 'dampness' there may well be other symptoms and diagnostic signs which confirm this pattern.
As far as fertility is concerned, much the same reasoning applies. The Chinese took the simplistic, but effective, view that if everything was in balance, then natural processes should happen without problem. If a natural process like conception did not function, then it was simply a matter of correcting the overall balance and letting nature take its course. Even if there are specific symptoms which are implicated in the failure to conceive, these may still be best understood as part of an overall pattern and treated accordingly.
Our one word of caution is that the acupuncture treatment of fertility issues, especially related to assisted reproduction such as IVF and ICSI, has become a growth industry over the last few years, and alongside BAcC members many other individuals and clinics have set up which often charge extremely high fees for treatment which is no better than that offered by any BAcC member. While we do not recognise specialisms, there are many BAcC members who focus their work on fertility and pregnancy issues, and often have a wealth of additional background knowledge in these areas. For women undergoing IVF and ICSI this understanding can be a valuable addition to the work that a BAcC member does. The acupuncture treatment itself, however, is based on principles over 2000 years old which underpin the work of all BAcC members.
