Combining traditional Chinese medicine and a Western treatment results in a significant increase in fertility in women hoping to become pregnant according to study results from Tel Aviv University.

Out of women who received the combined therapy, over 65 percent were able to conceive, compared to just 39 percent of patients who only underwent the Western-style intrauterine insemination infertility treatment.

Traditional Chinese medicine included weekly sessions of acupuncture and a regime of powdered or raw Chinese herbs such like PeoniaAlbae and Chuanxiong.

Lead researcher Dr. Shahar Lev-Ari of TAU's Sackler Faculty of Medicine followed the progress of 29 women who received the combined therapy, and 94 women who underwent IUI treatment alone.

According to Lev-Ari, traditional Chinese medicine is aimed at correcting imbalances in the body's natural energy flow, promoting an overall sense of well-being, which can affect the ovulation and menstrual cycle, enhance blood flow to the uterus, and enhance endorphin production and secretion to inhibit the central nervous system and induce calm - all of which can contribute to successful conception.

The results are published in the Journal of Integrative Medicine.