NEWS, NEWS NEWS

NEWS 67 OCTOBER 2001

ACUPUNCTURE & IVF

6 female patients being treated for infertility by in vitro fertilisation were referred to acu-
puncture due to difficulty with follicle production despite maximum gonadotropin
therapy. Acupuncture was given at the same time that they began follicle-stimulating
hormone injections: 3 or 4 twice-weekly treatments, on days 1-3, 4-6, 7-9 and in some cases
9-11, with the final treatment on the day of or prior to egg retrieval. Points Mingmen DU-4,
Shenshu BL-23 were used at every treatment, whilst points Gongsun SP-4 with Neiguan P-
6, and Zhaohai KID-6 with Lieque LU-7 were alternated. Additional points were added on
an individual basis, including Taichong LIV-3, Guanyuan REN-4, Qihai REN-6, Ganshu
BL-18, Pishu BL-20, Kunlun BL-60 and Shenmai BL-62. Three of the women produced
more follicles with acupuncture than prior to acupuncture (mean number of follicles with
acupuncture was 11.3 vs 3.9 prior to acupuncture; P=.005). All 3 became pregnant al-
though only 1 continued the pregnancy past the 1st trimester. None of the women became
pregnant during the non-acupuncture cycles. The authors conclude that acupuncture may
be a useful adjuvant to gonadotropin therapy among women undergoing intracytoplasmic
sperm injection. (Acupuncture Treatment For Infertile Women Undergoing Intracytoplas-
mic Sperm injection, Emmons, S., Patton, P. Medical Acupuncture, Vol.12 / No.2).

MILK & BREAST CANCER

A recent study has found that drinking milk may prevent breast cancer. The study which
followed 48,844 premenopausal women in Norway, found that women who drank milk as
a child and who currently drink at least 3 glasses of milk a day had half the rate of breast
cancer compared to women not drinking milk. According to the authors, “The results are
consistent with other scientific evidence that has shown animal products, including milk,
contain factors that may inhibit the cancer process”. One possible anti-cancer factor found
in milk fat is CLA (conjugated linoleic acid). A recent Finnish study found that women
with breast cancer had significantly lower levels of CLA in their diets and blood compared
to women without cancer. CLA has also been shown in previous studies to block the local
growth and spread of breast cancer in animal studies. A previous study published in the
British Journal of Cancer in 1996 showed that the women who consumed the most milk had
less than half the risk of breast cancer compared to women consuming the least milk.
(Hjartaker, A., Laake, P. and Lund, E. Childhood and adult milk consumption and risk of
premenopausal breast cancer in a cohort of 48,844 women - the Norwegian women and
cancer study. International Journal of Cancer. 2001; 93: 888-893).