Use Of Ozone Sauna Therapy In Infertility Treatment
Ozone sauna therapy (OST), or ozone steam sauna, is a form of alternative therapy that involves using ozone gas in combination with steam to create a sauna-like effect. The therapy involves administering medical-grade ozone gas into a sauna chamber encompassing the body. There the ozone gas is mixed with steam while the patient’s head is outside of the sauna. The idea behind this therapy is that ozone, which is a highly reactive form of oxygen, may have a number of health benefits.
Advocates of OST claim that it can help detoxify, improve blood circulation, boost the immune system, and reduce inflammation. However, it is essential to note that the OST is considered an alternative or complementary therapy and lacks extensive scientific evidence to support its efficacy and safety.
The use of OST as a fertility treatment is rather new, and there is only a limited number of published data so far. However, some scientific studies report positive results after using OST as supportive therapy for fertility enhancement [1,2].
In one such study, forty-four women with diminished ovarian reserve underwent their first IVF cycle. Then they had transdermal (through the skin) and intravaginal OST accompanied by a pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF). The alternative treatment was administered twice a week for three weeks. After that, the women underwent another IVF cycle with the same protocol as the first.
The results demonstrated that although there were no significant differences in:
- the number of days of stimulation,
- baseline hormones measured,
- number of oocytes retrieved, or
- peak estradiol levels in both IVF cycles.
However, in the second IVF cycle, there were:
- a remarkably higher number of embryos formed
- a significant increase in the thickness of the endometrial lining was measured, which reached a satisfactory thickness of approximately 7 mm for all participants in the study.
Another research has demonstrated that the OST can have a positive effect on women who suffered from a fallopian tube obstruction. About 60% of the participants in this study, who had surgery to remove the existing tubal occlusion and post-surgery were treated with OST, successfully managed to get pregnant within a year after the intervention.
Often infertility is caused by certain vaginal infections. One study focused on a group of women with fertility problems due to chlamydia, herpes simplex, mycoplasmosis, and other infections. All participants went through a 12-day treatment plan with various ozone therapies, such as minor autohemotherapy with ozonated blood (a small amount of patient’s blood is drawn, enriched with ozone, and returned to the patient), vaginal application with ozonated distilled water, intravenous administration of ozonated isotonic normal saline. At the end of the period, 100% of the women with chlamydia and mycoplasmosis and 71% of those with herpes simplex were completely infection free—moreover, 16% of the infertile participants conceived within three months of the ozone therapy.
It's important to note that the scientific evidence supporting the effectiveness and safety of OST is still limited and sometimes controversial. Ozone gas can be toxic and harmful when inhaled at high concentrations, and there are potential risks associated with its use.
If you are considering ozone sauna therapy or any other alternative treatments, it's crucial to consult a qualified fertility specialist to discuss potential risks, benefits, and alternative options.
Sources:
- Dias AR, Bitsaktsis C, Emdin D, Bosman L, Smith AH, Merhi Z. Ozone sauna therapy and pulsed electromagnetic field therapy could potentially improve outcome in women with diminished ovarian reserve undergoing assisted reproductive technology. Med Gas Res. 2023 Oct-Dec;13(4):202-207
- Merhi Z, Garg B, Moseley-LaRue R, Moseley AR, Smith AH, Zhang J. Ozone therapy: a potential therapeutic adjunct for improving female reproductive health. Med Gas Res. 2019 Apr-Jun;9(2):101-105.
- Chandra-D’Mello R, D’Mello R. Therapy in Female Infertility. 2018.https://medicalozoneresearchinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/ozoneinfertility.pdf
