Acupuncture for Fertility |
 |
 |
 |
What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a form of physical medicine that originated in China over 4000 years ago. It uses very thin, sterile needles, inserted into specific points on the body, to manipulate and balance the flow of energy through the body.
How does it work?
Oriental medicine is mainly concerned with the concept of balance. Achieving and maintaining balance is the goal of life. When we are in balance, our bodies function optimally: our organs function well, our sleep is restful, we are resistant to disease, we recover easily from injury, and our reproductive capacity is functional. For a variety of reasons this balance can become disturbed. Imbalance gives rise to symptoms, including Infertility. Acupuncture aims to correct any imbalance, eliminating any and all symptoms that the imbalance caused.
Does it hurt?
It is unfortunate that the needles used in acupuncture share the same name as the needles that we all have experienced during blood draws and injections; because the experience is very different. No one likes needles, because all the needles we have ever experienced hurt. The needles used in acupuncture are much thinner than the needles used for injections or blood draws. In fact, they are only slightly thicker than a strand of hair. Most times, patients do not even feel the needles being inserted. You may feel a little “pinch” as the needle breaks the skin, but that pain usually only lasts one to two seconds. Once the needles are in place, no pain is felt and patients usually enter a state of deep relaxation.
How can acupuncture help with fertility?
Acupuncture can help with all stages in the fertility journey from conception to delivery.
For couples who are trying naturally, acupuncture can help:
-
Regulate the menses - this enables a couple to better predict Ovulation, and it ensures that the woman ovulates at the optimal time.
-
Increase the blood flow to the Uterus and increase the thickness of the endometrial lining – this allows for a more hospitable environment for Implantation.
-
Improve the sperm count, sperm Motility, and the percentage of sperm that are normal within a given ejaculate.
-
Help relieve stress – A study done at the University of California in San Diego showed that high levels of stress can impair a woman’s fertility by as much as 93%.
If you’re going through ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology such as IUI, IVF, donor Cycle, etc), acupuncture can also help:
-
Regulate the hormones (eg: elevated FSH level).
-
Increase the ovarian response and ovarian function to increase the number of follicles and quality of eggs produced.
-
Reduce the side effects of Hormone treatments.
-
Increase and strengthen the immune system.
-
Improve the success rate of IVF – a study done in Germany showed that the addition of two acupuncture treatments increased the success rate of IVF from 26% to 43%. (This was done with two, standardized treatments; done on the day of transfer. Some experts assert that a more thorough course of customized treatments could increase the chances of success by up to 60%).
-
Decrease the chances of miscarriage and increase the rate of live birth.
Once a woman is pregnant, acupuncture can help:
-
Relieve morning sickness.
-
Alleviate back pain.
-
Prevent miscarriage.
-
Correct a breech presentation.
-
Induce labor (when the time is right).
-
Provide anesthesia during delivery.
-
Help with post-partum pain and depression.
-
Regulate lactation.
-
Decrease the chances of miscarriage and increase the rate of live birth.
|
