Many women struggle to conceive naturally, and the use of acupuncture can be very beneficial in this process. The body’s ability to conceive is dependent on a well nourished and balanced system. A healthy lifestyle, with attention to a nutritious diet, regular exercise, and stress reduction, can have a positive effect on women’s fertility. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs have been used for centuries to support fertility and increase a woman’s chance of conception by regulating cycles, reducing stress, balancing hormones and increasing blood flow to the uterus.
Infertility
Many women are faced with the challenges of infertility and acupuncture has successfully treated infertility for thousands of years. With focus on healthy restoration of balance, acupuncture can help:
- Regulate menstrual cycles
- Restore hormone balance
- Increase blood flow to the uterus (thickening the uterine wall, facilitating the implantation of the ovum)
- Decrease stress levels in the body (a surplus of cortisol, a stress hormone, can cause infertility)
- Reduce inflammation
Acupuncture can also benefit male partners by attending to the male factors of infertility. Acupuncture treatments can increase the quality, motility, and healthy production of sperm, making a successful pregnancy more likely.
Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART)
Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can be effectively used before, during and after various methods of ART including: in vitro fertilization (IVF), intractoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), cryopreservation, and intrauterine insemination (IUI). Whether ART is being used due to established problems of conception, or for lesbian couples or single women, acupuncture treatments have been proven to support and increase the effectiveness of alternative methods of conception.
A German study by The Department of Reproductive Medicine in Ulm proved the benefits of acupuncture in supporting Assisted Reproductive Technologies. In the study, a group of 160 women using ART were split into two groups. Half of the women received acupuncture treatments shortly before and after the transfer of the embryo, whereas the other half did not. In the group that received acupuncture, 34 out of 80 patients (42.5%) became pregnant, and only 21 of 80 (26.3%) of the control group achieved pregnancy. The study concluded that acupuncture is an effective means of naturally supporting women undergoing ART. If you are trying to conceive, acupuncture treatment is a wonderful way to support your body’s process and increase the effectiveness of reproductive technologies.