Acupuncture for Fertility
by Yasmin Devji, RAc, North Vancouver Acupuncturist
Many couples today have some issues with conception or reproduction. About half the time, these issues are with the male, while the other half is to do with the female. There are a number of reasons why there may be difficulties, whether the actual issue is with conception, miscarriage, endometriosis, stress, hormonal imbalances or other.
To maximize your chances of getting and staying pregnant, the goal is to optimize fertility in both partners. Improving general health through diet and exercise is the first step. Whether you are striving for a natural conception or an aided one through in vitro fertilization (IVF) or other procedures, acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine can provide complementary treatments to aid the process and maximize your chance of a successful conception.
Can Traditional Chinese Medicine Help?
Acupuncture can provide a safe, natural and effective treatment to aid fertility and improve reproductive health in both men and women. Over several menstrual cycles, acupuncture can help balance your body’s general health and hone in on specific reproductive issues. These may include regulating the menstrual cycle, improving sperm count and motility, decreasing the chance of miscarriage, and increasing uterine blood flow or balancing hormones.
Acupuncture also helps improve the life energy, or “qi” that circulates through the body, allowing blood to move freely, and the body to function well. It can also reduce stress, which is a big reason why many couples have difficulty getting and staying pregnant. In addition, acupuncture has proved to be an effective complementary therapy in aiding IVF and IUI conception by reducing stress, stimulating hormone production and increasing blood flow to the reproductive organs.
It is important to note that when it comes to fertility, acupuncture has a cumulative effect on hormonal changes, so it takes several cycles to correct imbalances. I recommend at least three cycles (12 weeks) of regular treatments in order to get pregnant, and continuing through the first 14 weeks of pregnancy to avoid miscarriages at this delicate stage. The goal is to not only get you pregnant, but also to keep you that way.
However, if several months of acupuncture is not a viable option for you, it may still be worthwhile to have a few sessions right before and after IVF or similar fertility procedures. Your fertility specialist can advise you on the benefits of acupuncture as a complementary treatment.
What Else Can I Do?
In addition to acupuncture, maintaining a good level of general health is important for reproductive health. Having a good diet and regular exercise will help get your body functioning optimally. Reducing the stress for both partners will also help. There are also several foods to avoid, and others to eat which may help, such as nourishing foods like dark coloured beans and berries. Traditional Chinese herbs may also help.
Success Stories
I have been specializing in fertility acupuncture for over five years and during that time, I have been fortunate to see dozens of my clients go from despair and disappointment to joy and happiness from getting pregnant, staying that way, and then having a strong and healthy baby. It brings me the greatest pleasure when I can help his happen. A recent client said:
“I went to see Yasmin once a week for about 3.5 months. It took some time for my body to readjust, but I knew what Yasmin was doing for me would only help and would speed up the process. After about 4.5 months, I am now about 5 weeks pregnant!!” – SM
