A Holistic Approach to Fertility Acupuncture

As many concerned couples already know, the stress around trying to get pregnant can be a circular whirlwind, causing more stress when it doesn’t happen, decreasing chances of conception, leading to more stress…you get the picture. And if you’re already caught in this whirl, sorry. Statements like the above don’t automatically make it easier or make it all go away.

But there is hope in various forms of stress management including meditation, physical exercise (which includes, gasp! fun things like dancing), gardening, or simply sitting and watching the sun rise or set as your schedule permits. Aside from the movement part, “stress management” simply means prioritizing, slowing down and taking time to just sit and let the world melt away, if even for five minutes at a time. Especially for five minutes at a time at various parts of the day.

Of course, an article posting of mine would not be complete without mention of how acupuncture fertility treatment can be of huge benefit to any stress reduction regimen. Studies at the University of Maryland have shown that women undergoing IVF were 65 percent more likely to become pregnant when they combined the procedure with acupuncture.

Acupuncture is thought to stimulate blood flow to the uterus and boost the production of endogenous opioids, inducing the body to relax. Fertility acupuncture treatments also allows a woman to take a few minutes to slow down and become aware of the ebbs and flows of energy – the breath and heartbeat – within her own body.

But fertility acupuncture isn’t just for women. A study published in the July 2005 issue of the journal Fertility and Sterility found that acupuncture helped infertile men by apparently helping improve sperm quality in their semen.

Acupuncture was associated with fewer structural defects in the sperm of men who received it, although it had no effect on other abnormalities, such as sperm immaturity or premature death. Previous studies have shown a link between acupuncture and improved sperm production and motility.

Several studies have been done around stress reduction and increased fertility using, guess what? Acupuncture. They state that in 2002 one out of eight couples were experiencing fertility concerns (While that may sound daunting, it is a reminder that you are not alone in this.). While receiving acupuncture treatment and taking on other stress-reducing lifestyle changes, they found fertility concerns lessened. And fertility rates rose.

Along with specific acupuncture fertility treatments, we can work together to look at your unique diet and lifestyle and how to optimize that for your best chances at conceiving.

Remember that treatment doesn’t stop there. Acupuncture is also highly beneficial throughout pregnancy for nausea, back pain and hormonal changes. When you are healthy and balanced, not only does it create ease throughout pregnancy and after the birth of your child, but doesn’t it also make everyone around you happy as well?

 As an experienced Doctor of Acupuncture, I offer a personalized and integrative approach to fertility acupuncture for the residents in and around Great Falls, MT.  Call today for more information.