Infertility and How Acupuncture Can Help
You don’t have to look far to find a couple enduring the heartache of infertility. For those who have struggled to get pregnant it can be an incredibly lonely and exhausting endeavor, made all the more frustrating when reproductive tests come back normal. Over my 12 years of practice I’ve had the honor of working with many couples who have turned to Acupuncture to help them conceive. I’ve worked with those undergoing IU and IVF as well as other western fertility enhancements in addition to those trying to conceive naturally.
Did you know that many of the nation’s fertility clinics highly encourage their patients to undergo regular Acupuncture throughout the duration of their fertility treatments. Many fertility clinics even have Acupuncturists onsite in order to enhance the success rates of their IVF and IU treatments. Acupuncture has been shown through several medical trials to encourage the success rate of conception in these procedures by at least 30%, so it’s no wonder that Western Fertility doctors are such big fans of Chinese Medicine.
Three Ways Acupuncture Enhances Fertility
Enhances Blood Flow: Acupuncture has been shown to enhance blood flow to the uterus and ovaries which in turn helps the endometrium develop and thicken, making it more receptive to an embryo.
Balances Hormones and Menstrual cycle: Acupuncture balances the endocrine system, by stimulating the release of neurotransmitters and endorphins. Beta endorphin levels regulate a woman’s follicle stimulating hormone or FSH which are necessary for the growth of follicles and eggs in the ovaries. Acupuncture has also been shown to have a dramatic effect on insulin resistance in the case of PCOS where by improving insulin resistance it normalizes reproductive hormones and ovulation.
Reduces Stress: And, most importantly, Acupuncture helps to reduce the most common culprit in both male and female infertility; stress. While many of my patients come to me with western diagnosis of PCOS, poor sperm mobility or morphology, ovulation issues or luteal phase defect, many come to my office after undergoing tests that have found nothing wrong with their reproductive health. We seem to constantly overlook the profound impact stress can have on our fertility. When men and women are under constant stress, the hormone cortisol is released in the brain, altering its neuro-chemical balance and changing hormone levels. These changes can disrupt the very delicate pituitary balance that is key to the reproductive cycle.
Increases the possibility of IVF success: by improving diminished ovarian reserve markers.
Acupuncture also helps with these fertility culprits:
Thyroid issues: Hashimotos and hypothyroidism can play a major role when it comes to infertility and Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine can play a major role in thyroid health and healing.
Spasmed tubes: Can be relaxed with treatments to assist with ovulation.
Frequent miscarriages: by increasing progesterone, Acupuncture has been shown to promote and sustain implantation, resulting in better birth outcomes.
5 Simple ways to increase Fertility right now
Ditch the vitamin I. that’s right fellas, Ibuprofen has been shown in a 2018 Danish study to significantly disturb testosterone production when taken twice daily for more than two weeks at a time. So if you’ve fallen into the habit of popping an ibuprofen or two post bike ride, ski or climb, it’s time to kick that habit fast. Frequent NSAID use in women can also greatly diminish ovulation.
Ditch the smokes; smoking reduces sperm production, mobility, morphology and maturation.
increase your intake of antioxidants: green tea, wild blueberries, dark chocolate, pomegranates, you can also supplement with vitamin c, E and pycnogenol.
COQ10; has been shown to stimulate sperm mobility, and reduces the effects of aging on female eggs resulting in higher egg quality. discontinue taking once pregnant.
Take a prenatal vitamin and eat healthy diet of fresh fruits and veggies and adequate ammounts of protein while ditching the trans fats.