Official Chiropractor

Updated July 31, 2020

Many couples dream of having children, only to find that the journey to actually getting pregnant can be difficult and unpredictable. There are numerous treatments available for infertility, ranging from shots and steroids to pills and procedures. However, there’s one effective method that is natural—acupuncture. Infertility acupuncture treats many of the causes of infertility and has helped many couples get pregnant without pills or medicine.

Infertility acupuncture can open the door for couples wanting to start a family. Here’s a complete guide with everything you need to know about acupuncture for infertility.

acupuncture session

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture comes from traditional Chinese medicine and involves inserting very thin needles in the skin at strategic points on the body. Acupuncture can help balance a body’s energy, especially when needles are inserted in specific places to stimulate nerves and muscles. Acupuncture is most commonly used to treat pain, but it can also be used on a number of other issues, including infertility.

Acupuncture is a safe procedure that has many benefits. With a proven track record for thousands of years and experienced professionals, acupuncture can add energy and fertility to your life.

Benefits of Acupuncture for Infertility

Acupuncture has been proven to treat many causes for infertility in a natural way and has many other benefits. Acupuncture is a safe, relatively painless procedure that has been shown to be effective for infertility. In fact, a recent German study indicates that combining acupuncture with IVF can increase the success rate by almost 50%.

In recent years through multiple studies, researchers have found that acupuncture is a beneficial treatment for infertility. Although acupuncture cannot treat all the causes of infertility, it proves beneficial to certain causes of infertility. Acupuncture is a safe and non-invasive way to increase fertility for both men and women.

Acupuncture can:

  • Enhance blood flow to the reproductive organs
  • Increase blood flow to the uterine lining, which improves its thickness
  • Help to stabilize hormone levels by influencing hormone regulation centers in the brain
  • Increase ovarian function in women and increase sperm production in men
  • Improve relaxation and reduce stress
  • Improve sleep and digestion

Acupuncture for infertility can be used in both men and women. In women, acupuncture can increase blood flow to the uterus and ovaries, which increases the chance that the egg will be nourished and have a full pregnancy. The goal to boost infertility with acupuncture isn’t just to get pregnant—it’s to stay pregnant and have a healthy, full-term baby.

Trying to get pregnant and being unsuccessful month after month can take an emotional toll on a couple. Acupuncture works wonders for enhancing relaxation and reducing stress. Oftentimes, acupuncture can also help balance your body from the inside out, which can give you added benefits like sounder sleep and improved digestion. A body that is stressed or out of balance can have a harder time getting pregnant. Acupuncture not only helps the reproductive areas of the body, but it also improves overall mental and emotional health and balance, which can also help with infertility.

Acupuncture and Conceiving

Pregnant woman holding her stomach

If you are thinking about trying to conceive, but your menstrual cycles are very irregular, now is the time to come in for acupuncture treatments in Loveland to help regulate your cycles. Weekly acupuncture treatments will help to balance out your hormones and get your cycles more on track. A regular menstrual cycle is key to having proper balance in your body in order to increase your chances of becoming pregnant.

What to Expect with Acupuncture Treatments for Infertility

Acupuncture can be scary for some people, especially people who have never received the treatment before. Although the idea of having things poked in your body can seem painful, acupuncture is actually fairly painless and a relatively easy process. Acupuncture is safe, and most people are surprised at how relaxing a treatment can be.

When you arrive at the acupuncture center, the acupuncturist will sit down with you to discuss your lifestyle, health history, and infertility issues. The acupuncturist may also feel your pulse and examine things like the shape of your tongue and the color of your face. All of these factors influence your treatment and are personalized to provide the best results possible.

The acupuncturist will insert small needles into various places on your body. The needles are fairly painless, but the first time can be slightly uncomfortable due to the new sensation. However, many people say they don’t feel the needles at all. The practitioner may twist the needles slightly or apply heat and then let the needles sit for 10 to 20 minutes while you relax. Once time is up, the needles are removed painlessly. A typical treatment session involves five to 20 needles and takes around 30 minutes. The first appointment will likely take longer due to the initial examination and consultation.

Although the recommended course of action can vary patient to patient, it is encouraged to do one to two acupuncture treatments a week during the initial treatment period (typically two to three months). Regular acupuncture treatments are more effective than only receiving acupuncture one time. The more frequently you receive the treatment, the more your chances of getting pregnant improve.

In addition to acupuncture, a Chinese herbal formula is sometimes suggested as well. Chinese herbs have been used to treat infertility for thousands of years. The unique combination of herbs works well with acupuncture to regulate menstrual cycles, balance hormones, decrease stress, and improve sperm count, among other things. Clinical studies in China found that 70% of infertile couples who took Chinese herbs got pregnant. Think of the herbal formula as a boost to acupuncture treatments and a way to help your body even more. The sooner you start, the more you will increase your chances of becoming pregnant quickly.

acupuncture for infertility

Acupuncture as a Solution to Infertility

How does acupuncture help the chances of conception? Acupuncture increases blood flow and ovarian and follicular function. The increase of blood flow to the endometrium creates a rich thick uterine lining suitable for egg attachment. However, if a woman suffers from Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) or any form of tubal adhesions, then acupuncture cannot prove beneficial. If the source of infertility comes from an under or over-functioning thyroid, which is the most common reason for infertility, then acupuncture can be the solution to infertility problems.

Acupuncture can also help with problems such as spasmed tubes, repeated pregnancy loss, unexplained infertility, Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), and males with sperm-DNA-fragmentations. Acupuncture for infertility is a process-oriented therapy, meaning the more treatments the better results are. Another component that can increase the benefits of acupuncture is the use of herbs. Acupuncture can also benefit and progress to the procedures of insemination, In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), and donor egg transfer.

Acupuncture proves beneficial to turning infertility to fertility. However, the best combination to combat infertility is acupuncture paired with herbs and traditional medicine. With all the disciplines involved, there is a very high chance for success of conception and pregnancy.

Acupuncture Compared to Other Fertility Methods

One of the biggest benefits of acupuncture for infertility compared to other infertility methods like IVF is that acupuncture is completely natural without any chemicals or manmade medicine entering your body. Instead of adding artificial hormones, acupuncture works to balance natural hormones already in the body and created a balanced system that allows for a successful pregnancy.

Many patients continue with IVF and also add acupuncture, which has been proven to make IVF more successful. Even just two acupuncture treatments can increase the chances of a successful pregnancy with IVF.

On its own, acupuncture to increase fertility is also incredibly successful. Acupuncture increases blood flow to the uterus and ovaries, which increases the chance of getting pregnant. It also helps when the uterus wall is too thin, which is a common cause of miscarriage.

That isn’t to say that acupuncture for infertility is always completely successful. It greatly increases the chance of getting pregnant, but a successful pregnancy isn’t guaranteed. Some patients require treatment for months before they get pregnant, and a small number never get pregnant at all.

Acupuncture has been helping couples get pregnant for thousands of years. The proven techniques stimulate the reproductive organs and reduce stress to increase your chances of not only getting pregnant but of carrying the baby for a full, healthy pregnancy. Acupuncture is an effective way to treat infertility without adding medicines and more dangerous treatments. To get started on your journey out of infertility, contact an acupuncture specialist today.