Acupuncture for fertility is an ancient alternative medicine treatment originating from china which is gradually gaining popularity in fertility treatments in western medicine. This treatment uses long hair thin needles that stimulate energy points. These energy points are believed to be very important in ones overall physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. It has been used widely for common ailments like the common cold and back pains.

Choosing acupuncture for fertility

There are many testimonials of women who have used acupuncture for fertility successfully. Needles are placed into specific parts of the body where they relate to the reproductive organs, improving energy flow to the reproductive system. Acupuncture is known to increase the amounts of endorphins that the brain releases. This in turn reduces stress which is a major origin of infertility.

The effectiveness of acupuncture for infertility depends on the cause of the infertility. For example if the man’s sperm count is low, acupuncture will do very little for the woman. While on the other hand if the woman has a damaged uterus or fallopian tubes, acupuncture may not be helpful. However, in the earlier case where the man has a low sperm count, then acupuncture for fertility would be helpful. Acupuncturists recommend the use of other infertility treatments along with acupuncture. For example a woman may use acupuncture along with IVF.

Starting acupuncture treatment

Similar to physical therapy, acupuncture for fertility is a medical intervention method. Patients can be treated about three to four months before conception through in vitro fertilization (IVF), donor egg transfer, or insemination. This early treatment is therapeutic and women are also encouraged to have acupuncture before and after embryo transfer. Treatment is recommended up to the twelfth week of pregnancy to avoid miscarriages which mostly occur within the first three months of pregnancy.

Acupuncture for fertility is used to treat different forms of infertility including spasmed tubes. It is often used with other herbal medications to treat, repeated pregnancy loss, elevated follicles stimulating hormone, idiopathic infertility, polycystic ovarian syndrome, luteal phase defect and other male factors including sperm DNA fragmentation.

Risks in acupuncture

Acupuncture for fertility has no known risks; however, miscarriage risks may be increased if the treatment is carried on for too long into the pregnancy. For this reason a woman who is considering acupuncture for fertility should seek a specialized fertility acupuncturist. Overall acupuncture has no contraindication.

How acupuncture enhances fertility:

Principles of oriental medicine dictate that a person’s health is largely determined by the quality of Qi which is the vital life energy and blood flowing through the body. When blood and Qi are circulating properly the body is well nourished and optimally functional which is fertility enhancing. It has been confirmed that acupuncture helps in the following areas:

• Regulate menstrual cycle

• Normalize endocrine and hormone systems.

• Decreases chances of miscarriages

• Regulates the menstrual cycle

• Reduces anxiety and stress associated with infertility

• Increases blood flow to the uterus

• Increases pregnancy chances in women undergoing IVF.

How much does it cost

Many forms of fertility treatments can be expensive running into thousands of dollars and are typically not covered by most insurance plans. However acupuncture for fertility is relatively affordable ranging from a few hundred to about a thousand dollars.