Fertility is not always an easy subject to tackle. It’s incredibly nuanced, personal, and emotional. For many women their ability, or lack thereof, to conceive is a point of contention. Luckily, being treated with traditional Chinese medicine practices can help improve the health of your body and aid in increasing fertility without intrusive and expensive treatments typically prescribed by way of western medicine. 

Traditional Chinese medicine has a premise rooted in treating the body holistically, and energetically. One of the most common TCM treatments known and practiced in the western world is acupuncture. 

Acupuncture is widely regarded as an affected method to treat a myriad of different ailments in the body. Hundreds of clinical studies have been on the potency of acupuncture and it’s efficacy in treating conditions ranging from musculoskeletal problems (back pain, neck pain, and others) to nausea, migraine headaches, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and infertility.

We love acupuncture for all of those reasons! But since we’re talking about infertility, let’s dive deeper into why we recommend acupuncture as an incredible option for increasing your chances of conceiving. 

Studies have show that acupuncture can:

• Support the body in each phase of the menstrual cycle

• Balance hormone levels and regulate your cycle, especially after hormone therapy, such as after prolonged use of hormonal birth control

• Improves the lining of the endometrium

• Increase blood flow to the uterus to support implantation (IVF)

• Increase blood flow to the ovaries

• Improve ovarian function and ovulation in patients with PCOS 

• Improve results in each stage of the IVF cycle

• Improve sperm health

• Reduce stress and anxiety associated with infertility

• Reduce side effects of fertility drugs (i.e. bloating, water retention, moodiness, headaches)

Acupuncture is clinically proven to successfully assist and treat infertility by supporting all facets of reproductive health. Holistically treating the reproductive organs themselves, but also energetically tending to the emotional health of the individual being treated. 

Stress reduction is a huge factor in healing infertility. The stress hormone called cortisol runs high in a woman’s body during menstruation, and can negatively affect the hormones that control healthy follicle growth and ovulation. Sperm production, quality, and motility are also negatively affected by stress - so this infertility issues are not just exclusive to a woman’s body. TCM works to reduce stress by managing Qi which supports fertility in both partners and a whole bunch of other health benefits.

Working with a TCM doctor and getting acupuncture treatments can alleviate the stress of managing all of the factors that contribute to infertility - making it a super accessible modality, and frankly, a miracle worker for holistic health!