Acupuncture involves the insertion of ultra-thin, sterile needles into specific points on the body. These points reside on channels called meridians.
Acupuncture can improve circulation, thicken the uterine lining, regulate hormones, boost immunity, reduce stress levels, and decrease the risk of miscarriage. The treatment is an excellent complement to any fertility treatment plan. Keep reading the article below to learn more about Fertility Acupuncture.
Acupuncture has a number of benefits that help improve fertility. It can regulate the female menstrual cycle and promote ovulation; it can also help increase blood flow to the uterus and ovaries to support embryo implantation. It can also reduce stress levels which negatively impact ovulation and fertility. For men, it can help increase sperm count and motility.
Acupucnture for fertility is an ancient, traditional Chinese medicine practice that involves inserting needles into specific points on the body to manipulate energy flow, known as qi. It has been used for over 2000 years to treat various illnesses and disorders. It is thought to increase circulation, boost immunity, and decrease pain and tension in the body. It is also believed to help balance hormones, improve ovulation, promote a healthy uterine lining, and increase fertility in women undergoing IVF.
Studies have shown that acupuncture can significantly improve pregnancy rates in women undergoing IVF. In fact, one study found that acupuncture improved the chances of success by 63%. The most likely explanation is that acupuncture works to stimulate the brain to release feel-good chemicals called endorphins, which are thought to promote conception by stimulating ovulation. It is also possible that acupuncture affects the neuroendocrine system, influencing the areas of the brain involved in hormone production and impacting the three-way axis between the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and ovaries, a constellation that influences egg follicle development, ovulation, and fertility.
In addition, acupuncture is thought to help reduce a woman’s stress levels prior to embryo transfer, which can make the process more successful. It can also be helpful after an embryo transfer, as it can alleviate cramping and discomfort.
Acupuncture is safe to perform during pregnancy, although it’s important to choose a practitioner who is experienced in treating reproductive conditions. It is possible that if the wrong acupuncture points are used during pregnancy, it could cause a miscarriage. However, research shows that when used by a trained fertility acupuncturist, acupuncture for pregnancy is safe and can provide a number of positive benefits. This includes reducing morning sickness and fatigue, which are common early symptoms of pregnancy.
Post-Transfer Treatment
Acupuncture stimulates blood flow to the uterus, helps regulate hormones and balance the endocrine system. It also helps reduce stress levels which can interfere with fertility and reproductive health. As a result, couples that are experiencing difficulty conceiving can benefit from regular acupuncture treatment.
For couples that are undergoing IVF or a donor egg program, a treatment performed just after the embryo transfer is crucial. This acupuncture treatment helps prevent contractions and improves the chances of successful implantation by stimulating the uterus. Acupuncture can also reduce the side effects of IVF medication, including bloating, nausea and mood swings.
In addition to increasing the likelihood of successful implantation, regular acupuncture treatment can reduce the risk of miscarriage. This is due to the fact that acupuncture can help reduce the level of cortisol, a hormone that can increase the likelihood of miscarriage in women who are pregnant or who have recently had a miscarriage.
Acupuncture also helps to boost ovulation rates in women by lowering the level of FSH (follicle stimulating hormone). A study published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that acupuncture treatment done during a cycle of ovarian stimulation and a donor egg transfer increased ovulation rates by 24%.
Another benefit of acupuncture is that it can lower the risk of pregnancy loss during and after an assisted reproductive technique (ART) cycle. This is because acupuncture can help to lower stress levels and decrease the number of irregular menstrual cycles, both of which contribute to early miscarriage in women who are pregnant.
In a stand-out clinical study conducted by Illume Fertility, acupuncture performed prior and during an IVF cycle was shown to significantly increase pregnancy rates. This was attributed to a number of factors, including improved uterine lining and increased blood flow to the uterus.
Acupuncture is safe when used by a trained and certified professional. It is also important to ensure that a person seeking acupuncture for infertility uses a practitioner who has received specific training in fertility care and specializes in working with reproductive endocrinologists. At a minimum, an acupuncturist must be licensed by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which requires them to use sterile, single-use needles.
Post-IVF Treatment
Adding acupuncture to an IVF protocol can increase the chances of pregnancy. Acupuncture treatment has been shown to stimulate egg production and improve uterine lining quality, which can help with implantation.
Acupuncture can also alleviate stress, which is a common cause of infertility. When a woman is stressed her body produces the hormones cortisol and adrenaline, which affect fertility by decreasing reproductive hormone levels. Acupuncture can balance these hormones and reduce inflammation in the uterus.
When a person is considering using acupuncture for fertility, they should find a licensed and experienced practitioner. Acupuncture needles are considered medical devices and must be sterile, nontoxic, and labeled for single use by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Acupuncture is very safe when performed by an experienced, licensed practitioner. Acupuncture practitioners are required to follow strict infection control practices.
In addition to acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine can be used to treat infertility issues. Herbs can be taken as supplements or in a formula, which is a combination of herbs that work together to address the root cause of a person’s imbalance.
Depending on the patient’s constitution and medical history, a treatment plan will be created for each individual. Treatments are scheduled at regular intervals to ensure a consistent and holistic approach to healing. Typically, ten to twelve sessions are recommended for most patients.
Acupuncture is not only used to treat fertility issues but it can be beneficial for other conditions associated with infertility such as ovulation disorders, PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), and anemia. Acupuncture and herbal medicine can be helpful for addressing these conditions as well as preventing them from occurring. However, if these conditions are not treated in a timely manner they can become obstacles to conception. This is why it is so important to seek treatment from an experienced acupuncturist to avoid miscarriage. It is also important to make sure a person is not pregnant before starting acupuncture, as the same points used for fertility can cause miscarriage. The most common sign of a potential miscarriage is bleeding in the first three months of pregnancy.
Post-Conception Treatment
Acupuncture is a safe, drug-free and natural treatment for many fertility issues. This ancient practice relies on the painless, strategic placement of ultra-thin needles in body areas believed to regulate spiritual, mental and emotional balance. Over the centuries, it has been used to treat some causes of infertility and aid all stages of conception.
Acupuncturists believe that acupuncture stimulates and moves Qi (pronounced “chee”), which is the energy that ancient Chinese medicine describes as your essence or life force. This energy is supposed to flow unobstructed from head to toe 24/7, and when it’s blocked or stuck in a particular place in the body, illness or dysfunction occurs. Acupuncture helps to clear the channels so that this vital energy can move freely throughout the body again.
Studies of women who are undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) have shown that acupuncture significantly increases the rate of pregnancy and live birth, when administered prior to and after embryo transfer. Acupuncture is also thought to help increase blood flow to the uterus and reduce a woman’s stress levels after a frozen embryo transfer, which can aid implantation.
In addition, acupuncture has been proven to be effective in reducing the risk of miscarriage. Acupuncture can stimulate the endometrial lining to thicken, improve ovarian function, regulate hormones, boost immunity and lower stress levels, all of which can prevent miscarriage during pregnancy.
While a number of factors contribute to the chances of getting pregnant, the most important one is a woman’s health. In order to achieve the best results, it is essential for a woman to have a balanced diet, exercise regularly and avoid smoking or drinking alcohol.
Acupuncture is very beneficial during the course of trying to conceive, and it’s an ideal complement to a patient’s medical treatment plan.