Jenny Crissman MS L. Ac.
If you or someone you know are experiencing difficulty getting pregnant with either known causative factors or unexplained infertility- Acupuncture can help! Acupuncture can increase fertility by reducing stress, increasing blood flow to the reproductive organs and balancing the endocrine system. Among many other benefits, acupuncture can provide better blood flow to the ovaries and uterus, creating a stronger chance for an egg to be nourished and carried to term.
Women of all ages are using acupuncture to enhance their conception process. It can be the sole method of intervention or it can work adjunctly with all types of Western fertility treatments: Clomid, IUI, IVF. As well as treating the complications of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Anovulation and Endometriosis.
One of the ways acupuncture infertility treatments increase fertility is by reducing stress. When people are under stress, the hormone cortisol is released in the brain. This alters the brain's neurochemical balance. Cortisol negatively effects hormone levels and disrupts the pituitary balance that is key to the reproductive cycle. Because of the delicate balance between the hypothalamus, pituitary, and reproductive glands, stress is capable of preventing a woman from ovulating entirely. This can contribute to the cause of female infertility.
Acupuncture is a process-oriented method of medical intervention. Each treatment builds on the prior treatments creating the ultimate desired effect. I encourage women to start treatment at least 3 months prior to trying to conceive. If it is not possible to get started early with acupuncture treatments, then at the very least, use it simultaneously with Western fertility interventions to create an exponential effect.
Two areas that appear to be more consistently helped by acupuncture treatments are in vitro fertilization and women who are infertile due to Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.
Two studies -- one in Acupuncture in Medicine and the other in the Journal of Endocrinological Investigation -- found a benefit when acupuncture was used on the day an embryo was transferred into a woman's uterus.
The study from the Journal of Endocrinological Investigation also found that women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and men who had infertility issues with no known cause also benefited from acupuncture.
Publication: Fertility and Sterility, American Society for Reproductive Function
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2005.08.070
In practice sometimes both acupuncture and herbs are used to help balance hormones and enhance both male and female neuroendocrine functions!
My personal philosophy and practice are orientated to first creating systemic wellness for the woman trying to conceive. She must first be well in body, mind and spirit. Simultaneously we work on regulating the cycle and fortifying the ovulation and conception phases. If currently undergoing IVF or IUI we absolutely treat on the the day of the insemination or transfer, ideally both before and after.
I also encourage the use of a good Whole Food Prenatal:
Rainbow Light Prenatal
http://www.rainbowlight.com/prenatal-vitamins-prenatal-one-multivitamin.aspx
Garden of Life Raw Prenatal
http://www.gardenoflife.com/Products-for-Life/Vitamin-Code/Multivitamin-Formulas/RAW-Prenatal.aspx
New Chapter Perfect Prenatal:
http://www.newchapter.com/content/perfect-prenatal%E2%84%A2-multivitamin
If you are ready to conceive and having difficulty- get the help you need!