Infertility is not as uncommon as you might think. In America, one in every six couples will experience infertility – globally. Infertility is on the rise due to family planning later in life, medications, environmental toxins, and poor overall health. Struggling to conceive is frustrating, exhausting, and an emotional rollercoaster. Fortunately, acupuncture can improve fertility for couples struggling to get pregnant.

Why acupuncture works, from modern research

Acupuncture increases blood flow and releases endorphins. In effect, pain levels are reduced, and inflammation can normalize. Also, better circulation improves fertility and decreases the likelihood of miscarriage.

Acupuncture treatment can help both couples struggling with infertility as well as patients going through a fertility program like IVF. Since acupuncture is a natural therapy, couples struggling to conceive appreciate the natural route. Additionally, couples going through in vitro fertilization (IVF) are often looking for ways to increase their chances of conceiving while avoiding a miscarriage, which acupuncture also provides.

How acupuncture promotes fertility

Statistically, men and women struggle with infertility equally, though it is more difficult to determine the infertility factors for women. Interestingly, acupuncture benefits three main categories, which result in better fertility: poor uterine blood flow, poor or absent ovulation, and poor sperm quality. Our office uses electrical stimulation since research validates specifically electro-acupuncture.

Poor uterine blood flow

Poor uterine blood flow results in menstrual cramping and poor endometrial lining, and also can be an element involved with frequent miscarriages. Research demonstrates that electro-acupuncture increases uterine blood flow. In effect, treatment reduces menstrual cramping and increases fertility. Interestingly, research also indicates better pregnancy outcomes with electro-acupuncture stimulation. Additional research indicated that electro-acupuncture during pregnancy for women with a history of miscarriage may be counterproductive for some individuals. It is, therefore, a frequent recommendation of fertility specialists for acupuncture before pregnancy.

Poor or absent ovulation

Three main circumstances contribute to ovulatory dysfunction:

A low ovarian reserve
An absent ovarian reserve (menopause)
Excessive production of androgens (i.e., testosterone)

A low ovarian reserve can affect successful fertility rates since there are not enough healthy eggs in the ovaries to mature correctly. The number of eggs in a woman’s ovaries is fixed. As women age, their ovarian reserve (egg supply) decreases. After the ovaries complete their usable egg supply, menopause begins, and the fertile stage of life ends. Unfortunately, when the reserve of eggs is depleted, there is nothing directly that acupuncture can do without the help of a fertility specialist.

Finally, women can also have an excessive production of androgens, which halts usual ovulation. Some known causes of elevated androgen levels include exposure to environmental hormones, chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, and hormone dysregulation. Over time, dysfunctional ovulation results in polycystic ovarian syndrome(PCOS), which is a relatively new syndrome. According to the research, electro-acupuncture can reduce androgen production while stimulating ovulation.

Clinically, women suffering from PCOS can often further complicate their fertility by engaging in excessive exercise, stressful lifestyle, poor sleep quality, and poor dietary habits. The pro-ovulatory effects of electro-acupuncture are enhanced by moderate exercise, improved nutrition, better sleep quality, and reduced stress levels. Specifically, exercise and acupuncture treatment stimulate the release of endorphins, which cancel out the adverse effects of stress.

Poor sperm quality

When couples struggle to get pregnant, women are generally the first to get tested for infertility. However, men can be just as much of a factor. It is wise to have male semen quality assessed when you investigate the infertility puzzle.

Insidious environmental factors can affect male fertility. For example, excessively long, hot showers or prolonged chlorine gas exposure from an indoor pool have both been shown to reduce sperm quality. Specifically, sperm quality is mainly caused by poor testicle circulation, excessive heat exposure, hormonal dysfunction, and chronic inflammation. Research on male infertility and acupuncture treatment demonstrated an increase in sperm concentrations and testicular blood flow, as well as reduced chronic inflammation.

Acupuncture is more than just needles

Many couples visit my clinic seeking a solution to their infertility problems. Often, they are dealing with a combination of uterine issues, poor sperm quality, or ovulatory problems. Research has shown that acupuncture can significantly improve fertility.

We address chronic inflammation and poor blood flow, the underlying factors in most infertility cases. However, we do not rely on acupuncture alone. Our approach combines ancient Chinese medicine perspectives with modern functional medicine research and physiology. Our goal is to identify the core factors driving infertility.

We recommend nutritional supplements, herbal formulas, and diet and lifestyle modifications during appointments. Various treatments are available, including needle therapy, massage techniques, cupping, herbal poultices, and scraping therapy.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine treatments, administered by a skilled practitioner, can be a powerful solution to combat infertility. We tailor our treatments to each patient’s unique needs, focusing on balancing hormones, reducing stress, and restoring optimal health.

Take a Next Step

If you have landed on this page, I am sorry to hear that you are going through a tough time. You have probably already conducted much research, and I encourage you to trust what you learn and already know. The purpose of this page is to provide you with information on how acupuncture can help with fertility. Additionally, I have included a section with supplement recommendations for infertility. When you decide to schedule an appointment, we will make a plan to help you do all we can naturally to get pregnant.

Supplement Recommendations for Infertility

The product(s) below are affiliate links through Amazon. We earn a commission at no additional cost if you click through and purchase the product. Thanks for reading through our article today and supporting us! Remember to use common sense when considering any supplements. Consult with a medical provider to ensure you supplement safely and effectively.