When To Do Acupuncture For Fertility

Deciding you’re ready to try for a baby is exciting, but for some couples, conceiving can be a challenge. Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine have been used for centuries to improve fertility, and not just in women, but in men, too. If you’re ready to give acupuncture a go, you may be wondering when to do acupuncture for fertility. Ideally, you should begin sessions before trying to get pregnant. But, the truth is, there’s really no wrong time to start!

If you’re planning on getting pregnant in the future, acupuncture 6 to 12 months prior to conception is ideal to improve reproductive health. However, if you’re already trying, or are already pregnant, you can still benefit from acupuncture for fertility. 

When is the best time to get acupuncture for fertility?

When a woman comes into our clinic and tells us she’s planning to get pregnant, we recommend acupuncture sessions 6 to 12 months prior to attempting to conceive. This gives the body plenty of time to heal from any underlying hormonal imbalances. Acupuncture supports ovulation, regular menstrual cycles, ovarian reserve, and egg quality.

Planning on starting or expanding your family can be exciting, but let’s not pretend it can’t be stressful, too. Another reason why we recommend acupuncture far in advance of attempting to conceive is to mitigate stress. Stress hormones like cortisol can alter reproductive hormones, making it difficult to conceive and/or maintain a pregnancy. 

Of course, it’s never too early or too late to begin acupuncture. If you don’t plan on getting pregnant until 5 to 10 years in the future, it’s still a great idea to get acupuncture to maintain reproductive health. And if you’re already trying for a baby, or even if you’re already pregnant, acupuncture can support you throughout your fertility journey.

As for men struggling with infertility, we recommend a similar approach. Acupuncture 6 to 12 months before trying for a baby is a good rule of thumb. Acupuncture has been proven to improve blood flow to the reproductive organs and enhance testicular function, as well as sperm concentration and motility.  

How does acupuncture support IVF and IUI?

We’ve helped many couples who were told there was no way they would be able to get pregnant on their own conceive and welcome beautiful, healthy babies into their lives. Acupuncture is very therapeutic and very gentle, but it’s also very powerful. Regular sessions can restore fertility completely, even in women over 40.

But acupuncture can also be used alongside assisted fertility treatments, like IVF and IUI. In fact, numerous studies have shown that acupuncture can greatly enhance the success rates of these procedures.

IVF treatments can be stressful, to say nothing of costly, and the cost only adds to the stress of the whole thing. Many women must undergo several rounds of IVF treatments before falling pregnant, and it can be even more difficult for older mothers. But acupuncture has been found to enhance IVF treatment success simply because it’s so effective at managing stress.

Acupuncture is also an ideal supportive measure for IUI because it increases blood flow to the uterus, and prepares the endometrium for implantation. Basically, acupuncture makes your body more receptive to conception, whether you try to get pregnant on your own, or with the help of IVF and IUI.

Acupuncture can also be used throughout pregnancy

If you want to support your fertility, you can’t go wrong with acupuncture. It helps the body help itself, and its adaptogenic nature makes it a suitable treatment approach for a variety of infertility issues. We’ve used acupuncture to help women with PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids, and other gynecological conditions conceive. And it can be just as effective for men.

We often advise our clients to continue acupuncture throughout their pregnancies, as well. Acupuncture is a safe, affordable, all-natural treatment for many of the annoying symptoms of pregnancy. Acupuncture can be used to ease morning sickness and to control food cravings. For women struggling with back and pelvic pain due to the pressure a growing child places on surrounding nerves, acupuncture can help with this, too. Acupuncture helps ease tense muscles, enabling them to relax and contract normally. This has the dual effect of toning the muscles in your reproductive tract, improving bladder control, and even helping the muscles prepare for childbirth. 

What else can you do to support fertility?

If you’ve been struggling with infertility for a while now, then you know just how frustrating it can be. Acupuncture is highly beneficial when it comes to boosting fertility. But, just to make sure all of your bases are covered, we may recommend additional therapies and/or lifestyle adjustments to help improve your chances of getting pregnant. 

Stress management is important here. We can’t emphasize that enough. Whether you start journaling or taking an hour-long walk every evening, it’s important that you take measures to keep stress levels under control. Getting 8 hours of sleep every night is equally important.

A healthy diet and regular exercise can also help mitigate stress by providing your body with the raw nutrients it needs to scavenge free radicals and dispose of them. Avoid restricting calories, and instead, focus on intuitive eating. Choose from a variety of fruits, veggies, healthy fats, and lean proteins — and don’t forget to include a few fertility superfoods to round out your diet. 

For some men and women struggling with infertility, we also recommend herbal medicine. Certain herbal blends can be used to rebalance hormones and correct underlying dysfunction. We offer this service on a case-by-case basis. Herbal medicine is powerful stuff, so never use herbs without the guidance of a professional herbalist. 

Contact our clinic today to learn more

Tired of struggling with infertility? Ready to take control of your health and finally get pregnant? Get in touch with us today to learn more about how acupuncture can help you.

At Integrative Healing Arts, one of the most rewarding aspects of what we do is seeing couples conceive and fulfill their dreams of having a baby.

If you’re ready to begin your path to pregnancy, we’re ready to go on that journey with you. Schedule your appointment today to get started!