How Acupuncture Can Support Fertility

While getting pregnant can seem easy for some couples, it can be challenging for others.

Infertility typically refers to a lack of conception after a reasonable period of trying to get pregnant. This timeframe could be one year for women under age 35 or six months for women over 35 years.

How common is infertility? An estimated 16%, or 1 in 6, couples in Canada experience fertility. When it happens, most couples seek support from healthcare providers and welcome additional means of easing the path to fertility.

Acupuncture is a natural, safe, and effective treatment that can treat various symptoms and conditions. For some families, acupuncture is also an effective addition in their journey to becoming pregnant.

If you are looking for extra support in your fertility journey, fertility acupuncture could be a good fit for you.

How can acupuncture help with infertility?

Acupuncture can relieve stress and balance hormones and has shown promise in increasing fertility rates among those struggling to conceive.

How can acupuncture help? Consider, as just one example, how stress affects ovulation. For many people, stress can prevent ovulation, making it difficult to conceive. However, acupuncture can relieve stress in the body, helping ovulation to become more regular, increasing the opportunities to get pregnant.

Acupuncture treatments are designed to regulate your hormones, release feel-good endorphins, reduce inflammation, decrease stress, and increase blood circulation to improve overall wellbeing and health. Whether you have a diagnosis or are unexplained, our Acupuncturists are qualified to offer support and improve your chances of conception.

How does acupuncture work with conventional medicine?

Think of acupuncture as a way to enhance your other care and treatment plans rather than a replacement for them. You don’t need to choose between conventional medicine and acupuncture.

Many of our patients appreciate that we take the time to walk through information given by other providers to help them understand the process and offer comprehensive support.

We’re also happy to have direct conversations with your primary care doctors or fertility doctors to collaborate on your care.

Benefits of acupuncture on fertility

The success of acupuncture comes from its unique approach to healing. Traditionally, acupuncture has focused on restoring the flow of the body’s vital substances, which allows the body to heal itself. Acupuncturists also focus on creating a balance between the body’s organ systems so it can function correctly.

Acupuncture encourages the body to self-regulate and restore itself to its natural state when ill or suffering from disease. Whether you have a diagnosis or are unexplained, acupuncture can aid in the restoration of bodily processes with an idea commonly referred to as “nourishing the soil before planting the seed” in conception.

Fertility acupuncture can support your health and well-being during the time leading up to conception. It can regulate hormones, reduce stress, and increase the chance of conception.

• Increases blood circulation to ovaries and uterine lining, ideal for implantation
• Induces relaxation by regulating sex hormones and feel-good endorphins
• Enhances IVF success

If you’re struggling with fertility, we invite you to come in for an assessment and learn more about how acupuncture can help.

Can I continue with my acupuncture treatment during in vitro fertilization (IVF)?

Yes. If you’re going through IVF, we’ll be able to support you as you go through treatments.

Can I continue with acupuncture after I get pregnant?

Yes. Our Acupuncturists have broad experience across all areas of fertility, pregnancy, prenatal care, labour and delivery.

Treatment can offer valuable benefits throughout your pregnancy. For example, acupuncture treatment during pregnancy can reduce miscarriage and prepare the body for easier labour and delivery.

What can I expect from my first visit?

Your first appointment will likely be a bit longer, so please allow at least 60-75 minutes for this visit. We do a detailed intake and assessment to ensure we have all the information to offer support.

We’ll work to restore balance in your body and help create a plan specific to your reproductive and overall health. We’ll answer your questions, explain the details of your treatment plan, and offer support along the way.

NOTE:  As always, our licensed practitioners at Action Health are your best source of up-to-date and accurate information regarding this and any other treatment plan we recommend.

Please call our front desk at (403) 243-8114 to book a consultation with one of our Acupuncturists to see if acupuncture treatment is appropriate for you.