Acupuncture for Fertility

Nourish the Soil Before Planting the Seed

Helping women get pregnant is one of my favorite things as an acupuncturist. We each have our own unique fertility challenges. I treated women's health every day, and yet I was completely shocked with my own miscarriages. I hope to educate and empower women so they don't feel as helpless as I once felt.

Dr Katie very pregnant with baby Belladonna

Fertility struggles are more common than you think, until it happens to you. Autoimmune issues, endometriosis, and PCOS are on the rise, which has major impacts on fertility and quality of life. Acupuncture, either on its own or used with ART (Assistive Reproductive Technology) can help you achieve higher rates of healthy pregnancies and live births.

Acupuncture boosts fertility by:

-Increasing blood flow to the reproductive organs. By bringing nutrients and hormones to the pelvis, we are creating better follicular (egg) responses. A thicker, richer uterine lining makes it easier for the egg to attach/implant.

-Decreases the effects of stress on the body. Long term, chronic stress impacts hormones. If your body is spending its time in fight or flight mode, it is not worrying about reproduction.

-Regulate cycles & balance hormones. Menstrual cycles should be about 28 days long, with 3-7 days of bleeding, with no PMS or pain. If the cycle is not ideal, the chances of fertility are decreased. We analyze Basal Body Temperature (BBT) charts and functional labwork to help plan treatments.

-Increases live birth rates with In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and other assisted reproductive technology. There are situations in which IVF is necessary for pregnancy. Acupuncture increases the live birth rate from IVF by 30% and is 42% more effective when women have “failed” a previous cycle (Hullender 2019). We use specific protocols pre and post IVF transfers.

Baby Brody

Much of the focus of reproductive health is on women, but men are just as likely to contribute to fertility problems. Male fertility issues can also respond to acupuncture.

We recommend 3-4 months of treatment before trying to conceive. We often use a combination of regular acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, supplements and possibly functional labwork testing. Acupuncture can safely be continued throughout pregnancy and during the postpartum period. Even if you are not looking to get pregnant, regulating your menstrual cycle can have a positive impact on your overall health.