What Is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a form of complementary medicine that involves the insertion of very thin, sterile needles into different locations of the body to stimulate sensory nerves in the muscles and skin.

The strategic points or locations where the needles are interested in the skin are known as acupuncture points.

The main purpose of acupuncture is to restore balance and overall health and well-being in the person’s body. The acupuncture points are stimulated to correct any imbalance in energy.

How Does Acupuncture Help In Fertility?

Now the main question is how does acupuncture help in fertility? Acupuncture increases blood flow and circulation in our reproductive organs to improve fertility. It also stimulates angiogenesis, promoting the formation of new blood vessels at the acupuncture points.

Acupuncture helps in fertility by:

• Enhancing blood flow to the reproductive organs.
• Balancing body hormones.
• Improving sperm count and motility
• Helping reduce stress and anxiety by blocking chronic stress neurological pathways and decreasing stress hormones.
• Managing inflammation.
• Helping in reducing the risks of miscarriage.

It takes approximately a 3-5 months time-frame for acupuncture therapy to work for fertility. The aim is a healthy pregnancy, which requires an optimized environment for conception along with a healthy egg, sperm, and uterine lining.

For developing a healthy environment to support the fertilization and growth of egg and sperm at their peak potential, acupuncture therapy is done to increase the blood flow to the uterine lining.

This process of increasing blood flow to the uterus takes around 4-6 weeks. The next goal is to mature and ripen the egg and sperm in the body before they release for fertilization, which takes approximately 90-100 days.

Common Acupuncture Insertion Sites For Fertility

Commonly, the needle insertion sites for acupuncture are in the:

• Abdomen
• Arms
• Legs
• Back
• Chest
• Hands
• Feet
• Ears
• Head

The 3 most common needle insertion sites of acupuncture are in the abdomen, leg, and head. Acupuncture points on the head enhance relaxation, relieving stress and depression, while acupuncture points around the lower leg promote blood flow to the reproductive organs. Acupuncture on the abdomen or stomach opens the fresh blood supply to the ovaries.

Why Choose Acupuncture For Fertility?

Acupuncture is an effective treatment for infertility in both men and women. In various studies, the therapy has been shown to treat fertility by stimulating ovarian function, improving sperm quality, and balancing the endocrine system and reproductive hormones.

Acupuncture is the most natural way to help induce fertility. Studies show that acupuncture has no adverse effects on pregnancy outcomes.

The reason you should choose acupuncture for treating infertility is that the therapy targets major factors responsible for causing infertility in males and females. For example, it treats stress and depression and diseases that cause infertility in females, like PCOS or endometriosis. Moreover, it improves sperm quality and motility, which is necessary for fertility in males.

Is Acupuncture Safe For Fertility?

Many people are concerned about whether acupuncture is safe for their health and fertility because it is a complementary therapy. Research shows that acupuncture is safe if performed by a licensed and trained medical practitioner with the use of sterile and proper equipment.

Side Effects And Risks Of Acupuncture

Similar to every treatment and drug therapy, acupuncture may have some minor or temporary side effects, but if the procedure is done properly, the risks for side effects are minimal.

The side effects or risks of acupuncture are commonly similar to injectable drugs. They may include:

• Redness, minor pain, or swelling.
• Bruising or bleeding at the injection sites.
• Infections at the needle sites if unsterilized needles are used.

6 Essential Tips To Prevent Acupuncture Side Effects

The good part is acupuncture side effects and risks are preventable by following precautionary measures. Tips to prevent acupuncture side effects and risks are:

• Before undergoing acupuncture, take advice from your gynecologist.
• Inform your doctor about your medication and disease history before acupuncture, especially if you use anticoagulant drugs or have any bleeding or clotting disorder.
• Go to a licensed and trained medical practitioner for acupuncture.
• Make sure your practitioner uses sterile needles and equipment for acupuncture.
• Make sure your medical practitioner uses alcohol swabs on the injection site each time before inserting the needle.
• Keep a check for any unusual bleeding, bruising, or swelling at the acupuncture site till 24-48 hours after therapy.

What Treatments To Combine With Acupuncture For Effective Fertility?

Acupuncture won’t be effective if you don’t take care of your health and mental and physical condition simultaneously. There are certain lifestyle and dietary factors which, if ignored, can prevent pregnancy. Hence, it is crucial to combine lifestyle and diet modifications with acupuncture therapy for effective and fast outcomes.

1. Reducing Stress

Stressing about your pregnancy won’t help in any way. In fact, it negatively affects your health and makes pregnancy even more challenging. Along with your acupuncture therapy, it is essential to take self-measures for reducing stress, for example, engaging in healthy activities that relax your mind and avoid overthinking.

2. Exercising

Regular exercise of at least 1 hour three times a week helps to stimulate better fertility in both men and women.

3. Maintaining Healthy Diet

Improving nutrition and maintaining a healthy diet with acupuncture therapy can help promote a healthy pregnancy. Proper nutrition is essential for hormonal function, which leads to successful ovulation. An inadequate diet can destroy the hormones, leading to ovulatory issues and preventing pregnancy.

4. Weight Management

Weight management is crucial for a healthy pregnancy. Whether your weight is too high or too low, it can affect your ability to conceive and can cause problems during pregnancy.

Being obese decreases the chances of pregnancy by affecting your hormones and preventing the ovaries from releasing an egg (ovulation). Hence, maintaining your weight and BMI between 18 to 25 helps improve fertility.

5. Vitamins Intake

Certain vitamins are necessary that help in fertilization. For example, vitamins B6 and B12 help to prevent ovulary infertility, promote egg health and improve sperm quality. Similarly, vitamin A is important for maintaining spermatogenesis and the male genital tract. Hence, it is essential to get yourself checked for the deficiency of any vitamins and add vitamin supplements to your diet, if needed.

Top 3 Benefits Of Acupuncture In Fertility Treatment

There are 3 major benefits of acupuncture in fertility treatment. Let’s see them in detail and how they work.

1. Helps To Reduce Depression In Infertile Couples

Depression is one of the most common issues seen in individuals experiencing infertility. This makes the possibility of pregnancy more challenging. Acupuncture helps reduce depression, stress, and anxiety that may contribute to fertility problems.

Acupuncture stimulates the nerve endings below your skin surface, and when the nerves are activated, it promotes the release of endorphins in your body. Endorphins are chemicals that help relieve stress and pain and give a sense of well-being.

2. Improves Blood Flow

One of the important factors for fertility is to ensure that the reproductive organs are getting adequate nourishment. The second major benefit of acupuncture in fertility treatment is that it improves the thickness of the endometrial lining by increasing blood flow to the uterus and ovaries. This, in return, improves the chances of implantation.

3. Improves Sperm Health

The significant features that are considered necessary for male fertility are sufficient sperm concentration and improved sperm motility and quality.

Acupuncture optimizes sperm health by increasing sperm count and improving motility and quality.

Success Rates of Acupuncture

A large systematic review of past studies showed that acupuncture increased the chances of pregnancy by 65% compared to controlled groups.

Cost Of Acupuncture

The cost of acupuncture can vary depending on various factors, which include:

• Patient’s condition and treatment outcome.
• The residence of the patient or location of the clinic.
• The number of sessions attended.
• The qualification and expertise of the medical practitioner.
• The number of follow-up sessions.

According to National Studies and Observation, on average, the costs of acupuncture sessions can vary between $125-$300. Commonly acupuncture therapy is not covered by insurance, but you can confirm with your provider.

Conclusion

To conclude, acupuncture is a natural and effective therapy that helps promote fertility in both men and women. It has no adverse effects and can increase the possibility of implantation in numerous ways. Acupuncture therapy is safe when performed after consulting a gynecologist, along with adopting proper nutrition and lifestyle modifications.