why acupuncture for fertility
‘acupuncture can increase the chances of getting pregnant for women undergoing fertility treatment by 65%, a review of the evidence concludes.’
1 in 7 couples in the UK are experiencing difficulties conceiving a baby are turning to acupuncture as a safe, effective and low-risk alternative to traditional medical intervention, and to compliment ongoing IVF or ART treatments. Treatment aims to restore the body's natural healthy energy and stimulate its inherent ability to heal itself ensuring that each area of the body (and mind) is in peak condition for pregnancy. 30% of all infertility is undiagnosed and I strongly believe and have seen in clinic over my 7+ years this is where Chinese medicine / acupuncture works.
Studies have shown that where acupuncture has been integrated into clinical ivf treatment, the likelihood of a subsequent successful pregnancy was substantially increased (a healthy pregnancy past 12 weeks of gestation). Medical bodies and IVF clinics are recommending acupuncture to their patients now and working with practitioners through the process of egg collections, through to IVF transfers.
Research has also demonstrated that acupuncture can help to stimulate egg production in women who are either unsuited to IVF or who want to exhaust every possible avenue for natural conception before electing to undergo a fertility programme. Working alongside fertility naturally or supporting IVF/ART therapy, acupuncture helps to regulate menstruation in a woman by getting the body on a regular cycle and addressing painful, heavy, sporadic or missing periods, which can be linked to polycystic ovaries or endometriosis.
These are physical factors that affect a woman’s fertility and her path to getting pregnant, but it also treats emotional wellbeing too. Dealing with miscarriages and fertility hardships can cause huge impact on the anxiety and stress levels. as we believe mind, body and spirit are interlinked, it is important they are all addressed.
Acupuncture has been shown to have a positive effect on the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, the body’s internal process that keeps the female reproductive system balanced. additional women’s health physio treatment can target various health issues including pms, irregular, heavy bleeding or lack of bleeding, menstrual cramping, ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids and endometriosis.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and acupuncture is an ancient medical system that works with nature, in your body - aligning and rebalancing. this style of acupuncture in use for fertility and ivf works with you as an individual, bringing your body, mind and soul into alignment and balance for optimising conception. the environment in which conception happens has a need for this balance and harmony that acupuncture. traditional chinese medicine offers.
It is now not just reliant on hear-say, as has been extensively researched. those receiving acupuncture alongside IVF, also pre conception in natural fertility treatments have an increased chance of conception and viable pregnancy. when 1 in 7 couples (in the uk) experience difficulties conceiving, treatment practices like acupuncture which considerably increase the chances of a life being conceived, and born - the practice of acupuncture in aiding this is phenomenal.
Whether trying naturally or having IVF or another ART therapies, we recommend that you begin acupuncture treatment around 3 months before IVF, and also for natural fertility. This enables us to work with your cycle, and also recommend other practitioners of modalities such a osteopathy, kinesiology, nutritionists. as a naturopath, running bloods, tests. I offer all of the right naturopathic advice for diet, lifestyle, supplementation to aid you, and your treatments.