Making the decision to have children is a very exciting time in a woman’s life. For many, conceiving comes easily, where others may find themselves needing extra support.

A recent Canadian study showed that rates of infertility have doubled since 1992. This is due to a multitude of reasons affecting a couple’s fertility. We live in a fast paced world full of deadlines, traffic jams, fast food, and generally high levels of stress. Age is another factor playing a role, as many women want to start their families later in life compared to previous generations. The increasing rates of infertility are leading more women to seek out assisted reproductive therapies.

Whatever stage of pregnancy planning you are in, there are options for enhancing fertility and conception. Acupuncture can address many of the factors interfering with fertility.

Some of the reported benefits of Acupuncture in relation to fertility include:

  • Regulating the menstrual cycle in preparation for conceiving.
  • Regulating ovulation disorders.
  • Improving blood flow to the pelvis.
  • Increasing the effectiveness of IVF cycles. A study done in 2002 showed that Acupuncture coupled with IVF increased pregnancy rates by 62%. Another study done in 2009 showed an increase in pregnancy rates of 60%.
  • Decreasing some of the side effects of the fertility pharmaceutical ‘Clomid’.
  • Decreasing stress.

Male fertility

It is important to address male fertility as well. This is something that is often overlooked when a couple is experience subfertility. Acupuncture is also a useful treatment for men to boost fertility related issues such as sperm count and motility.

No matter what stage of pregnancy planning you are in, the use of Acupuncture along with other Naturopathic therapies can be beneficial. If you are interested in learning more, please speak to Dr. Lisa Knapper, ND to see how she can be of assistance in your family planning.

By: Lisa Knapper, ND

Disclaimer

The advice provided in this article is for informational purposes only.  It is meant to augment and not replace consultation with a licensed health care provider.  Consultation with a Naturopathic Doctor or other primary care provider is recommended for anyone suffering from a health problem.

 References:

Dharam Kaur, Sat, Mary Danylak-Arhanic and Carolyn Dean. The Complete Natural Medicine Guide to Women’s Health. Toronto, Canada. Robert Rose Inc., 2005

 Hudson, Tori. Women’s Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. New York, New York.McGraw-Hill, 2008

 Lyttleton, Jane. The treatment of Infertility with Chinese Medicine. Scotland, UK: Elselvier  
Health Sciences 2004.                       

Macioca, Giovanni. Obstetrics and Gynecology in Chinese Medicine. London, England: 
Harcourt Brace, 1998.

McCulloch, F. Acupuncture and IVF, An evidence based approach to increase IVF success rates in the naturopathic clinic. Seminar 2012.

Paulus et al. “Influence of acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in patients who undergoing assisted reproduction therapy”. Fertility and Sterility. April 2002 77( 4):721-724,

Zhang Met al.” Influence of acupuncture on idiopathic male infertility in assisted reproductive technology” J Huangzhong Iniv Sci Technol med Sci2002;22(3):228-30