Learn about acupuncture and fertility treatment
If you’re being treated for infertility, you may have heard that acupuncture can improve your chances for success. Studies have shown that when combined with fertility treatment, such as IVF, acupuncture can improve outcomes.
Done correctly, acupuncture is safe for use during fertility treatment and has relaxing and calming effects. Because so many women are interested in combining traditional Chinese medicine with their fertility treatment, we have partnered with Coastal Acupuncture to provide you with an Orange County infertility acupuncture specialist, right in our office. This way, we can ensure that your acupuncture treatment is both skillfully performed and carefully coordinated with your fertility treatment plan.
Acupuncture and fertility
In acupuncture, the therapist inserts tiny needles into the skin at specific points on your body. However, even people with a fear of needles typically find the treatments virtually painless. The needles are very thin – about the width of a human hair – and rarely cause bleeding. Most people find the treatments relaxing, and some even fall asleep.
Acupuncture is thought to improve overall wellness by stimulating the body’s circulation, energy and blood flow systems. Studies have shown that acupuncture may boost fertility in several ways.
- Regulating the menstrual cycle
- Normalizing hormone production
- Increasing blood flow to the reproductive organs
- Reducing stress and anxiety
- Improving sperm quality in men
Depending on the cause of your infertility, as determined by your fertility specialist, our Orange County infertility acupuncture specialist will customize your treatment to target relevant areas of concern. Although some practitioners of Chinese medicine combine acupuncture with herbs and supplements, we do not recommend use of these during your fertility treatment.
It is right for you?
Because multiple studies have noted that acupuncture can increase pregnancy rates in women undergoing IVF, your fertility specialist may suggest it as an add-on to your treatment. But ultimately, the choice is yours. If you choose to add acupuncture therapy to your treatment plan, your on-site acupuncture specialist will coordinate your treatment with your fertility specialist for optimal results.
Ask your fertility specialist if acupuncture might be right for you, or contact us to schedule a consultation with our Orange County infertility acupuncture specialist.