“I had reservations about going to acupuncture, but I’m so glad I went.” ~Sara K., San Diego
It is estimated between 10 – 15 percent of couples are classified as infertile, which means that they’ve been trying to get pregnant with frequent, unprotected intercourse for at least a year with no success.
According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, one – third of the time the diagnosis is due to female fertility factors, one – third of the time it is linked to male fertility factors and the remaining one third is due to a combination of factors from both partners.
The main symptom of infertility is the inability of a couple to get pregnant. There may be no other outward signs or symptoms.
In order to become pregnant, each of these factors is essential:
- Ovulation needs to occur. Having regular menstrual cycles during which an egg is released, a process known as ovulation is essential to achieving pregnancy.
- Your partner needs to have healthy sperm. Please see the Male Fertility link for more information on sperm challenges.
- Regular intercourse is a prerequisite. You need to be having regular sexual intercourse during your fertile time of the month.
Getting pregnant is a complex process. For pregnancy to occur, every part of the intricate reproduction process has to take place in the correct order at the correct time from the recruiting of follicles within the ovary to the ovary’s release of a mature egg to the fertilization of the egg to the fertilized egg’s implantation and growth in the uterus. In women, a number of factors can disrupt this process at any stage.
Acupuncture optimizes fertility by harmonizing each stage of the female cycle. It can be used to correct specific reproductive health issues such as:
| Ovulation Disorders | Luteal Phase Defect (LPD) | Premature Ovarian Failure |
| Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) | Endometriosis | Amenorrhea (absence of a period) |
| Cervical / Uterine Factors | Fallopian Tube Factors | Immunological Factors |
| Poor Egg Quality | Recurrent Miscarriage | Stress |
| High Follicle Stimulation Hormone (FSH) or Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) | Thin and/or Unresponsive Endometrium (Uterine lining) |
To enhance fertility using Chinese Medicine, a combination of acupuncture, herbal medicine and lifestyle changes will be incorporated. To optimize your chances of getting pregnant we highly recommend coming in once per week for three consecutive menstrual cycles before attempting to conceive. In Chinese medical philosophy, the preparation to get pregnant is of greatest importance. We believe that having our patients in the best possible state of health before conception occurs, leads to a healthier pregnancy and baby. Of course, if you are on the fast track to conception, we do our best to support you within whatever time frame you have.
Male Fertility
As stated above, male fertility factors account for a third of all fertility issues. To learn more about what is needed from a male partner in the conception process, how important good sperm quality is and what Chinese Medicine can do to optimize male fertility, click here.
Embryo Transfer Support
To get information about on location acupuncture treatments for the day of your transfer, click here.