Acupuncture and Fertility

Research carried out at Acupuncture Cambridge has shown that acupuncture can enhance both male and female fertility. The concepts of Chinese medicine see fertility as being dependent upon the health of the body as a whole rather than just the reproductive system and thus your acupuncturist will work on supporting your body in a holistic way whereby not only your fertility, but your general health will benefit. Acupuncture is thought to benefit womens fertility specifically by enhancing the flow of blood and circulation throughout the uterus and reproductive organs thereby creating a healthier environment for conception and embryo implantation. With regards to male fertility acupuncture is thought to improve sperm quality and vibrancy. In both males and females the quality of the egg or sperm produced is the product of your health up to three months before release. This is because in both males and females it takes three months for the entire process of either sperm production or egg release into the fallopian tubes and therefore the optimal length of your acupuncture course should be a minimum of three months. Some acupuncturists will suggest spending three months of working with you before you commence trying for a baby. In women with menstrual problems such as amenorrhoea or oligomenorrhea may need to spend some time with their acupuncturist working towards regulating the periods before fertility treatments can begin.

Causes of infertility in women include such things as: polycystic ovarian/ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, uterine fibroids/polyps and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). In males fertility can be affected by sperm count, sperm quality and sperm vibrancy all of which can be affected by the conditions in the testicles, diet and lifestyle. If you have been trying to get pregnant for over a year without success it would be recommended that both partners go for fertility screenings to find out if and what the problem is. Around 30% of fertility problems are found in the female partner, 30% in the male partner and 40% are either both partners or un-identified problems. Regardless of the problem or who has been diagnosed as having fertility problems it is a good idea for both partners to seek acupuncture treatment in an attempt to create the best chances possible for conception.