How to Boost Your Fertility with Acupuncture – with or without IVF
There are so many factors in play when we discuss a woman’s fertility: hormones, diet, stress levels, emotions, genetics, having an adequate support system, the list goes on. We love working with women who are trying to conceive because we have seen huge success from the addition of acupuncture and herbal medicine. If you have decided to pursue IVF, we cannot stress enough how important it is to prepare your body. Ideally, we want to start early, but even just ONE acupuncture treatment before IVF can substantially increase your chances of becoming pregnant.
Our success rate for IVF patients is over 80 % – this is close to double the success rate of IVF without acupuncture. We have successfully supported patients with hormone imbalance, luteal phase defect, PCOS, amenorrhea, recurrent miscarriages, endometriosis, fibroids, poor egg quality, premature ovarian failure, hypothyroid, and unexplained infertility to become pregnant and have healthy babies – whether undergoing IVF or trying to conceive on their own.
Our treatments will promote the health of your reproductive system by balancing your hormones, nourishing your body, increasing circulation to the reproductive organs, supporting your endocrine system, improving your thyroid function and adrenals, and decreasing stress and anxiety.
Women who are trying to conceive are always told not to stress but never told how – this notion can often create more stress. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine can calm the sympathetic nervous system, allow the body to relax, and encourage feelings of security.
“I’m safe.”
“I can let this happen.”
“I can become pregnant now.”
What seems so simple is often substantial in how our bodies respond to the potential of becoming pregnant.
When the body’s cortisol levels are high, it is hard for the body to produce progesterone – a hormone crucial for fertility and pregnancy. Progesterone causes the uterine lining to thicken and accept a fertilized egg. It also helps prevent uterine contractions that could cause the body to reject the egg.
There is a strong emotional component to fertility as well. Trouble conceiving or sustaining pregnancy can take a huge emotional toll; you may experience grief, a sense of inadequacy or feeling betrayed by your own body, anger, anxiety, or depression. Fertility struggles are a world unto themselves because you often grieve for something that has yet to exist. In our practice, we have seen over and over that a woman’s path to fertility is often her own healing journey. This very often encompasses easing judgement on yourself, softening, and letting go of self-criticism and perfectionism.
It can be easy to feel trapped by some of these emotions and feel defined by words like infertility. We want to help you embrace your fertility, take ownership of your health, and provide the warmth and vitality that your body so desperately craves.
We understand your struggle, and we want to support you wherever you are in this journey.
Let us be your village.