Acupuncture for Fertility

Fertility acupuncture involves inserting very fine needles into specific acupuncture points in the body that work to balance hormones, optimize blood flow, regulate the nervous system, and restore health and well-being. Acupuncture has been practiced for over 2,500 years and even back then it was used to optimize fertility. Modern day fertility acupuncture blends this time-tested ancient knowledge with current scientific understanding of the biochemistry of infertility.

In general, fertility acupuncture works to:

• regulate your menstrual cycles 

• improve blood flow to the ovaries, uterus and endometrium

• improve egg and sperm quality 

• reduce stress and anxiety

• support overall health.

Yes. Diagnoses I commonly treat include:

• Diminished ovarian reserve

• Premature ovarian failure

• Low AMH

• Unexplained infertility

• Secondary infertility

• Endometriosis

• PCOS/PMOS

• Ovulatory disorders

• Thin endometrial lining

• Recurrent miscarriage and pregnancy loss

• Low sperm count

• Sperm motility and morphology issues.

This varies by person and by goal. Some patients come in weekly for a few months to optimize hormone balance and egg and sperm quality while trying to conceive naturally or for preconception care prior to doing IVF. For patients already in an IUI or IVF cycle, acupuncture sessions will be focused on supporting where you are at (i.e. stimulation or embryo transfer).  I will recommend a plan at your initial appointment based on your history and goals.

Ideally you should start receiving acupuncture at least 3 months before trying to get pregnant or starting with IUI or IVF. Eggs and sperm mature in 3 month cycles so the first 100 days before conception are the most important to influence egg and/or sperm quality. Think of it as your zero trimester. I have had patients getting ready to start IVF and they pregnant naturally during this 3 month preconception time!

That said, I work with you wherever you are at in your fertility journey. Some patients start acupuncture during their first IVF embryo transfer or after failed IVF retrieval cycles. Some patients come in after trying to get pregnant naturally for many months and continue trying each month while we work together.

Acupuncture has successfully been used alongside IVF since the first research studies in the late 1990s. Early studies found that acupuncture on or around embryo transfer significantly improved IVF pregnancy rates. These studies found that acupuncture increases blood flow to the reproductive organs which may increase the quality and quantity of eggs as well as uterine thickness and receptivity.  More recent research by Hullender Rubin et al (2015) found that whole systems traditional Chinese medicine was associated with greater odds of live births than IVF alone or IVF with day of acupuncture. In this study, individualized acupuncture was done once or twice a week throughout the whole IVF process.

Yes. Treatment isn't only for the person carrying the pregnancy. It takes two to tango as they say.  In heterosexual couples experiencing infertility there is a male factor component in at least 30% of cases. Acupuncture can improve sperm quality (motility and morphology and concentration).

While some insurance plans cover acupuncture for pain they do not but specifically cover fertility. We recommend checking with your insurance provider before your first visit, and we're happy to provide a superbill if you plan to submit for reimbursement.

The underlying technique is the same, but fertility acupuncture uses points and treatment timing specifically chosen for reproductive health and, when relevant, coordinated with the phases of a menstrual cycle or an IVF/IUI schedule. Acupuncturists who specialize have additional training in reproductive health and fertility from both a western and Chinese medicine perspective. Many of us who specialize in fertility are Fellows of the Acupuncture and TCM Board of Reproductive Medicine (ABORM). To be an ABORM Fellow we passed a rigorous, voluntary exam that demonstrates we have advanced knowledge of fertility from both a Chinese medicine and a western reproductive medicine lens. Karen Lang, owner of Karuna Acupuncture, is an ABORM Fellow.

There are several blog posts that cover fertility acupuncture in depth that you can read here.

You can also schedule a free consultation and I am happy to answer any questions you have.