Dr. Joseph Chang Koh L.AC.

Why is acupuncture suggested for fertility?

A patient could benefit from a combination of acupuncture and herbal supplement because of the potential effect of improving the ovarian and follicular function. Also, acupuncture can increase blood flow to the endometrium, helping to aid a thick, rich lining and to the uterus and ovaries, creating an increased chance for an egg to be nourished and carried to term. Acupuncture treatment can increase fertility by reducing stress; which increases the blood flow to the reproductive organs and adjusting the endocrine system to be balanced. The reason acupuncture helps is when people are under any stress, the hormone cortisol is released in the brain. This hormone alters the brain's neurochemical balance, hence modifying hormone levels and disrupting the pituitary balance that is crucial to the reproductive cycle. Regarding to fertility treatments, patients are commonly treated for three to four months before progressing to insemination or in vitro fertilization (IVF). This schedule of treatment seems to have a therapeutic effect. If supplementation or herbs are allowed, they take time to work, so starting them earlier is the best. It takes 4 to 5 months for an egg to mature. If you can get started on a good quality preconception formula 3 to 6 months prior to conception/transfer, the eggs are going to have the opportunity to grow and mature in a nutrient-rich environment. Suggest that the most effective fertility treatments involve a combination of acupuncture and traditional herbal supplements. However, conception can occur when acupuncture and traditional herbal supplements are being used. READ MORE