Improving Fertility Naturally
Each woman will vary slightly in treatment strategy, according to her Chinese diagnosis. Generally, for women trying to conceive naturally (no drugs or medical procedures), we would like to see each woman three times a month: 3-4 days into menstruation, before ovulation, and after ovulation. Weekly treatments may be optimal for some women and men. Monthly fertility massage may be recommended.
Acupuncture and IVF and IUI
For those women who have selected IUI or IVF, our goal is to tailor the acupuncture treatments to specifically support you wherever you are in your journey. The following is a recommended schedule for an IVF cycle. As mentioned earlier, this schedule can be modified to meet your specific needs.
Two to three months prior to the IVF procedure:
Two to three months prior to the IVF procedure:
- Weekly acupuncture treatments. During this time the acupuncture helps improve ovarian function leading to the development of more and better quality eggs, and helps regulate estrogen and progesterone. Research indicates acupuncture increases blood flow to the uterus, thus leading to a thicker uterine lining to aid implantation of the embryo.
- Ideally, 2 - 3 acupuncture treatments should be scheduled during the ovarian stimulation cycle.
- Schedule acupuncture on the afternoon of the egg retrieval to relieve bloating, pain, and potential side effects of an ovarian stimulation. This treatment is not necessary if side effects are minimal and tolerable.
- Schedule acupuncture to relax the uterus, increase blood flow, and to promote overall relaxation.
- Schedule acupuncture immediately after transfer to encourage implantation and regulate hormones.
- Weekly acupuncture for 3 weeks post transfer are recommended to promote overall relaxation and to prevent contractions and expulsion of the embryo. If there is a history of miscarriage, weekly acupuncture is recommended to support the pregnancy.
