Spring Fertility - A Seasonal Acupuncture Approach to Fertility

Spring in Chinese Medicine is governed by the Wood element.  A time of renewal, creativity, growth and as with all things in nature - a time of birth.  Spring, therefore, is an excellent time to focus on fertility.  So ladies, if you’re thinking about having a baby in the coming year or working on getting pregnant listen up.  This one’s for you!

---

Acupuncture To Increase Fertility

Acupuncture is excellent support for women who are trying to get pregnant.  Does Acupuncture work? 3,000 years of clinical history using Acupuncture to support natural fertility would definitely stand to support its effectiveness!  The question, however, is how does Acupuncture work to increase fertility and why would you choose this intervention over another when trying to conceive?

Here’s the skinny:

Acupuncture works by balancing the bodies’ energetic flow to create harmony and well being.  When it comes to fertility and pregnancy in particular, Acupuncture treatment focuses on regulating menstruation and supporting ovulation.  Specifically, the menstrual cycle is broken up into four phases in Traditional Chinese Medicine that must be harmonized for optimal fertility.  Different points and herbs are chosen during each phase depending on your individual presentation to optimize fertility.

1. Period Phase - The energetic focus of the body during this phase should be on moving blood.  If blood is stagnant or scanty, Acupuncture focuses on moving blood more strongly to regulate the cycle.  If there is too much bleeding (which can lead to deficiency and impair fertility), Acupuncture focuses on stopping or slowing the blood flow to prevent depletion. Diet Tip: Alcohol and Vinegar are blood movers in Traditional Chinese Medicine. A glass or two of wine during this week might not go awry! Or some lovely pickled beets...
   
   
2. After Period Phase - known in Western medicine as the folicular or proliferative phase. After menstruation both Blood and Yin have physically and energetically been depleted.  The energetic focus on this phase is on Nourishing Blood and Yin in the Liver and Kidney channels in particular to rebuild what has been lost and strengthen the body. Diet Tip: Chicken, Eggs, Almonds, artichoke and Black Sesame are al blood tonics in TCM, include them in your diet to build blood specifically.
   
   
3. Mid Cycle Phase - a.k.a. Ovulation. Energetically, ovulation is a function of fullness in the Conception (ren mai) and Penetrating (chong mai) vessels.  Acupuncture in this phase focuses on strengthening Kidney Essence - an essential substance of the Kidney (also called the home of “Pre-Natal Qi”, important for babies!) to boost the success of ovulation. Diet Tip: Walnuts are tonifying to the Kidney specifically, try a small handful a day around ovulation.
   
   
4. Before Period Phase - Pre-Menstrual Phase, known in Western Medicine as the luteal or progesterone phase.  Energetically, if you are pregnant your Yang Qi will rise to help the body hold and grow the baby.  If you are not pregnant, your Liver Qi will rise to encourage movement of Qi and Blood in preparation for menstruation.  If you are pregnant, Acupuncture focuses on tonifying Yang Qi during this phase to support pregnancy.  If you are not pregnant, Acupuncture focuses on moving Liver Qi to decrease stagnation (usually manifested as PMS and pain) to improve the smooth flow of Yin and Blood during menstruation. Diet Tip: Citrus, especially orange, is great for moving Liver Qi. Try a simple boiled orange peel and fresh ginger tea if you are expecting your period. If you're pregnant, avocados, salmon, and kelp are on the menu!
   
   

Energetically speaking, imbalances in any of these phases will be detected and corrected using Acupuncture and in some cases herbs and dietary therapies.  Physically speaking, Acupuncture is causing endorphin release, balancing hormones (ever read about Acupuncture for menopause? AMAZING), improving blood flow, decreasing stress and helping you body be ready and hang on to baby.

Acupuncture vs. Western Fertility Treatments

Acupuncture is not as strong as western fertility treatments such as Clomid, IUI or IVF, but it is a low cost non-pharmaceutical option to optimize your fertility AND it can be used in conjunction with any of these therapies to enhance the effectiveness of Western intervention.  

Of course IMHO, Acupuncture should always be a first go-to choice for trying to improve fertility and increase the likelihood of pregnancy because it is low cost, effective and has no side effects apart from the very rare and occasional bruise.  

Acupuncture during Western fertility treatments is excellent because not only can it improve outcomes, but it can also decrease the effects of stress and anxiety that often follow intense hormonal therapies and invasive medical procedures.

How Much Treatment Does It Take?

For every woman, the specific course of treatment will vary slightly.  The longer you have been trying to conceive and have been unsuccessful, the longer an initial course of treatment may last to achieve your goals.  

For general fertility support, beginning approximately 3 months prior to trying to conceive is recommended, and continuing through the first trimester to decrease the likelihood of miscarriage is also ideal.  Thereafter, continuing 1-2x/month to treat the regular discomforts of pregnancy such as heartburn, insomnia, back pain and emotional instability is recommended.

If you have been trying to conceive for a long time and have been unsuccessful, and longer course of 6 months may be necessary though it is recommended to continue trying throughout the duration of treatment.

Interested in Learning More? Questions? Comment Below!

Acupuncture for fertility and pregnancy has a long history with many babies born along the way! I myself have two beautiful children and credit a combination of Acupuncture and Naturopathic care for my relatively easy conception.  While I did not have any known barriers to fertility, I did have a suspected ovarian cyst based on my increasingly irregular periods as well as a high stress period before we wanted to conceive.  I spent 6 months doing regular Acupuncture and naturopathic care (supplements, diet in addition to Chinese herbs) and I got pregnant on our first try!  When we were ready for another almost 2 years later, it happened just as fast.  I couldn’t be more grateful or lucky because I know first hand through my work how hard conception can be for many of us, but I can say quite definitively that good preparation and regular treatment can greatly boost your chances of success.

Thanks for tuning in!  Please ask questions or comment below and I’ll be happy to respond at my earliest opportunity.  

Yours in health,

~Rebecca