Acupuncture For Fertility
Whether you are looking to get your body ready for starting a family, have been trying for a little while, have been trying for years, getting help via assisted medicines, or you are going through IVF, I aim to be the extra support you need through your fertility journey.
No one likes to feel alone and you certainly don’t need to.
The journey you didn’t know you would be on…
If you are reading this, you are probably in the midst of a Google search about what else you can do to help increase you fertility and your chances of starting a family.
Maybe you are just starting out and are wanting to set up for a beautiful pre-conception period, getting your body as ready as it can be.
Maybe you have been trying naturally for a while now and want to dive a little deeper into your fertility journey.
Maybe you’ve started your assisted fertility journey or you are deep into your IVF journey and need some extra support.
Maybe you have experienced a loss, possibly a few.
Maybe you are doing it solo or with your same sex partner.
Where ever you are and how ever you are doing it, I see you. This is a journey that so many are on, yet it can feel so lonely.
Infertility, what’s the deal?
1 in 6 couples in Australia now suffer from infertility. The infertility can be explained with 1 third of them are due to female and egg producer issues, 1 third due to male and sperm producer issues, 1 third due to both of them.
Female and egg producer issues can include ovulatory disorders like PCO (polycystic ovaries), PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), POI (premature ovarian insufficiency), endometriosis, fallopian tube damage, uterine fibroids, and autoimmune disorders like Hashimoto’s
Males and sperm producer issues can include poor quality semen and sperm, low sperm count, abnormal sperm shape, DNA fragmentation of sperm, damaged testicles (infections, trauma, cancer, congenital defects, undescended), ejaculation disorders, and hormonal issues.
Both are affected by age and lifestyle and environmental factors such as smoking, high consumption of alcohol, high levels of stress, lack of exercise, and poor diet choices.
And then for some, the infertility in unexplained, which can cause more frustration and confusion.
Chinese Medicine Perspective
Gynaecology has a deep history within Chinese Medicine, from treatments for issues related to the menstrual cycles, during pregnancy, and postpartum, the texts on these subjects have been around since 476-221 BC. Fertility is a whole body system according to Chinese Medicine, where everyone who is treated is treated for their individual imbalances and constitution.
The womb may not be one of the 12 main organs in Chinese Medicine, however there are many acupuncture points and herbal formulas that focus on it’s health and in turn the health of the baby it grows.
For strong fertility one needs an abundant amount of Qi (Vital energy - pronounced chee), Xue (Blood energy), Yin and Yang, plus a balanced Shen (Spirit), and strong Jing (Essence). If you just read that and thought ‘what?’, that’s ok, this is a different system of looking at how the body system works. What you should know is that Chinese Medicine is easily interwind into your life and compliments any other treatments you may be doing.
How Can Acupuncture Help?
Firstly, and the most important point, I really believe in building a team around you that is going to support you, be a sounding board, allow you to ask questions, and the most powerful, give you the opportunity to learn how to advocate for yourself, your health, and your fertility journey.
Secondly, it is pretty well known that stress can wreak havoc on your body, which in turn can affect the fertility of both male/sperm producers and female/egg producers. Acupuncture can help in lowering stress, which is always a great start. When stress is lowered, the body can work on being in balance and produces the hormones needed to help increase fertility.
And thirdly, acupuncture can work along side whatever else YOU have chosen to do to achieve your family.
Did you know that many private IVF clinics now have acupuncturists working for them as acupuncture may support IVF. Not only for the pre-conception stage, but also during the cycle, during egg collection, pre-transfer and post-transfer, as well as during the 2 week wait.
Acupuncture is the process of inserting fine, single use, sterile needles into acupuncture points on the body. The acupuncture points are chosen according to the Chinese Medicine diagnosis process where I take an in-depth history and assess your current lifestyle, combining that with the palpation of the 12 Chinese pulses on your wrists and a look at your tongue.
Chinese Medicine is an holistic medicine which looks at the root cause for your condition. Each treatment is individualised.
I use a mixture of acupuncture, Chinese herbs, Chinese Medicine dietary advice, Chinese Medicine lifestyle advice, as well as supplements, all focusing on your fertility.
You may be ready to book yourself and if you are, click the button below to get booked in.
If you have more questions, fill out the form below and we can organise a free discovery call to have a chat about how acupuncture can help you