Acupuncture and Fertility

Deciding to start a family is a momentous and exciting decision, one that is often made after years of doing your best to make sure you did not fall pregnant!

Therefore, once you have taken the plunge the assumption is that your body is fertile and his sperm are raring to go and it will happen straight away. For some lucky couples this is indeed the case, but for others it can be a longer and more complicated journey to make the dream a reality.

Preparation for Pregnancy

Whilst pregnancy is the most natural thing in the world, creating a new life is also one of the most miraculous things you will ever do, so it is vital to ensure you are in the best possible health. There are a number of studies suggesting acupuncture enhances fertility, including:

• regulating hormone function
• counteracting the effects of polycystic ovarian syndrome
• increasing blood flow to the ovaries and therefore enhancing the environment in which follicles develop
• increasing blood flow to the uterus which may increase the thickness of the endometrial lining, thereby increasing the chance of successful embryo implantation

Therefore I see many women who have just made the decision to start a family who wish to explore how they can support their body for a successful and healthy pregnancy.

I like to take things back to basics and explain the whole process:

• how your cycle works
• how to track when is the best time for you to try for pregnancy
• how nutrition can affect and support your pregnancy
• how lifestyle factors may help or hinder fertility
• the importance of your partner’s health and what he can do to enhance his fertility
• how to keep the process fun

In some cases, if I think it is necessary, I will recommend some baseline fertility tests for you and your partner. It is important that he too is looking after himself – he is, after all, half of the equation!

Whether you are at the beginning of this journey, or further down the line, and would benefit from support in navigating the fertility maze, my aim is to help you achieve your goal.

For more information, please view my Fertility Questions and Answers.