Fertility challenges may come unexpectedly, but over 10% of U.S. couples face difficulties with conception. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers a unique approach to supporting fertility by looking at the underlying causes of imbalance and treating each person individually. TCM incorporates acupuncture, herbs, massage, and nutritional advice to help couples achieve a successful pregnancy.
Support Fertility Naturally
Acupuncture and herbal medicine are becoming more and more researched and understood as other medical models to address infertility, for both men and women. Infertility can have a clear reason, such as a structural abnormality, hormonal imbalance, or poor quality eggs or sperm. After various testing, women are often told that there is no known reason for their struggle to conceive or even sustain a pregnancy. This frustrating diagnosis of “unexplained infertility” is given to 20% of struggling couples. In my practice, I commonly see those in this situation. From the perspective of Chinese Medicine, there is usually a clear imbalance to account for the challenge of becoming pregnant for each individual, even when given this Western medical diagnosis.
In recent years, couples have sought acupuncture to increase the effectiveness of assisted reproductive technology (ART). There are high-quality studies available that demonstrate that the use of acupuncture pre- and post-IVF (in vitro fertilization, a type of ART) will raise the success rate of pregnancy by 15%. Western fertility specialists are becoming more convinced of this and often refer to acupuncture during this time. Going through ART is a stressful time and a big investment of the heart and wallet, so by helping manage the effects of stress and increase blood circulation to the reproductive organs, acupuncture can be very beneficial. Chinese medical treatment has shown the increased quality of eggs and sperm in preparation for conception.
Managing Challenges Throughout Pregnancy
Pregnancy is an amazing time of life but can include a variety of new issues as a woman’s body changes to support the growth of her child. Some of the common issues that acupuncture successfully treats are morning sickness, sciatica, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and acid reflux. Toward the end of pregnancy, acupuncture may be used for turning breech-positioned babies and for stimulation of labor.
When the baby is not positioned ideally for movement down the birth canal, moxibustion is commonly employed to help the baby turn. This is standard care in China for turning a breech baby. A landmark study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1998 found that up to 75% of women dealing with breech presentations before childbirth had fetuses that rotated to the normal position after receiving moxibustion at an acupuncture point on the little toe. Moxibustion is the use of Chinese mugwort, a spongy herb that can be clumped to the end of the fine acupuncture needle, placed directly on the skin or used in a stick form. The point on the little toe used to turn the baby is on a specific channel that can affect the uterus and activate the baby to move. More often than not, when this is performed between 32 – 37 weeks of a breech pregnancy, the baby will turn to be in the ideal position for birth. This typically happens within the 24 – 48 hours following treatment.
Overdue pregnancy is another very common experience and sometimes a concern. It is a time filled with anxiety and excitement, as each day may be the day of birthing. Contractions and the signs of birthing readiness are closely observed to see if there is progression towards labor. Acupuncture is a way to encourage the whole body and mind to deeply relax to then allow the natural tendency of birth to happen. Specific points, which have been used for hundreds of years for this purpose, can stimulate a downward movement in the body for a full-term mother. This has more recently been studied and seen specifically to create uterine contractions. When I first began practicing, I clearly remember when my wife’s labor stalled. After needling several points and then laying with them for twenty minutes, labor quickly resumed once she stood up and our little one was soon born.
Chinese Medicine Has a Long History
Acupuncture should surely be considered when dealing with the struggle of infertility, supporting a healthy pregnancy, and addressing the challenges that may arise within those nine months. This is a field within Chinese Medicine that has extensive experience with a long history of knowledge. There are acupuncturists that have been certified by the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine to have this specialty. Please feel free to contact me if you have specific questions around this topic.