Fertility Acupuncture
One in six Canadian couples struggle with becoming pregnant. Research has shown that fertility acupuncture increases your chances of conception. This is because acupuncture regulates both your hormones and your menstrual cycle, promotes ovulation, and supports a healthy luteal phase for successful implantation.
Our team is committed to helping couples overcome challenges with conception. We take a comprehensive approach to patient care integrating evidence-based protocols to increase your success. Our goal is to help you achieve your dream of having a happy, healthy baby.
We have a proven track record of helping with:
- Unexplained Infertility
- Endometriosis
- PCOS
- Irregular menstrual cycles
- Anovulation (not ovulating)
- Recurrent pregnancy loss
- Male factor such as low sperm count, volume and motility
- Low Ovarian Reserve
Acupuncture improves fertility by:
- Regulating the menstrual cycle
- Increasing blood flow to the uterus and ovaries
- Promoting ovulation
- Supporting a healthy luteal phase for successful implantation
- Increasing libido
- Reducing stress and anxiety surrounding fertility challenges
- Increasing sperm count and motility
Why our acupuncture fertility programs work so well
We Make A Plan, Customized to YOU
After reviewing your health history we develop an individualized, customized treatment plan tailored to you and your specific concerns and goals. You are an individual and should be treated as such. No mass treatment plans here.
We keep it simple
We help women become pregnant with simple easy- to- follow treatment plans that maximize fertility.
We promote optimal health for conception
There is a saying in Chinese Medicine of nourishing the soil before planting the seed. By nourishing your body with precise supplementation, acupuncture, lifestyle and dietary changes we can prepare your body for pregnancy. In our clinical experience doing this work first drastically increases pregnancy rates.
Most Importantly, We Care
Our team is committed to helping couples overcome challenges with conception. We take a comprehensive approach to patient care integrating evidence-based protocols to increase your success. Our goal is to help you achieve your dream of having a happy, healthy baby.
Here Is How We Can Help Improve Your Fertility with Our natural approach:
Our natural fertility programs are simple and easy-to-follow. We address and maximize each phase of the menstrual cycle, regulate menstruation, promote ovulation and encourage implantation in the luteal phase.
With precise supplementation, customized herbal formulas and simple dietary and lifestyle changes to enhance fertility for both partners.
We include:
- Simple, easy-to-follow treatment plan that optimizes fertility in each phase of the menstrual cycle
- Precise, targeted supplement recommendations for conception
- Custom herbal formulas to enhance each phase of the menstrual cycle for optimal conception
- Simple, dietary and lifestyle changes to enhance fertility for both partners
- Acupuncture to regulate the menstrual cycle, promote ovulation and support implantation in the luteal phase
- Increasing blood flow to the uterus and Improving the endometrial lining – Having a thick, nutrient-rich endometrial lining improves the chances of an ovum implantation on the uterine wall
- Regulating hormones and the menstrual cycle – A properly functioning menstrual cycle can help women become pregnant. Acupuncture regulates the hormonal connection between the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland and the ovaries, promoting a normal cycle.
- Stimulating ovulation – Some women ovulate irregularly, or not at all, due to low Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH) levels. Acupuncture can help to regulate these hormones so patients begin to ovulate regularly
- Improving egg quality – The quality of an egg is an important factor in fertility. A woman’s ovarian egg reserve is affected by age, genetics, medical history and lifestyle choices. Acupuncture can help to produce an increased number of viable eggs for women trying to get pregnant
- Reducing stress and anxiety – When a couple has difficulty trying to conceive, this can provoke a lot of anxiety. Stress does not help a couple trying to conceive. Acupuncture assists in regulating the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis that causes the release of stress hormones.
- Increasing sperm counts – Sperm quality increased in males with subfertility related to low sperm count after acupuncture treatments. Sixteen subfertile patients were analyzed one month before and one month after acupuncture treatments, performed at a frequency of twice a week for five weeks. Significant improvement of total functional sperm, percentage of viability and total motility was found. This suggests that men with reduced sperm activity may benefit from acupuncture treatment. 1
- Increasing sperm motility – Sperm motility is a huge factor in getting pregnant. Sperm need to be able to move quickly to survive the environment of the uterus and reach the mature egg in the fallopian tubes
- Improving sperm quality – A study published in Fertility and Sterility measured 28 men with low sperm count, poor motility and poor morphology who received acupuncture twice a week over the course of 5 weeks. Statistical evaluation of the data showed a significant increase in normal sperm morphology and total motility in the acupuncture group compared to men in the control group who did not receive acupuncture treatments. With the conclusion that, in conjunction with ART for reaching natural fertility potential, acupuncture treatments are a simple, non-invasive method of improving sperm quality. 2
- Increasing blood flow to the reproductive organs – Increased blood flow to the male reproductive organs makes this area function more effectively.
- Reducing the stress of trying to conceive – Acupuncture can help to release neurotransmitters that help reduce the anxiety and stress of dealing with fertility issues. Stress hormones can adversely affect how our bodies function and impact the chances of conceiving.
To learn more about male factor fertility issues, please click here.
References:
1 Siterman S, Eltes F, Wolfson W, Zabludovsky N, Bartoov B. Effect of acupuncture on sperm parameters of males suffering from subfertility related to low sperm quality. Arch Androl 1997;39:155-61.
2 Jian Pei, Erwin Strehler, Ulrich Noss, Markus Abt, Paola Piomboni, Baccio Baccetti, Karl Sterzik. Quantitative evaluation of spermatozoa ultrastructure after acupuncture treatment for idiopathic male infertility. Fertility and Sterility, Vol. 84, Issue 1, p141–147 Published in issue: July 2005 Retrieved from http://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(05)00591-1/pdf
Common Questions
How does acupuncture work for fertility?
Acupuncture modulates how your nervous system communicates to your hormonal system.
This means acupuncture can have a direct effect on your hormones and can regulate the menstrual cycle, promote ovulation, support the luteal phase for implantation, balance hormones/regulate hormonal activity, stimulate the growth of a healthy uterine lining, increase libido and reduce stress with trying to conceive.
I am on ovulation induction medication such as Letrozole/Femara or Clomid. Is acupuncture still right for me?
Absolutely, we can help compliment your medication for improved outcomes by promoting ovulation and supporting the luteal phase for implantation.
Should my husband come for acupuncture?
With declining sperm rates and subfertility it makes sense for both partners to receive acupuncture at specific times in the menstrual cycle to increase pregnancy rates. Acupuncture can also give your husband a “boost” at the time of your ovulation.
Does it hurt?
No it doesn’t hurt! This is one of the biggest misconceptions about acupuncture. The needles are very fine and flexible and would compare to a human hair or a cat whisker. Acupuncture needles are virtually painless when inserted in the skin. Most people find acupuncture extremely relaxing and fall asleep during treatment.
Is acupuncture safe when I do become/am pregnant?
Absolutely! Acupuncture is recommended at a regular frequency during the first trimester of your pregnancy and can help with anxiety, nausea and vomiting, fatigue and headaches and heartburn to name a few.
How do I know you are my best choice for fertility acupuncture?
We are committed to helping couples overcome challenges with conception. We take a comprehensive approach to patient care integrating evidence-based acupuncture to increase success. Our goal is to help couples achieve their dream of having a happy, healthy baby.
How long do acupuncture treatments take?
Your first visit is an hour and follow up treatments are 45 minutes. We are conveniently located on 124 street in downtown Edmonton for easy lunch hour and after work appointments. We are open 6 days a week, Monday to Saturday, with evening and weekend appointments also available.
How often do I come in for acupuncture?
Depending on your individual situation treatment could be recommended once to twice per week.
What People Are Saying:
Pam
Monica is so knowledgeable and open about infertility that she made the struggle easier to handle as well as taught me so many things I didn’t know about my own body. I have recommended friends to her and will continue to as her professionalism, knowledge and humour is amazing and will help everyone in the fertility struggle understand just a little more.
Tasha
After struggling with secondary infertility for 2 years I began seeing Monica we had already had 2 failed IUI attempts. Following her advice and treatment recommendations including supplements I am thrilled to say that we conceived on our 3rd IUI attempt. Everything about our last cycle was so different from the first 2 cycles that I can honestly say its because of Monica and her vast knowledge surrounding fertility that we finally conceived and I am now pregnant with 2 very healthy babies! As if getting pregnant wasn’t enough of a reason to sing her praises, she also got rid of my heartburn that I had suffered with daily since being pregnant with my 1st child. I used to pop tums like they were going out of style and I have maybe had 3 episodes of mild heartburn in the last 4 months. Monica has a such a outgoing and friendly nature about her that she instantly makes you feel like you have been friends for years. I am so grateful that I took the chance and began seeing her, I cannot recommend enough that anyone trying to get pregnant goes to see her!