Acupuncture for Fertility

Let’s get you pregnant! Did you know one of the most common uses of acupuncture is to improve fertility?

Acupuncture can be effective whether you are trying to conceive using IVF therapy, IUI artificial insemination, surrogacy, donors, or via natural conception.

There’s a lot that goes into making a baby.

Sperm have to travel a great distance and they need a lot of energy and other nutrients to get there. The ovum needs the right environment and balance of hormones, and of course it’s all about timing!

You can make changes to improve your success in conceiving so it doesn’t need to be stressful.

How can Acupuncture help you conceive, naturally and by IUI?

Increases blood flow to the uterus
Regulates hormones
Promotes ovulation
Reduces stress and anxiety
Reduces FSH levels
Thickens uterine lining
Improves sperm quality and motility

How can Acupuncture help you with IVF?

Reduce anxiety
Reduce pain of IVF
Reduce bloating and discomfort from the IVF injections
Improve sperm quality and motility
Increase success of embryo transfer
Improve IVF outcomes – successful implantation, healthy pregnancy and healthy baby

HOW WE CAN HELP

Acupuncture for Fertility in Toronto and the GTA

The stress of our daily responsibilities (plus any past unsuccessful pregnancies) increases the stress-hormone cortisol in women. This disrupts the hormonal balance in the body, putting them in the fight or flight mode, which automatically shuts down anything that is non-essential. And that, unfortunately, includes the reproductive system.

Weekly acupuncture treatments have a high success rate of helping women become pregnant, maintain their pregnancies and give birth to healthy babies.
Acupuncture is also effective in helping fathers-to-be, as acupuncture decreases stress, regulates their testosterone levels and increases their sperm count, sperm motility and sperm quality.

Ready to Get Started?

Click to book your acupuncture session for fertility.

Have questions? Arrange for a No-cost 10-minute Discovery Call and speak directly with Eileen to learn more.

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Fertility Nutrition in Toronto and the GTA

Now is the perfect time to focus on you and your health.

A baby needs many different nutrients to grow and ideally these nutrients should be at optimal levels during the time of conception.

It’s also an excellent way to work together with your partner toward a common health goal. Spend some time taking care of each other so you both feel your best and you're ready for parenthood.

We will help the mom-to-be to:

Track and work with your menstrual cycle
Balance estrogen and progesterone levels
Reduce stress & cortisol levels
Increase nutrient intake for pregnancy (very important: folate, iron, iodine)
Increase libido
Cleanse and support the liver

We will help the Dad-to-be to:

Increase sperm count & motility
Boost testosterone levels
Reduce stress & cortisol levels
Increase libido

Scientific evidence has shown that eating well, staying active, getting enough sleep and reducing stress can all increase your chances of conceiving

We will provide:

A health plan for both partners
Meal ideas & recipes (for both of you, so no need to make separate meals)
A list of recommended supplements
Mindfulness techniques for reducing stress and improving sleep

Nutrition Consulting

Click to book your nutrition session for fertility support.

Have questions? Book a Free 10-minute Discovery Call with Kirsten or Eileen and get your questions answered!

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Your Questions Answered

1Where are the acupuncture points for fertility?

This is a question we get asked more than you think, so don’t be embarrassed. For women, some needle points are in the abdominal area (but not near the genitals). Further needles are in the arms and legs. For men, the main fertility needle points are in the back; none are near the genitals.

2When is the best time to get acupuncture for fertility?

Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after 12 consecutive months of trying. However, there is no need to wait that long before beginning acupuncture. Even if you do not expect any issues in conceiving, acupuncture and nutrition can still be beneficial.

3Is there an optimal time in a woman’s cycle to begin acupuncture?

Acupuncture can begin at any time in the cycle, and the placement of some needles depends on where a woman is in her cycle. On your first session, Eileen will confirm your cycle day with you to ensure your acupuncture sessions are optimized for conception.

4When is the best time to get acupuncture for IVF treatments?

Again, this is a common question. At best, acupuncture treatments should take place weekly for at least a month prior to the egg extraction to optimize egg quality and quantity, as well for the husband to enhance sperm quantity, quality and motility.

Acupuncture sessions should also take place for 4-6 weeks prior to the embryo transfer, again to optimize hormonal balance, uterine lining, and implantation. At bare minimum, the woman receives acupuncture 3 times - the day before the transfer, hours after the transfer and a week later.

5Are their scientific studies behind acupuncture and fertility?

Scientific studies around acupuncture and fertility date back to 1988 (although the use of acupuncture for fertility goes back much further than that.) A 2022 systemic review and meta-analysis was conducted on randomized controlled trials of acupuncture for female fertility (this is a review of multiple studies.) The conclusion of the reviewers was that acupuncture can improve live birth rates for women experiencing infertility. However, their conclusion also stated that more double-blind randomized control studies with a large group of participants would be beneficial. We look forward to more scientific studies around acupuncture and fertility in the future.

Acupuncture as Treatment for Female Infertility: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials - PMC (nih.gov)

6Are there scientific studies behind acupuncture as a complementary to IVF?

A 2021 systemic review examined clinical trials around the use of acupuncture after embryo transfer during IVF treatments. The conclusion from these studies demonstrated that acupuncture after IVF treatments does improve pregnancy rates, however, more evidence is required. We look forward to more scientific studies around acupuncture and IVF treatments in the future.

An Overview of Systematic Reviews of Acupuncture for Infertile Women Undergoing in vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer - PMC (nih.gov).

7The IVF clinic I use has an acupuncturist on site, why should I come to you?

Acupuncture for IVF has become so popular that many clinics now have an acupuncturist right in the office.

While this may be more convenient, we can offer a more well-rounded treatment including nutrition support and acupuncture for any other issues you’re experiencing.

We can also continue to support you throughout your pregnancy for nausea, hemorrhoids, breech baby, labour and beyond.

8When should I see a nutritionist?

It is common to want to see a nutritionist after becoming pregnant. However, this isn’t always the best time to try to change the diet due to nausea, fatigue and the added stress. The best time to make changes is before conception. There are many nutrients that ideally should be in optimal levels prior to getting pregnant for example folate and iron.

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