Acupuncture for fertility?!

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

save your money, it's all placebo. If you get pregnant it's nothing to do with the acupuncture. See your doctor to make sure there is no underlying reason for not getting pregnant, take your partner with you.

Save your money for legitimate fertility treatment.

There are many many studies which show acupuncture is an effective and practical way to treat fertility problems. It is even used before IVF treatments in a lot of clinics world wide as it has been shown to dramatically increase success rates. There is a placebo component in ALL treatments - the mind is a powerful thing! But controlled studies which allow for the placebo effect still show acupuncture is more effective than 'fake acupuncture' (when the person thinks they are receiving a treatment).

Anyway - back to your question. The dull ache is a very common result. The way we look at it is that the energy or 'qi' has been blocked for a long time in that area and as the acupuncture helps to release it, it can feel quite intense. If you were overdue to ovulate, then your temperature spike suggests you did indeed ovulate. You may not feel well due to the hormonal changes the acupuncture has helped your body achieve. Your body will take some time to adjust.

My advice....... you will need to have treatments for at least 3 months. This is how long it takes for the body to adjust to a healthy hormonal cycle. If you haven't done so already, do get yourself checked by a physician. If the problem is physical (eg - blocked tubes) then no amount of acupuncture will help. Acupuncture helps most when the problem is to do with hormonal imbalance (most likely cause) as it regulates the hypothalamus (the hormonal control center in the brain). Also, look at your lifestyle. You and your partner should both be avoiding caffeine, alcohol, toxic chemicals and stress.

I wish you the best of luck! Once you get pregnant, don't forget acupuncture can help you with a huge range of problems throughout pregnancy including morning sickness, back pain, breech presentation, preparation for labour as well as many other conditions.

Acupuncturist specializing in womens health.