Struggling to become pregnant can be disappointing and intensely emotional.
Fortunately, Dr. Tony Tsai and our team at The New York Fertility Center offer the most cutting-edge solutions available for fertility care to help make your dreams of parenthood a reality.
But we don’t stop there. You can also get alternative treatment strategies like acupuncture from Dr. Stephanie Destina, DACM, L.Ac. This complementary practice has been around for thousands of years, and it can provide several benefits for fertility.
If you’re trying to get pregnant, here are four ways acupuncture can help.
Acupuncture has become one of the most popular nontraditional treatment methods available for gynecological issues. Why? Its ability to regulate hormones.
Research shows that acupuncture treatments increase estrogen, especially:
It also stimulates two important hormones that regulate processes within the reproductive system: follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH).
During an acupuncture treatment, Dr. Destina inserts small, thin needles into very specific points of the body. The purpose is to help increase blood flow to your organs.
Boosting blood flow to reproductive organs offers numerous benefits, including increased egg quality. It also regulates your menstrual cycle and helps increase the possibility of ovulation.
Acupuncture offers benefits for male fertility — and it has for nearly 2,000 years. In more recent history, research shows that acupuncture can improve semen quality along with sperm vitality and motility.
Acupuncture can help balance reproductive hormones in male patients as well.
The process of trying to become pregnant can take a toll on a person and a relationship. Unfortunately, that emotional and mental stress can make conceiving even more difficult. One of the most important things acupuncture can do as part of a fertility treatment strategy involves stress relief.
In addition to activating important reproductive hormones, acupuncture stimulates feel-good hormones in your system and reduces stress hormones like cortisol. And it comes with few risks or side effects.
During your appointment, you simply lie back and relax. Dr. Destina inserts fine, sterile needles into specific acupoints to trigger the healing process. When undergoing acupuncture for fertility, these sites are often in the abdomen so Dr. Destina can target your reproductive organs.
Depending on your treatment, placing the needles can take anywhere from 10-30 minutes. Dr. Destina usually leaves them in place for up to 20 minutes before removing them. However, this varies on a case-by-case basis.
For the best results, Dr. Destina recommends regular acupuncture sessions during your fertility treatment. It’s also beneficial to start acupuncture before you hope to conceive. This gives Dr. Destina a chance to assess your body’s response to acupuncture treatments through a few menstrual cycles.
If you’re curious to learn more about how you could benefit from acupuncture, Contact The New York Fertility Center in Manhattan and Flushing, New York, to schedule a consultation with Dr. Destina today.
