The path to parenthood isn’t always easy. For many, trying to become pregnant can be a real struggle. But our team at The New York Fertility Center understands what a deeply personal and emotional process it can be. We also offer a full range of fertility care to improve pregnancy rates, including complementary methods like acupuncture.
Dr. Stephanie Destina, DACM, L.Ac., brings nearly 10 years of experience in acupuncture to our practice. She has clinical training in numerous areas, like pediatric care, weight management, and orthopedics.
However, her focus lies in reproductive health, including fertility enhancement, pregnancy support, endometriosis, irregular/painful periods, and PCOS — one of the most common causes of female infertility. Here’s what you should know about acupuncture and fertility.
How acupuncture works
You may have heard of acupuncture or seen it in movies. It’s a form of traditional Chinese medicine that started approximately 3,000 years ago.
During a treatment, the acupuncturist restores balance to the energy force — or qi — in your body. Qi flows throughout your entire system on special pathways called meridians. When energy gets disrupted along these pathways, disease or dysfunction can arise.
An acupuncturist corrects this imbalance by targeting specific points on the meridians with the treatment needles and activating them with specific movements or electrical stimulation. This process stimulates the nervous system, which releases chemicals in the brain, spinal cord, and muscles.
Experiencing these changes on a biochemical level helps promote physical and emotional well-being, and it triggers your natural ability to heal. Plus, acupuncture is safe, even when used at the same time as conventional treatments.
Acupuncture and fertility
Acupuncturists can treat numerous issues throughout the body, including those associated with fertility. Fertility enhancement treatments often target the abdomen and reproductive organs, and they can benefit both female and male reproductive systems.
The benefits of acupuncture for fertility issues can include:
- Regulating the menstrual cycle
- Treating PCOS
- Increasing the number of follicles during IVF treatments
- Improving the innermost lining of the uterus
- Increasing circulation to reproductive organs
- Improving sperm quality, count, and motility
- Regulating hormone levels
- Assisting in weight loss
But acupuncture comes with an extra advantage. It significantly decreases stress and anxiety — emotions often in high supply when trying to get pregnant. In fact, the emotional and mental strain of infertility can equal that of learning you have breast cancer.
These positive benefits make acupuncture a highly valued component of fertility treatments for cultivating optimal health for the mind, body, and spirit.
Are you curious about whether acupuncture could improve your chances of pregnancy? Contact The New York Fertility Center to schedule a consultation in Downtown Flushing, Queens, or Manhattan’s Flatiron District today.