If you’re trying to get pregnant, you’re probably already doing whatever you can to improve your odds of conceiving, like eating healthy food, getting regular exercise, and tracking your ovulation cycle. You may have also started fertility treatments.
But another thing that may help is acupuncture for fertility. This ancient, natural practice involves inserting very thin, sterile needles into certain points on the body. Many people swear acupuncture helped them get pregnant and maintain a healthy pregnancy months later.
At UPMC, we offer acupuncture as part of our overall fertility services. Here’s what you need to know about what acupuncture can — and can’t — do to help with fertility and pregnancy.
Fertility acupuncture is an alternative medical treatment to help you get pregnant. It involves placing very thin needles into precise points on the body to improve the way your systems function. These points are in pathways — also called channels or meridians — both inside and outside the body.
An acupuncturist manipulates the needles manually or with small electrical currents. The points, when needled, can help regulate body functions. For fertility acupuncture, the points are in different parts of the body (lower belly, spine, ear) but they target your reproductive organs.
Acupuncture for fertility may help:
The practice of acupuncture started in China at least 2,500 years ago. It spread throughout Asia and eventually into the rest of the world. It became popular in the U.S. in the 1970s.
In traditional Chinese medicine, practitioners believe there is an energy force called qi (pronounced “chi”) that flows through your body on pathways known as meridians. An acupuncturist inserts thin needles into certain points along the meridians to prompt the body’s healing response.
More and more people are using acupuncture to relieve pain and balance the body’s systems. Between 2002 and 2012, there was a 50% increase in the number of people using acupuncture. In 2012, the most recent year for which numbers are available, 6.4% of adults in the U.S. reported using acupuncture.
While acupuncture is an effective method for treating back, neck, and knee pain, doctors don’t completely understand how it works. In some cases, it may directly affect the tissue where the needles are inserted, especially in connective tissue.
Studies in animals and people have shown acupuncture may affect nervous system function. When acupuncture needles stimulate specific points, it causes the release of chemicals called neurotransmitters. These chemicals travel through the central nervous system to the brain, where they activate or inhibit other nerve signals, including pain signals.
Practitioners use acupuncture to treat many health problems besides infertility, including allergies, incontinence, asthma, and post-operative pain. Acupuncture treatments can also relieve stress and make you feel more relaxed.
You should always see a licensed acupuncturist. Requirements for licensing vary from state to state, so make sure you check credentials before making an appointment.
A good place to start is the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture (ABMA) or the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). ABMA is only for acupuncturists who are also medical doctors (MDs or DOs).
The short answer is maybe.
The scientific studies on acupuncture for fertility aren't extensive. Some medical studies have shown that acupuncture is helpful in treating fertility problems, while others have not. Further research is needed to say that acupuncture can definitely help you get pregnant.
However, many people who have turned to alternative medicine for infertility swear that acupuncture helped them get pregnant.
UPMC is among the hospital systems and fertility clinics that now offer acupuncture as a treatment for infertility. Doctors may use it in conjunction with other infertility therapies like ovulation induction (fertility drugs) or in vitro fertilization (IVF).
There's some limited scientific evidence that acupuncture can help with fertility. It has very few risks and may also help relieve the mental and emotional stress of dealing with the frustrations of infertility and infertility treatments.
Proponents of acupuncture for fertility recommend it for treating different conditions related to fertility.
These include:
Your acupuncturist will insert the needles on certain points on your body that are in the same channels as your reproductive organs. The goal is to improve your ovarian function, balance your hormones, and increase blood flow to the lining of the uterus.
Some of these acupuncture points are:
These points may vary depending on your specific condition, and what form of acupuncture you’re getting. Depending on where you are in your menstrual cycle, your acupuncturist may target different areas.
For male infertility, acupuncture treatments usually focus on the lower belly. This area links to the male reproductive organs through nerves and arteries. One 2019 study showed that acupuncture improved sperm production.
There’s not one recommended number of acupuncture treatments. Acupuncture for any problem (or for your overall health) is a process, rather than a few limited visits.
Ideally, you should start acupuncture treatments three to four months before even trying to get pregnant. Likewise, allow for three to four months of acupuncture before starting fertility treatments, such as IVF or intrauterine insemination (IUI).
However, acupuncture for fertility can still be beneficial if started at the same time as fertility treatments.
Your fertility acupuncture treatments will take place one to three times a week. Once you’re pregnant, your doctor may recommend continuing acupuncture treatments through the third month to help prevent miscarriage.
There are minimal risks and complications from using acupuncture for fertility. Acupuncture is generally safe regardless of your medical history. But you should seek out an acupuncturist who has experience treating fertility problems.
Risks and complications include:
Some people decide to try acupuncture after experiencing fertility problems, but you may also see an acupuncturist before you begin trying to get pregnant. They can get a good sense of your body rhythms and medical history.
Before making an appointment with an acupuncturist, check with your ob-gyn or fertility specialist to confirm the treatments may be helpful. Some fertility problems, like blocked fallopian tubes, won't respond to acupuncture.
Before you book an appointment with an acupuncturist, you should also check with your insurance company to see what services they cover. Some insurance plans include acupuncture but others don’t. Your plan may cover a certain number of visits per year, or may only cover acupuncture appointments with a doctor’s prescription.
You should seek out an acupuncturist who has experience treating infertility. Your ob-gyn may be able to make a recommendation.
At your first visit, your acupuncturist will ask you questions about your medical history, current fertility status, and fertility concerns. They'll ask about your overall health, as well as lifestyle habits regarding diet, exercise, and sleep. They’ll also inquire about your mental and emotional health, including stress levels and worries about infertility.
Your acupuncturist may perform a physical exam. They'll feel your pulse and look at your tongue.
To an acupuncturist, the tongue can reveal problems in other parts of the body. They believe the tongue is the only external organ that accurately reflects the health of the internal organs. Acupuncturists focus on the shape, color, and coating of the tongue.
They'll also feel your pulse on each side. The pulse relates to different body parts and can reveal how they're working.
You should let your acupuncturist know what medications and over-the-counter drugs you take. Aspirin or other blood thinners may increase your risk of bleeding.
For the treatment, your acupuncturist will apply very thin needles to different parts of your body. The use of acupuncture needles will last from about 30 minutes to an hour.
Going forward, allow about an hour for each acupuncture appointment. Part of that time will include updating your acupuncturist on any changes in your condition. The rest of the time will be a 20- to 40-minute session with needles.
Most people have little or no pain with acupuncture needles. You might notice a slight ache, pinch, or shock sensation, especially at first.
You may have a small amount of bruising from the needles. A qualified acupuncturist uses sterile, disposable needles, so the chance of infection is very low.
You may also feel very relaxed after an acupuncture session.
Acupuncture can help relieve the aches and pains of pregnancy.
The ligaments of your lower body soften and stretch to prepare for labor. The extra weight of the baby and placenta puts more stress on the back and pelvis. Acupuncture can help relieve the resulting lower back and pelvic pain.
Because acupuncture is a therapy that doesn’t involve drugs, there are no side effects that could hurt a pregnancy.
A group of studies in the British Medical Journal showed that acupuncture significantly relieved pain during pregnancy. In the same group of studies, acupuncture also improved quality of life for pregnant people. It had no observable negative effect on the newborn babies of the same group.
Researchers aren’t clear on exactly how acupuncture eases the pains associated with pregnancy. One theory is that the treatment releases endorphins — the chemicals in the body that make you feel good. Acupuncture may also increase blood flow to achy areas, helping to relieve pain.
You can start acupuncture anytime during your pregnancy. If you’re pregnant (or may be pregnant), there are certain areas your acupuncturist will avoid. They won’t use needles in the lower abdomen, bladder, gallbladder, stomach, or large intestine.
You can continue having acupuncture through pregnancy and afterward. Some women find it beneficial to continue through the postpartum period. Acupuncture can increase your blood flow and speed the healing process.
The experts at UPMC offer a wide range of fertility treatments, including acupuncture. We support alternative methods of medicine and take a holistic approach to your fertility treatment. Our doctors work alongside acupuncturists to give you the best chance of conceiving and having a healthy pregnancy.
Overall, we offer a woman-focused approach to fertility and reproductive health care. Our doctors have the expertise to provide highly personalized health care, from evaluation and diagnosis to treatment. If an alternative treatment like acupuncture can help, we will recommend it.
We also will inform you about the details of any fertility procedure or treatment we might offer. That includes the cost for those procedures not covered by insurance. Some insurance plans cover acupuncture while others do not.
Last reviewed by a UPMC medical professional on 2024-09-05.
