Can Acupuncture Affect Ovulation?

If you’re struggling to conceive, you know it’s all about healthy ovulation. However, healthy ovulatory cycles can be a difficult thing to achieve. Ovulation too early or too late in your cycle can be a major contributing factor to infertility. Some women struggle with anovulatory cycles, meaning they don’t ovulate at all. In these cases, you probably think it would take a miracle to restore your fertility. Acupuncture has long been used to help women overcome their fertility struggles and finally get pregnant. But can acupuncture affect ovulation, and if so, how?

Acupuncture normalizes menstrual cycles, increasing blood flow to the reproductive organs and enhancing ovarian activity. Acupuncture has been shown to stimulate healthy ovulation and even improve egg quality, boosting your chances of getting pregnant.

How does acupuncture improve ovulation?

The great thing about acupuncture is that it’s adaptogenic. It supports your body on multiple levels to promote healing, no matter what the underlying cause of your ovulation troubles.

If you’re currently ovulating, but ovulating too early or too late in your cycle, acupuncture can help bring everything back into balance by normalizing your hormone levels. Acupuncture has been shown to have a regulatory effect on progesterone and estrogen levels, helping your body achieve ovulatory menstrual cycles that are just the right length, between 28 and 32 days. 

This is fantastic news for women dealing with hormonal conditions like PCOS. This complex syndrome is associated with sex and stress hormone imbalances that can lead to dysfunctional cycles and ovulation issues. Acupuncture can be tremendously helpful for these women in particular.

But this is also good news for women struggling with anovulation. Women who experience anovulatory cycles may still menstruate, but their ovaries do not release an egg. No egg means no chance of pregnancy. Fortunately, because acupuncture increases blood flow to the reproductive organs, it stimulates ovarian activity and, consequently, egg production.

Research shows that regular acupuncture sessions don’t just result in an uptick in ovarian activity. Acupuncture also increases ovarian reserve and enhances egg quality, which can also help you conceive. 

Acupuncture supports fertility in other ways, too!

Acupuncture has a direct impact on your reproductive health, but it can also improve your fertility in several other roundabout ways. For instance, acupuncture can help sensitize your body to insulin.

Many women, including those suffering from PCOS, have trouble getting pregnant because they’re insulin-resistant. Elevated levels of insulin essentially block ovulation. Acupuncture supports metabolic health and restores your body’s ability to use insulin efficiently, thereby improving ovulation.

Interestingly, the immune system also plays an important role in fertility. An overactive immune system can prevent conception, and can even lead to miscarriage. This makes supporting your immunity and general wellness even more important if you’re trying to get pregnant.

And let’s talk about stress, too. High cortisol can be a huge stumbling block on your path to better fertility. But because acupuncture has a calming effect on the mind and body, it can help resolve your stress-related ovulation issues and increase your chances of getting pregnant naturally.

How often should you get acupuncture to restore healthy ovulation?

 A single acupuncture session can do your body a world of good. But if you want to establish healthy menstrual cycles and promote ovulation, you’ll need ongoing treatments to correct your underlying fertility issues. 

At Integrative Healing Arts, each patient who comes to our clinic receives personalized care. We recommend our patients start with a minimum commitment of 3 menstrual cycles (12 weeks) and receive weekly or twice weekly acupuncture treatments during that time. 

Anovulation and/or poor ovarian function are multifaceted fertility issues that can result from a variety of underlying causes. We've found that using acupuncture throughout a 12-week timeframe is often enough to help the body rebalance and regulate. Getting acupuncture for a minimum of 3 cycles gives your body a chance to recover and "remember" how to function as it should. 

That said, each woman is unique and may need more comprehensive acupuncture sessions to restore and regulate their ovulation. So, at the end of your initial 12-week course of treatments, we'll evaluate your progress and reassess your treatment protocol to determine the best way to proceed. We may also incorporate additional therapies to enhance your results.  

What else can you do to support your fertility?

If you want to boost your fertility, and you want to do so naturally, acupuncture is a great first step. But there are other things you can do to support your reproductive health. You can only be as healthy as your habits. So when it comes to supporting your reproductive health take a closer look at your diet and lifestyle. 

Getting eight hours of sleep every night, an hour or two of exercise every day, and enjoying a variety of fruits, veggies, healthy fats, and lean proteins will support your health from the inside out (and be sure to round out your diet with these incredible fertility superfoods!).

Stress management is also critical. Chronic stress can block ovulation and contribute to hormonal imbalances that can last for years if left unaddressed. Whether your stress management plan involves journaling, taking up yoga, or getting a weekly massage is up to you. But this self-care step is essential if you’re trying to enhance your fertility.

We often utilize Chinese herbal medicine as well. Several herbs can be used to restore ovulation. Like acupuncture, these potent substances work with the body to enhance fertility naturally. Herbal blends can be the linchpin in a fertility support protocol, but because these herbs are so powerful, it’s important to only use them under the guidance of an experienced herbalist. 

Get in touch with Integrative Healing Arts today!

Ovulation issues can be complex and challenging, but that doesn’t mean they’re impossible to treat. At Integrative Healing Arts, we’ve helped countless women overcome their fertility issues, and we’ll be there to help you achieve your dreams of pregnancy, too.

Whether you’re trying to ovulate naturally or with the help of Western medicine, acupuncture can be used to improve your reproductive health. We’ll work with you to create a personalized fertility protocol that supports you before, during, and after pregnancy.

Contact our office today to learn more about our fertility support services. We’ll help you book your first appointment so you can get started and reclaim your fertility.