Boosting Fertility With Acupuncture: What You Need to Know

Starting a family should be an exciting new journey, but many couples find themselves facing unexpected challenges along the way. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 1 in 5 women of reproductive age are unable to conceive after one year of trying.

Bethany Leddy, DACM, MSOM, specializes in fertility and reproductive health, bringing over 23 years of experience to her patients at Elemental Acupuncture. By following Dr. Leddy’s personalized treatment strategies, 92% of her fertility patients go on to successfully conceive and deliver healthy babies.

Curious about boosting your fertility with acupuncture? Here’s what you need to know.

How acupuncture enhances fertility

Acupuncture works to address the physical and hormonal barriers that often prevent successful conception. Regular sessions help bring the body back into balance, supporting fertility for both men and women by:

Improving circulation

Stimulating specific points increases the flow of oxygenated, nutrient-rich blood to the reproductive organs. The boost in circulation improves egg quality and ovarian function while helping to thicken the uterine lining, preparing it for the embryo to successfully implant.

Balancing hormones

Acupuncture improves the communication between your brain and your reproductive system. By balancing hormonal signals, treatments can help regulate the menstrual cycle and promote regular ovulation. This can be particularly helpful for women with conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), for whom hormonal imbalances often impact fertility.

Reducing stress

Chronic stress keeps your body in a state of “fight or flight,” wherein it prioritizes survival over reproduction. Acupuncture shifts you into “rest and digest” mode, lowering levels of stress hormones like cortisol and helping your reproductive system function at its peak.

Optimizing sperm health

Sperm are extremely sensitive to inflammation and poor circulation, both of which can lower count and motility (movement). By increasing blood flow to the testes and easing systemic inflammation, acupuncture can improve the number and quality of sperm, which improves the overall chances of fertilization and proper embryo development.

When to start 

Since it takes roughly 90 days for eggs to mature and sperm to fully develop, your lifestyle choices during this time have a major influence on their quality and the likelihood of a healthy pregnancy. Just like eating better, cutting out alcohol, and taking a prenatal vitamin, you should ideally begin fertility-boosting acupuncture sessions at least three months prior to your target ovulation date — however, it’s never too late to start.

For those trying naturally, this three-month window also allows for the observation and correction of specific cycle patterns. Starting early gives us several cycles to address issues like delayed ovulation or a short luteal phase before you actively start trying to conceive.

If you’re preparing for in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intrauterine insemination (IUI), introducing acupuncture beforehand can improve your response to stimulation medications. Continuing sessions through the retrieval and transfer stages helps manage side effects and supports the best possible environment for implantation.

Whether you’re just beginning your fertility journey or you’ve been struggling for years, Dr. Leddy is here to help. To schedule your initial consultation at Elemental Acupuncture and discuss how regular sessions can support your path to a healthy pregnancy, contact us by phone, text, or request an appointment online at one of our offices in Tuckahoe and New York City, New York.