I once had a ninety-year-old patient with eight children and a whole passel of grandchildren inform me with a twinkle in her eye that “back in the day, all men had to do was look at you and you would get pregnant!” While pregnancy might not have been quite that easy back then, it is obvious that we have an epidemic of infertility happening today. From 1990 to 2010 worldwide rates of infertility increased from 3.5 percent to 16.7 percent in developed nations. And between 1970 and 2011, the concentration of sperm in the ejaculate of men in western countries dropped by over 52 percent!
The main causes of infertility include polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, tubal blockages, poor egg quality, and low sperm count or quality. However, fully 15 percent of infertile couples are diagnosed with unexplained infertility! While In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) success rates have increased in recent years to 55 percent in women under 35 years, an average of 5-6 cycles are usually required, with a total cost of $60-72K! Less invasive and less costly procedures of Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) have much lower success rates of only 7-25 percent.
Is there anything else we can do? Oh yes! One of the biggest contributors to unexplained infertility is simple stress! We are designed to make babies in a relaxed state. A stressful lifestyle pulls the body’s blood flow and attention away from baby-making organs and funnels it to the arms and legs as part of our “fight or flight” response. In fact, current clinical studies point to the major role stress plays in preventing the implantation of a new embryo. One of my favorite fertility stories is a patient who tried for three years through IVF to conceive. She finally gave up and came in for acupuncture for “stress relief” and was pregnant in three weeks!
Another major factor in modern infertility are pervasive industrial toxins in our environment, many with known detrimental effects on hormonal health. Xenoestrogens, for example, are found in plastics, skincare products, insecticides, and food preservatives. Xenoestrogens bind with estrogen receptors in the body, blocking natural estrogen pathways. When major detox organs are supported, and toxins finally cleared, I have seen numerous women able to naturally conceive.
Chinese medicine has a two-thousand-year successful history of promoting fertility, including herbal formulas that enrich ovarian egg reserves, as well as the quality and quantity of sperm. Acupuncture powerfully helps to restore a healthy menstrual cycle, reduce the effects of chronic stress, support elimination of toxins, improve ovarian function, increase sperm count, and encourage healthy blood flow to the uterus and reproductive organs. In fact, acupuncture increases the rates of IVF success on average by 30 percent and helps mitigate many of the side effects of IVF and IUI medications.
If you are struggling with conception, we can help! At Vital Health, we dig deep to uncover the root causes. We then use acupuncture together with targeted diet changes, herbs, and supplementation to restore your reproductive health.
©2022 Darcy Greenwald, M.S.O.M., L.Ac. and Vital Health
