Fertility Acupuncture Treatment in NYC

At Naturna, we practice an integrative approach by using acupuncture and nutrition to compliment your IVF protocol. Treatment is aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of your REIs treatment and improving your odds of success. We have relationships with many doctors and fertility centers in the greater New York City area, and we are able to complement and enhance your care.

Acupuncture can be used to assist with the development of the egg and the uterine lining while on clomid or letrozole. Although the research on acupuncture for IUI protocols is sparse, the studies done have shown more positive outcomes for patients using a similar acupuncture plan to that of patients doing IVF treatments.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a chronic hormonal disorder that may manifest with irregular or no periods, excessive hair growth or hair loss, excessive weight gain, acne, and/or fertility troubles. While the direct cause of PCOS is unknown, multiple factors may influence the likelihood of one getting PCOS. Insulin resistance can be an influencing factor, as it can cause the body to produce excess insulin and, therefore, may increase androgen levels in the body. In some cases, PCOS may be hereditary. Low-grade inflammation can also influence the onset of PCOS. PCOS affects up to 20% of reproductive-age women worldwide. The efficacy of acupuncture in PCOS cases can be contributed to a number of things, but the primary impact is on the natural regulation of hormones at the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, which is vital to a well functioning female reproductive system. Acupuncture can help to regulate these hormones, as well as promoting proper blood circulation in the female reproductive organs through its effect on the central nervous system. Since PCOS is a syndrome that can have many different symptoms, many issues that stem from PCOS can be effectively treated with acupuncture, including infertility, irregular menstruation, excess hair growth, persistent acne, and/or stubborn weight gain, particularly around the stomach area.

Currently, to receive a diagnosis of RPL, a woman must experience three or more miscarriages before she is encouraged to explore alternative methods of pregnancy. Acupuncture, has been found in many studies to improve live birth outcomes due to the stimulation of specific body points and increases in beneficial blood and hormonal flow, particularly when coupled with supportive care. Acupuncture was also reported to provide additional positive benefits such as increases in emotional coping abilities and provided a sense of empowerment to women who have experienced miscarriage.

After the age of 35, fertility in women decreases. Use diet, lifestyle and complementary methods such as acupuncture to create an antioxidant (anti-aging) effect on the reproductive system. In this way we improve egg quality and circulation.

Amenorrhea is the absence of menstruation and is split into two categories: primary amenorrhea, when no menstruation has occurred before the age of 16, and secondary amenorrhea, when menstruation stops for a period of 3 months or more and is not due to menopause, pregnancy, or breastfeeding. Acupuncture is used to help increase the blood flow to the reproductive organs and to the brain, helping to regulate the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Ovarian axis, which is responsible for the circulation of hormones. By regulating this axis, acupuncture can help restore healthy hormone levels, leading to the recurrence of a menstrual cycle.

Diminished Ovarian Reserve is when there are few (hence: “diminished”) eggs left in a woman’s body. It can also be a factor in lowered egg quality. This is a common concern for older women trying to conceive but is also seen in younger women. Acupuncture may assist by lowering stress, detoxing the body of harmful substances, regulating FSH levels and increasing the blood flow to the reproductive organs and improving the body’s hormone levels.

The follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in the body is meant to ‘tell’ the ovaries to produce more follicles. However, sometimes the ovaries just stop making follicles, confusing the brain to produce more FSH to eventually produce follicles in the ovaries. Even though more FSH is being produced, follicles are still not being produced. So, high FSH levels become a common indicator of infertility. Acupuncture is great at regulating hormone levels by increasing the blood flow to the ovaries, brain, and meridians in the body that connect the two. This helps modulate the production of follicles, thereby lowering FSH levels.

Endometriosis is when the endometrium tissue starts to grow outside of the uterus instead of inside the uterus along the uterine lining. This tissue can grow in the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and/or the intestines, causing a variety of complications to the reproductive system and gastrointestinal system. Endometriosis is also known to be the leading cause of infertility in women in the United States. At Naturna, we treat endometriosis with Acupuncture, dietary changes, herbs, vitamins and moxibustion, which are incredibly effective at reducing the inflammation associated with endometriosis. In addition, acupuncture reduces the pain associated with endometriosis and enhances the fertility of women with the condition.

Acupuncture can help treat any diagnosed autoimmune condition and undiagnosed immunological problems such as food allergies, seasonal allergies, skin reactions, and other immunologically-based infertility. An autoimmune response is the body’s way of reacting to anything it perceives as “foreign.” In Traditional Chinese Medicine, these imbalances in your body’s energy can be treated with regular acupuncture to decrease the body’s autoimmune responses.

Acupuncture improves circulatory function and hormonal balance. This is helpful is boosting the strength of your ovaries and helping the uterus to grow a thick lining for implantation.

Many women have hormone imbalances that make it more difficult to conceive. This includes high FSH (follicle stimulating hormone), LH (luteinizing hormone), or inappropriate levels of other hormones like estrogen, testosterone. Balancing your hormones is a key element for reproductive success, and acupuncture can help stimulate or relax the necessary parts of your body to produce a healthy hormonal ratio.

Acupuncture can help with fertility by managing autoimmune conditions. These conditions can create a poor environment for conception because they change the way the body reacts to “intruders” that may result in an attack on the pregnancy.

Irregular menses can include slight variations in cycle length or a lack of period for months at a time. Acupuncture can help regulate the feedback loop between your brain and your reproductive organs via the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Ovarian axis, which helps manage the production of hormones. In this way, we can modify the circulation of different hormones during each phase of your cycle to promote healthy, regular cycles. Acupuncture will also support the healthy growth of eggs, which leads to more regular phases of the cycle, thereby helping create a more reliable menstrual cycle.

Luteal Phase Defect (LPD) is a defect in which one’s progesterone is low after ovulation. As such, the uterine lining does not thicken as it should during this phase of the menstrual cycle. This defect is one of the many reasons in which one may not be able to get pregnant. The uterine lining needs to thicken in order for an egg to attach to the wall. The uterine lining grows as a response to the hormone, progesterone, being released during the luteal phase. LPD can occur if either your body does not produce enough or any progesterone or if your uterus does not respond to the progesterone being released. Chinese medicine aims to treat the root of the problem to help women of all ages achieve fertility. Acupuncture increases blood flow throughout the body, including in the ovaries, to increase egg and follicle quality. It also balances the regulation of hormones in the body, ensuring progesterone to be naturally released. It also reduces oxidative stress in the body, which is a strong factor as to why the uterus may not be responding to any progesterone release. Acupuncture improves the uterine environment, increasing the chances of pregnancy.

Male factors account for roughly half of all causes of infertility with the main culprit being poor sperm quality, also known as idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia. Limited research has shown that acupuncture can significantly increase the motility of sperm, as well as sperm concentration without any experienced side effects. Over the past decade male sperm counts have significantly declined. Most of the current research has focused in on one of two possible causes: lifestyle changes or endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the environment. Possible environmental factors include the presence of oestrogen and anti-androgens in water supplies as a result of common domestic and industrial products. Some lifestyle factors to consider include the consumption of a high intake of soy, the increase in the male’s age, diagnosis of diabetes or genitourinary infections, high levels of iodine, increases in scrotal temperature above 93.2 F, and obesity have all been shown to significantly decrease the male sperm count. Acupuncture addresses normal-formation of sperm, and sperm density thereby decreasing male subfertility.

Premenstrual Major Depressive Disorder or PMDD is a common psychiatric disorder that causes feelings of extreme sadness, fatigue, irritability, and disruption in everyday life including proper nutrition and getting an adequate amount of quality sleep. In addition to these effects, active PMDD in females has also been linked to negatively affecting non-IVF fertility treatments. PMDD is often treated with pharmacological antidepressants, but some have been associated with first-trimester pregnancy loss. Fortunately, recent research has shown acupuncture to significantly decrease the number of reported symptoms and their severity for those with PMDD by modulating the reward/ motivation pathway in the brain.

Ovarian cysts, similar to uterine fibroids, are solid or fluid-filled sac growths on or inside the ovaries. These cysts can grow larger and more painful, and can be exacerbated through poor diet, exercise, and elevated stress. Sometimes they disappear within a few months of appearing, and other times they are a chronic condition associated with a host of other symptoms. Ovarian cysts cause complications like irregular menses or amenorrhea, irregular or uncomfortable bowel movements, infertility or subfertility, pain during intercourse, and severe pain during menses. Some women treat these cysts either by birth control pills, cyst-removal surgery, or more holistic methods such as acupuncture, Chinese medicine and herbs, and nutritional interventions. While surgery and birth control are more immediate relief-fixes, they are not permanent nor are they guaranteed to work at all. They can also come with a host of side effects that can worsen the uterine environment, making it more difficult to conceive.

Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths found along the lining of the uterine walls. They develop after puberty and can be a huge determiner for subfertility or infertility. Common symptoms of having uterine fibroids include heavy periods and pain during menstruation and the rest of the cycle. Unfortunately, there is no known cause of fibroids, but there is a lot of research that supports two strong factors that influence the onset of fibroids. The first is genetics, and the second is the imbalance of progesterone and estrogen levels. Electro-acupuncture is known to have tremendous healing and maintenance effects on the symptoms of uterine fibroids. It reduces inflammation in the body which is a significant factor of the exacerbation of uterine fibroids. It also improves blood flow into the uterus, removing any obstructions that may cause stagnation or blockage, which in turn can cause the development of fibroids.

Unexplained infertility can be the most stressful diagnosis to hear when struggling to conceive. Chinese Medicine offers possible reasons of unexplained fertility, including imbalances caused by lifestyle factors such as diet or stress. Fertility Acupuncture treatment NYC can help to enhance fertility by improving the blood flow to all the organs in the body. Acupuncture also helps detoxify, reduce oxidative stress, and restore the body’s reproductive organs to facilitate the optimum environment for conception.