{"id":4870,"date":"2018-04-30T07:29:38","date_gmt":"2018-04-30T07:29:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/?p=4870"},"modified":"2018-04-30T07:29:38","modified_gmt":"2018-04-30T07:29:38","slug":"three-ways-acupuncture-can-improve-fertility-conception","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/2018\/04\/30\/three-ways-acupuncture-can-improve-fertility-conception\/","title":{"rendered":"Three Ways Acupuncture can Improve Fertility &#038; Conception"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/2017\/12\/06\/vive-acupuncturist-bob-wong\/\">Bob Wong | Art of Acupuncture<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>For many couples, trying to fall pregnant can be a time full of joy &amp; excitement, anticipating the arrival of their bundle of joy. Unfortunately for many others it can become a stressful &amp; frustrating experience,with many couples left feeling defeated &amp; confused. If this is you, you are absolutely not alone, in fact, around 1 in 6 couples experience difficulty with fertility. It&#8217;s important to not give up hope &amp; always seek support.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/2018\/04\/30\/three-ways-acupuncture-can-improve-fertility-conception\/future-mom\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-4877\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-4877 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/fertility-pregancy.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"369\" height=\"246\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/fertility-pregancy.jpeg 5276w, https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/fertility-pregancy-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/fertility-pregancy-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/fertility-pregancy-1024x683.jpeg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 369px) 100vw, 369px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Acupuncture has been successfully utilized in both China &amp; the West for many, many decades to improve fertility outcomes &amp; has been clinically shown to have a positive influence over reproductive health, conception &amp; pregnancy. Acupuncture improves fertility by assisting with a number of factors which greatly impact conception including regulation of hormones, stress reduction &amp; nervous system support, as well as improved blood flow to the uterus.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some ways in which Acupuncture may assist with fertility &amp; conception:<\/p>\n<h2>1. Helps Balance Hormones<\/h2>\n<p>Regulation of the menstrual cycle &amp; related hormones is essential for improving chances for conception. Pre-conception acupuncture treatment has been shown to have multiple beneficial effects on the menstrual cycle &amp; fertility due to the regulatory &amp; balancing effect it has on female (&amp; male) hormones. Balancing hormones will not only help optimize ovulation but also have positive effects over other areas of reproductive health including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>follicle &amp; egg quality<\/li>\n<li>regulation of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)<\/li>\n<li>luteal phase quality &gt; improve progesterone production &amp;\u00a0 implantation chances<\/li>\n<li>balance of oestrogen &amp; progesterone<\/li>\n<li>improve sperm count, motility &amp; morphology, in males<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<h2>2. Helps to Reset the Nervous System &amp; Reduce Stress<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<p>Stress has become a relentless &amp; common part of many peoples everyday lives. What most people, especially couples trying to conceive, don&#8217;t fully recognize is just how much stress they are experiencing &amp; the impact is can have over reproductive health &amp; fertility.<\/p>\n<p>Studies have shown that acupuncture both directly &amp; indirectly activates the nervous system, helping to restore healthy function. Acupuncture achieves this by re-balancing the <strong>parasympathetic (rest-&amp;-digest)<\/strong> &amp; <strong>sympathetic (fight-or-flight)<\/strong> arms of the nervous system by decreasing cortisol (stress hormone) &amp; modulating <em>\u03b2<\/em>-endorphins (stress redu9310275261527<\/p>\n<p>cing hormone). Acupuncture also has positive influence on regulation of regulation of neurotransmitters, chemical messengers which allow the nervous system to communicate efficiently. Examples include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>GABA (responsible for helping calm &amp; relax)<\/li>\n<li>Glutamate (excitatory neurotransmitter responsible for cell signalling)<\/li>\n<li>Dopamine (important for emotional function\/control, movement, pleasure &amp; reward)<\/li>\n<li>Serotonin (mood, sleep, appetite)<\/li>\n<li>Melatonin (sleep, circadian rhythm)<\/li>\n<li>Epinephrine\/Norepinephrine (essential in engaging the fight-flight response)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div>\n<h2>3. Increases Blood Flow to the Uterus<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<p>Research has suggested that insufficient blood flow to the uterus may explain infertility in some cases. Acupuncture has been clinically shown to improve vasodilation (blood flow) to the uterus &amp; create a healthy endometrial environment, therefore improving the chances of successful implantation &amp; pregnancy.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/2016\/01\/28\/third-trimester-tips\/id-10089059\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2727\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2727\" src=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/ID-10089059.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"317\" height=\"211\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/ID-10089059.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/ID-10089059-300x199.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 317px) 100vw, 317px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<div>\n<p>If you &amp; your partner are planning on or having difficulty falling pregnant book your initial consultation today or email <em><a href=\"mailto:info@artofacupucnture.com.au\">info@artofacupuncture.com.au<\/a><\/em> for further information.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Bob Wong<\/strong> is an AHPRA\u00a0licensed, sixth generation\u00a0acupuncturist\u00a0from the USA. He \u00a0currently works from his acupuncture Brisbane clinic. He has experience working in China, USA, and Australia with a special\u00a0focus in chronic pain, Women\u2019s Health, Fertility,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/artofacupuncture.com.au\/blog\/morning-sickness-acupressure-point\/\">Pregnancy Care<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/artofacupuncture.com.au\/blog\/stroke-acupuncture-brisbane\/\">Stroke Recovery<\/a>, Neurological Disorders,<a href=\"http:\/\/artofacupuncture.com.au\/blog\/5-natural-ways-to-relieve-back-pain\/\">\u00a0Back Pain<\/a>,<a href=\"http:\/\/artofacupuncture.com.au\/blog\/sciatica-treatment-acupuncture-brisbane-2\/\">Sciatica<\/a>,<a href=\"http:\/\/artofacupuncture.com.au\/blog\/frozen-shoulder-acupuncture-brisbane\/\">Frozen Shoulder<\/a>,<a href=\"http:\/\/artofacupuncture.com.au\/blog\/arthritis-acupuncture-brisbane\/\">Arthritis<\/a>,<a href=\"http:\/\/artofacupuncture.com.au\/blog\/facial-palsy-acupuncture-brisbane\/\"> Bell\u2019s\u00a0palsy<\/a>, and other musculoskeletal ailments.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>References (Wanna Learn More&#8230;Have a read!!!)<\/h2>\n<p>(1) Westergaard, L, Qunhui, M, Krogslund, M, Sandrini, S, Lenz, S &amp; Grinsted, J 2006, <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.fertstert.org\/article\/S0015-0282(06)00212-3\/abstract\">Acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer significantly improves the reproductive outcome in infertile women: a prospective, randomized trial<\/a>, <\/strong>Fertility &amp; Sterility, Vol. 85, No. 5<\/p>\n<p>(2) Chang, R, Chang, P &amp; Rosenwaks, Z 2002, <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.fertstert.org\/article\/S0015-0282(02)04348-0\/abstract\">Role of acupuncture in the treatment of female infertility<\/a>,<\/strong>\u00a0Fertility &amp; Sterility, Vol. 78, No. 6<\/p>\n<p>(3) Stener-Victorin, E &amp; Humaidan, P 2006, <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/aim.bmj.com\/content\/24\/4\/157.info\">Use of acupuncture in female infertility and a summary of recent acupuncture studies related to embryo transfer<\/a>, <\/strong>British Medical Journal, Vol. 24, No. 4<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>(4) Ding, S, Hong, S, Wang, C, Guo, Y, Wang, Z &amp; Xu, Y 2013, <a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/qjmed\/article\/107\/5\/341\/1563714\"><strong>Acupuncture modulates the neuro-endocrine-immune network<\/strong><\/a>, QJM An International Journal of Medicine, Vol. 107, No. 5<\/p>\n<p>(5) Li, Q, Shi, G, Xu, Q, Wang, J, Liu, C &amp; Wang, L 2013, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3677642\/\"><strong>Acupuncture Effect and Central Autonomic Regulation<\/strong><\/a>, Evidence Based Complementary &amp; Alternative Medicine<\/p>\n<p>(6) Uchida, S &amp; Hotta, H 2008, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC2396473\/\"><strong>Acupuncture Affects Regional Blood Flow in Various Organs<\/strong><\/a>, Evidence Based Complementary &amp; Alternative Medicine, Vol 5, No. 2<\/p>\n<p>(7) Razik, M, Farag, M &amp; Sheta, M 2015,<strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S1110569014000429\">Uterine and ovarian arteries blood flow during the mid luteal phase in women with unexplained infertility<\/a><\/strong>, Middle East Fertility Society Journal, Vol. 20, No. 3<\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><a class=\"author size-m workspace-trigger\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S1110569014000429#!\" name=\"bau065\"><\/a><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b><br \/>\n<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bob Wong | Art of Acupuncture For many couples, trying to fall pregnant can be a time full of joy &amp; excitement, anticipating the arrival of their bundle of joy. Unfortunately for many others it can become a stressful &amp; &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/2018\/04\/30\/three-ways-acupuncture-can-improve-fertility-conception\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1189,3,6,4],"tags":[799,1233,1394,1395,1396,1232,1398,1316,1403,1402,1399,1397,848,1400,1198],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4870"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4870"}],"version-history":[{"count":32,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4870\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4903,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4870\/revisions\/4903"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4870"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4870"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4870"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}