Acupuncture for IUI
Many couples in the Austin area are curious about acupuncture and whether it’s a useful tool when considering IUI, or intrauterine insemination in an effort to conceive. IUI is often chosen over in-vitro fertilization (IVF) not only because it’s less expensive, but less invasive as well.
There are several reasons couples choose IUI. Becoming pregnant could be difficult due to erectile dysfunction (ED), sperm motility issues, irregular menstrual cycles, poor egg quality often found in women in their mid-30s and beyond, or for reasons that are unexplained. Regardless of the reasons for choosing IUI, you want it to be successful. The good news is that acupuncture may increase IUI success.
How does acupuncture help?
Even though IUI is less invasive than IVF, it’s still stressful when you are so focused on becoming pregnant. Couples often feel as though they are literally living their lives around these procedures. Fertility drugs, tracking ovulation, retrieving sperm; while the outcome is hopefully a successful pregnancy, the effort and worry can leave you stressed out and emotionally exhausted. When you are putting so much effort into growing your family, you want to do everything possible to make sure it happens.
Acupuncture is useful in so many ways for those who choose intrauterine insemination. Known for reducing stress and anxiety, acupuncture promotes relaxation so you feel rested and rejuvenated – important when you’re trying so hard to conceive! Feeling good mentally and emotionally makes the journey so much easier and more rewarding.
What else? Acupuncture enhances blood flow to the reproductive organs, which helps improve egg quality and thickens the uterine lining for successful implantation. Because it also works to balance hormones and energy in the body’s pathways, acupuncture often helps regulate menstrual cycles. The reproductive environment becomes more receptive to IUI treatment, which means greater success rates. For men, acupuncture is known to improve sperm quality and motility. Like women, men are often under enormous stress during this time as well.
Acupuncture also supports IUI success by reducing uterine contractions and negative side effects many patients experience with fertility treatments.
Cortisol is a stress hormone that often negatively impacts fertility when you are under a higher than usual amount of stress. We have already discussed acupuncture for stress, but this is worth mentioning as cortisol can influence the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis!
When combined with a healthy diet and lifestyle, acupuncture and other components of Chinese medicine help you enjoy the journey to pregnancy through IUI. If you are in the Austin or Round Rock area and are considering intrauterine insemination, call us to learn more about how acupuncture may be beneficial to you.