Hormonal Harmony: How Acupuncture Improves This Key Fertility Process
Welcoming a new baby into your family is one of life's most joyful moments and a precious gift.
When couples first make the decision to have a child, it is one of excitement and joy! But as with many couples, the road to getting there may not be as smooth as they expected. Infertility impacts 12-15% of couples trying to grow their family (1). Among the various factors contributing to infertility, hormonal imbalance stands out as a common challenge that can hinder conception. Couples still waiting on the positive pregnancy test may be wondering:
How can I improve my hormonal balance? Can I increase my odds of natural conception? How can I enhance my fertility? What can I do to improve my IVF outcomes?
The road to parenthood can take many different routes, but one thing we do know is that acupuncture can support multiple paths toward conception. Today, we'll dive into the impact of hormonal imbalances on fertility and explore how acupuncture can promote hormonal harmony (2), offering hope to couples aiming to conceive naturally or through IVF.
Hormonal Balance and The Impacts on Fertility
Our bodies rely on a delicate balance of hormones to communicate throughout our body for many processes, including regulating the menstrual cycle and supporting ovulation. Even if you were fortunate enough to learn this in school, if you aren’t a medical professional and can’t recall high school biology, you may not understand the complex nature of our hormones.
The endocrine system consists of organs and glands that release various hormones. These hormones travel through the bloodstream, carrying messages that regulate crucial functions such as metabolism, heart health, stress response, and fertility.
When these hormones are in disharmony they can disrupt many processes important for the conception and delivery of a healthy baby, such as the release of healthy and mature eggs in ovulation, the ability of the uterus to support embryo implantation, and even cervical mucus, which plays a vital role in sperm transport and fertilization.
Hormonal imbalance can be caused by many factors, such as:
Advanced maternal age
Weight-related issues
While some causes may be beyond our control, addressing hormonal imbalances through targeted interventions like acupuncture can:
optimize reproductive function
improve natural conception
improve outcomes of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) such as IVF.
The Role of Hormone Imbalance on IVF Outcomes
Understanding the role of hormone balance is crucial when it comes to fertility and the success of treatments like IVF. Hormones act as the body's messengers, orchestrating key processes such as ovulation and the preparation of the uterine lining for pregnancy. Balanced hormone levels are vital for the development and release of healthy eggs, as well as for creating a receptive environment for embryo implantation and pregnancy.
In the context of IVF, maintaining optimal hormone levels is essential for many steps along the treatment process:
Stimulating the growth of follicles
Retrieving mature eggs
Supporting the implantation of embryos
Hormonal imbalances, such as fluctuations in estrogen, progesterone, FSH, or LH levels, as well as prolactin, T3, and T4, can disrupt these processes and impact outcomes.
Hormonal imbalance can have additional negative impacts on the IVF process. It can contribute to an inadequate response to the stimulation medications. If the ovaries do not have a sufficient response to the medication it can result in fewer mature eggs for retrieval. On the other hand, hormonal imbalances could contribute to ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, resulting in cysts and an uncomfortable or even painful IVF experience.
Acupuncture – A Key Support to Hormone Regulation
Acupuncture has shown remarkable efficacy in regulating hormonal levels and promoting balance within the body. By targeting specific acupoints, acupuncture helps to regulate the production and release of hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, FSH, and LH (2), which are essential for improved ovarian function, menstrual regularity, and overall fertility. The effective interplay of hormones along the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis (3) allows for ovulation and implantation.
However, your sex hormones aren’t the only system that impacts your fertility.
Our hormones are an intricate system influenced by various other bodily systems. Acupuncture’s benefits on the central and peripheral nervous systems (4) and the neuroendocrine system (5) may have a less obvious, but just as important, impact on hormonal harmony and fertility.
Acupuncture treatments aimed at these systems can reduce excessive stress hormones like cortisol (4), which can disrupt reproductive function, while encouraging the body's natural production of endorphins and other neurotransmitters that promote relaxation and hormonal balance. By reducing stress and inflammation, the body can prioritize functions such as ovulation and conception.
For women struggling with PCOS, acupuncture has been proven to improve ovulation rates (6) and increase pregnancy rates (7).
This holistic approach to hormonal health not only supports fertility but also contributes to overall well-being, fostering a conducive environment for conception and pregnancy. Acupuncture has been shown to have a positive effect in mitigating stress and inflammation, as well as modulating immune function (4), which directly ties to improved fertility.
Hormonal Harmony and Improved IVF Outcomes
Feeling like you’ve exhausted all options on your journey to a natural conception? You're not alone, and acupuncture can still offer valuable support in your IVF process!
Hormonal harmony improves fertility on many fronts — a relaxed nervous system, improved egg quality and ovarian function (6), enhanced immune function — all of which are important to a successful IVF outcome. Let's dig deeper into how this harmony specifically impacts the IVF process.
We've already explored how hormonal imbalances can contribute to fertility challenges. All of these issues are important to address for a successful IVF outcome.
Acupuncture supports the healthy dance of hormones along the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis (3), directly contributing to enhanced follicle function and improved egg quality. In IVF, the optimal function of this system is crucial for the production of multiple high-quality eggs for retrieval.
Increased uterine blood flow is essential to the successful implantation of the fertilized egg. A well-functioning HPO axis ensures that the endometrial tissue is receptive and ready for egg implantation, and acupuncture promotes blood flow to this region (8).
The IVF journey and fertility struggles can be incredibly stressful for couples. Acupuncture is a powerful tool for relaxation and can also alleviate feelings of depression and anxiety. A relaxed nervous system supports a successful IVF outcome.
Furthermore, acupuncture can mitigate the potential negative effects of stimulation medications, such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (9).
Acupuncture has been shown to have a positive effect in minimizing stress and inflammation and modulating immune function, which directly ties to improved IVF-ET outcomes, complementing its hormone-balancing benefits.
The key takeaway: acupuncture has been shown to result in more eggs retrieved (10), and a higher live birth rate for couples undergoing IVF-ET (11).
Acupuncture Protocols To Support Balance
Acupuncture for hormone balance and fertility is not a one-size-fits-all; protocols can vary based on your fertility plan, where you are in the process, and your unique pattern of imbalances. If you are not actively trying to conceive but investing in your wellness and long-term fertility, you may focus on managing stress, enhancing immunity, and improving hormonal balance.
If you have been on the road for some time and are now preparing for IVF, incorporating acupuncture treatments along with your ovarian stimulation medication has been shown to increase the quantity and quality of your eggs. Acupuncture immediately before egg transfer, 25 minutes before, increases successful implantation (12). Same-day post-transfer treatment would focus on supporting implantation and improving overall well-being.
All protocols should be customized to fit your unique needs and are based on your provider’s recommendations. The importance of finding an acupuncturist who understands your individual situation and the techniques to use in service of your goals cannot be overstated.
At Denver Sports and Holistic Medicine, I partner with you and your spouse to understand exactly how to support you on your fertility journey. I will build an individualized protocol to improve your hormonal harmony and help you achieve your dream of holding your little one in your arms.
Contributing To Hormone Balance At Home
While there is no replacement for professional acupuncture treatments, acupressure can be a nice at-home adjunct to support the work you are doing in the office. The following acupressure points can be used to support your journey to hormonal harmony.
Ying Tang
Often referred to as the third eye, this point lies in the center of your forehead, between your brows. This point alleviates stress, relaxes the nervous system, and improves sleep.
Kidney 16
Located ½ inch to the left or right of the belly button. This point is the intersection of two meridians that both support fertility, the kidney and Chong meridians. Stimulation of the kidney meridian can improve egg quantity and quality. The chong meridian manages the energy of the blood that nourishes your ovaries and maturing eggs.
Ren 6
Another point in the abdomen, Ren 6 is just two finger widths below the belly button. This point helps to build the blood and regulate hormones. This channel is also known as the conception channel.
Liver 3
Located on top of the foot in between the first and second toes. This point supports the liver blood which will also nourish the uterus and ovaries.
Find Hormonal Harmony at Denver Sports and Holistic Medicine
Achieving balanced hormones can have a cascade of benefits for your health and fertility. As you strive to optimize your hormonal harmony for improved fertility and the dream of every hopeful mother and father, a healthy baby, remember that acupuncture can be a key tool in reaching that goal.
At Denver Sports and Holistic Medicine, I leverage my Doctorate in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (DACM) and over 2 decades of holistic medicine practice to help restore your body's hormonal balance and support you on your fertility journey. Request a free consultation with me to discuss how we can bring about hormonal harmony and support your dreams of motherhood.
Resources
https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/infertility/conditioninfo/common
https://trialsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13063-021-05426-y
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1028455920300188