Acupuncture + Male Fertlity: How Can It Help?
Whether you are trying to conceive naturally, are undergoing ART treatments with a partner, or have been asked to be a sperm donor, acupuncture can help improve fertility outcomes by increasing the quality of sperm.
In my practice I often see women come in for fertility treatments; men rarely come in for these appointments. The fertility process tends to focus on female reproduction, health and lifestyle even when there is no diagnosable issue while asking male partners to do much less to help improve the odds of successful conception and pregnancy.
While acupuncture is often recommended for balancing female sex hormones, regulating menstrual cycles, and improving follicle quality + quantity, it is equally useful for improving sperm count, motility, and morphology while having myriad other health benefits like reduced stress, improved sleep, and better digestion.
Fertility acupuncture treatments include not only acupuncture needles placed in specific points to improve blood flow and reduce inflammation but also simple diet and lifestyle tips to maximize the benefits of the treatments, encourage client participation in their healthcare, and increase chances for conception. It can be beneficial for both partners to receive fertility acupuncture treatments for these reasons but also because they offer an opportunity to discuss and create a lifestyle and diet plan together.
In addition to supporting fertility, acupuncture treatments offer an opportunity to discuss other health goals, relieve stress, release muscle tension and improve overall health and wellbeing.
Conception is a team effort that benefits from the active involvement of both partners and having both sides involved makes the process more enjoyable.
This blog post was written by wellbe’s registered acupuncturist Heather Rule.