Acupuncture Boosts Fertility
Acupuncture has been studied in greatest depth when it comes to complementary therapies for infertility. One randomized controlled trial included women who were having trouble becoming pregnant who were assigned to receive a lifestyle intervention with or without acupuncture for three months. In addition to the acupuncture therapy, the lifestyle intervention included dietary counseling and other education. After the three-month intervention, the women who had had acupuncture therapy in addition to the lifestyle intervention conceived within 5.5 weeks, on average. Alternatively, the women who did not receive acupuncture conceived within 10.7 weeks, on average. While the exact physiological mechanisms of acupuncture for improving fertility are not known, the women who got the acupuncture therapy reported increased awareness of their fertility, menstrual cycles, and general wellbeing, compared to those who did not receive acupuncture. This result suggests that there is a significant intersection of physiological and psychological health when it comes to fertility.
