Women investing the time, money, and energy into egg retrievals want to ensure the best return on their efforts. Acupuncture is known to support female fertility by increasing blood flow to the reproductive organs, regulating both stress hormones and reproductive hormones, and reducing stress, anxiety, and depression during the fertility process.
How Acupuncture Fits with Egg Maturation
There are two stages of egg development: the first phase begins 3-4 months before the egg is released, and the final egg maturation occurs between the start of the period and the release of the egg a few weeks later.
For women not looking into immediate pregnancy but hoping to preserve fertility with healthy frozen eggs, the key factors are:
- Encouraging optimal maturation of the immature egg cells,
- Encouraging optimal final maturation of egg cells, and
- Reducing stress and anxiety during the egg retrieval process.
To get the most benefit from acupuncture, you’ll want to begin acupuncture about 4 months prior to your planned egg retrieval. Depending on how busy your fertility clinic is, this may be about the same time you are beginning to interview fertility clinics and scheduling diagnostic appointments with them.
Acupuncture during this timeframe 3-4 months before the egg retrieval will help to optimize the proper maturity of the eggs by keeping stress levels low, improving reproductive hormone health, and maintaining robust blood flow to the uterus.
During the months leading up to your egg retrieval cycle your acupuncturist may also recommend that you use Chinese herbal medicine to support stress relief, lower inflammation, and encourage hormonal balance. (Your fertility center commonly will ask you to stop taking the herbal medicine once you begin your birth control cycle and/or hormonal injections.)
Acupuncture during this phase leading up to egg retrieval is reputed to result in a greater number of healthy, mature eggs retrieved.
Acupuncture Immediately Before and After Egg Retrieval
Studies show that acupuncture immediately before egg retrieval may improve final egg maturation. Typically, this is done around 24 hours before your scheduled egg retrieval.
Acupuncture can also be helpful in the 24-48 hours after egg retrieval to help reduce bloating and pain and provide stress relief.
Getting Started with Egg Retrieval Acupuncture
If you’re ready to get started with acupuncture for your upcoming egg retrieval, or you’re thinking about undergoing an egg retrieval process and have questions about how acupuncture can fit in, contact us at Inspire Family Acupuncture. We can’t wait to help you preserve your future fertility!
