What is Contributing to My Infertility
Below are a few possible diagnoses and how you can start to help yourself today holistically if you are someone that already has an idea of your underlying fertility condition. Reach out to us to discuss fertility acupuncture as soon as possible.
AMENORRHEA
There are many reasons why you may not be getting your period. Amenorrhea can be related to being underweight, over exercising, perimenopause, polycystic ovarian syndrome, long term birth control use, vitamin and fat deficiencies, and high stress affecting the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis. Our experienced team of acupuncturists perform a deep dive into your medical history to try and pinpoint the best dietary and lifestyle changes in addition to providing acupuncture and herbs to get you cycling pronto. Unless you are already menopausal we can usually get you cycling again within 30-90 days.
HOW TO HELP YOURSELF
Limit your exercise to 30 min -4 times a week until your cycles have reset. Consider swapping intense HIIT workouts for mind body exercise like pilates or yoga (not hot yoga please!).
Diversify your diet with as many colors of the rainbow as possible to help correct any nutritional deficiencies. Be sure to include healthy fats and ditch as many processed foods and sodas as possible. Try our Recipes for a Fertile You to take the guesswork out. (Free for all Art of Acupuncture patients and Conscious Conceptions members.)
Consider supplementing with 200mg of B6 to decrease prolactin levels if they are high and preventing ovulation and using a high quality fish oil to help any underlying hormonal imbalance like Nordic Naturals Prenatal DHA. You can find both of them at 20% off in our fullscript dispensary here.
DECREASED OVARIAN RESERVE (DOR)
(Also known as Premature Ovarian Failure or Premature Ovarian Insufficiency)
Because women are born with all of their eggs, our supply decreases as we age sadly. Typically our ovarian reserve starts to drop off at age 35 and then again at 42, however, we are seeing this happen to younger women for various reasons, both genetic and environmental. Sometimes this happens because our egg supply is truly running short or because the follicles aren’t responding to FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) as they should. This causes estrogen to drop. You might notice low AMH levels (anti-mullerian hormone), low Estradiol, and high FSH levels in labs. In life you are probably noticing changes in menstrual cycle length from one period to the next, hot flashes or night sweats, low sex drive and/or vaginal dryness. Acupuncture, herbs and supplements can’t suddenly increase the number of eggs in your body, BUT it can help to rebalance your hormones and help you make the most out of each precious egg you have left.
HOW TO HELP YOURSELF TODAY
Consider adding safely sourced (Non-GMO & Organic) phytoestrogen foods like Flax seeds or cold pressed oil (buy seeds whole & grind before use), Tempeh or Soy, and Red Clover & Dang Gui Tea.
Mitochondrial dysfunction appears to be at the root of DOR. 200 mg a day of CoQ10 supports cellular energy of the mitochondria. Ubiquinol is ideal for patients requiring higher doses of CoQ10, older individuals, and those patients for whom CoQ10 conversion may be problematic. For advanced maternal age >35 YOA, double the dose may be needed for optimum outcomes. You can order it here at 20% off MSRP.
ELEVATED FSH (FOLLICLE STIMULATING HORMONE)
FSH is a hormone released by the pituitary gland that tells the ovaries to get ready to ovulate a healthy egg. In perimenopause, the 10 years prior to menopause, FSH tends to rise, almost as if it is really trying to get the ovaries' attention to conceive. Hello ticking biological clock! FSH levels fluctuate each cycle and are also influenced by your estrogen levels. FSH levels also respond very well to acupuncture and stress reduction techniques like meditation. Because many fertility clinics require your FSH levels to be within a certain range to be a good candidate to use your own eggs for IVF, regulating this hormone ahead of time can be very important for the success of IVF. And you just might get pregnant naturally before IVF is necessary.
HOW TO HELP YOURSELF TODAY
If your FSH is high, establish whether you are ovulating by checking your progesterone levels 7 days post suspected ovulation. If you are ovulating, keep trying naturally.
Avoid stimulants like caffeine that can diminish blood supply to the ovaries
Use meditation and visualization techniques to help reduce stress and strengthen the HPO axis. We created 30 fertility meditations for this very thing you can access here or for free when you become a patient.
ENDOMETRIOSIS
Endometriosis is one of the leading causes of pelvic pain and unexplained infertility that we see at Art of Acupuncture. We say “unexplained” because it takes on average 9 years for a woman to get a diagnosis of endometriosis in the US because the gold standard of diagnosis is laparoscopic surgery and as you would imagine, insurance typically wants you to try many other things before they foot the bill for a surgery. There are many symptoms that will often tip us off to the possibility of endometriosis like intense pain while menstruating that causes headaches, nausea, or vomiting. Cramping that is predominantly in the back instead of the belly, IBS or “endoBelly,” high inflammation markers and changes in immunity like hives of unexplained origin may also be seen. Make an appointment with Art of Acupuncture for clearing inflammation, relieving pain with acupuncture and rebalancing hormones.
HOW TO HELP YOURSELF TODAY
Endo patients may respond positively to mediterranean type or LOW FODMAP diets and regular exercise. We offer meal plans for both in Recipes for a Fertile You. (Free for ALL patients).
Your liver plays a crucial role in the breakdown of hormones produced by endometrial lesions. Limiting alcohol and stress can help your liver to optimally function. Increasing veggies from the brassica family (cauliflower, broccoli, brussels, cabbage) can also help as they bind to xenoestrogens and take them out of the body via the stool helping to rebalance estrogen dominance that is usually associated with endo.
Avoid or limit caffeine as a way to increase blood flow to your reproductive organs.
You can take a deep dive on holistic supplements on our blog or podcast episode on Endometriosis here on Fertile Minds Radio.
POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME (PCOS)
PCOS is the most common anovulatory disorder causing infertility. An estimated 10% of women have developed this disorder. PCOS is a hormonal dysfunction, often with roots in blood sugar instability, that result in the ovary not being able to fully mature an egg. Follicles develop and build up fluid, but because they don’t develop to the point of releasing a mature egg, the corpus luteum doesn’t produce enough progesterone to trigger a period. The fluid in the follicles can then turn into cysts that emit androgen hormones like testosterone which can prevent ovulation. All of this results in extremely difficult cycle tracking for planned conception as periods can become erratic or can stop altogether. And to make matters more confusing, those with PCOS typically have high LH levels. LH is the hormone that helps create cervical fluids making them an unreliable source for tracking both physically and with OPK sticks. What is a girl to do?
HOW YOU CAN HELP YOUR PCOS TODAY
Electro-stimulation acupuncture has been shown to help regulate PCOS. Repeated electro-acupuncture treatments induce regular ovulations in more than one third of the women with PCOS.
Shifting your BMI (body mass index) down by 10% in those that are overweight or up for those that are underweight can help to stabilize normal ovulatory rhythms. Using meal plans that are low in glycemic index and high in healthy fats and plant forward can be particularly useful in these cases. We offer PCOS meal plans like these in our Recipes for a Fertile You free for all patients.
Take walks after your largest meals to help utilize glucose that can compete with your reproductive hormones and make regular moderate exercise a priority in your schedule.
Consider herbs and supplements like Myo-inositol, NAC and Methylfolate that have been shown in combination to increase healthy ovulation in PCOS patients.
Take a deep dive into PCOS on our fertility podcast Fertile Minds Radio.
RECURRENT MISCARRIAGE
Miscarriage is one of the most heartbreaking potentials on a fertility journey. It is estimated that 30% of pregnancies end in early miscarriages. Recurrent miscarriage can be caused by a combination of causes from blood sugar instability, blood clotting disorders, structural anomalies, adhesions from scar tissue, endometriosis or fibroids, and chromosomal abnormalities. As holistic fertility practitioners we understand the delicate nature of a circumstance like this and think that it deserves thorough western workups along with acupuncture, herbs, and space holding for the processing of deep grief. Because studies have shown that acupuncture can prevent some types of miscarriage, we recommend our newly pregnant people to continue acupuncture treatments through the first trimester when the risk of miscarriage drops dramatically.
HOW TO HELP YOURSELF WHEN EXPERIENCING RECURRENT PREGNANCY LOSS
Advocate for thorough workups from your OB or RE that include imaging, labs, genetics, and thrombophilia workups.
Environmental toxicities, thyroid autoimmunity, microbiome integrity, and infectious disease are some of the most overlooked causes of repeated loss and both partners should be evaluated and we help all of our patients navigate this process.
Give yourself space for grace when you experience loss or are ready to process the grief. Just because no one else knew or you couldn’t see it yet, doesn’t make it hurt any less. Safe spaces where you can reflect and feel seen and heard to process the loss are imperative.
UTERINE FIBROIDS
In the US, it is estimated by the NIH that 26 million women between the ages of 15-50 have uterine fibroids and more than half will experience some or all of the symptoms they can cause like frequent urination, painful intercourse, heavy and/or painful periods, abdominal bloating and discomfort, changes in bowels, spotting. They can grow inside the uterus, in between the layers of the wall of the uterus, or outside the uterus. Depending on their size and location that can be a contributing factor for infertility. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can be an effective treatment for small fibroids and a brilliant adjunct treatment to Western medical treatments when their size or location warrants surgery.
HOW TO HELP YOURSELF TODAY IF YOU HAVE FIBROIDS
Fibroids are driven by estrogen which is stored in adipose tissue. For that reason we recommend a healthy body weight to cut down on estrogen dominance. This is also one of the reasons that we recommend limiting dairy and fatty meats. They often contain extra estrogen that can feed the fibroids. Plant forward meals have been found to curb the growth of fibroids.
We also strongly advise that you cut out any GMO’s in your diet and eat organic when possible as glyphosate can contribute to estrogen dominance and the growth of fibroids and endometriosis.
Use an app like YUKA (strict European standards) or EWG(US standards) to barcode scan your beauty products, cleaning products and foods as phthalates typically found in plastics, lotions, and fragrance have been shown to be connected to fibroids.
UNEXPLAINED INFERTILITY
Unexplained infertility can be one of the most maddening diagnoses to receive. Yes, you are happy nothing is wrong, but were secretly hoping to find something so you could solve for it. We get it! Traditional Chinese Medicine often excels at this diagnosis because of our ability to zoom out and thoroughly sift through often overlooked causes like environmental toxicities, thyroid autoimmunity, microbiome integrity, and infectious disease. We also take a closer look at nutritional deficiencies and mental emotional dysregulation in these cases.
HOW YOU CAN HELP YOUR UNEXPLAINED INFERTILITY
Put the focus back on your own wellness physically, mentally/emotionally, and even spiritually instead of attaching to finding the cause of your infertility.
Consult a holistic provider and experience the difference between looking for causes and feeling better.
LUTEAL PHASE DEFECT
Luteal phase defect is a term that was coined to help explain the correlation between a short luteal phase and infertility or recurrent pregnancy loss. When the luteal phase is less than 12 days it is too short for the endometrium to thicken enough to support a fertilized egg. Low progesterone levels are also an indicator of LPD. You may have a normal 12-14 day luteal phase, but still have low progesterone resulting in an underdeveloped endometrial lining. Charting your BBT’s (basal body temps) to understand where the problem is in the luteal phase can be helpful for your practitioner to better prescribe precise herbal formulas.
HOW TO HELP YOURSELF IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE LPD
Chaste Tree Berry, also known as Vitex can help to lengthen the luteal phase by strengthening the HPO axis causing stronger ovulations. Vitex works by binding to dopamine receptors in the brain. When dopamine levels increase it tells your pituitary to stop secreting prolactin. Prolactin inhibits ovulation. Lower prolactin levels increase your LH and FSH levels that help to create stronger ovulations and a corpus luteum that will help to lengthen the luteal phase. 240 mg is the optimum dose for strengthening fertility once the fibroid has been addressed.
MALE FACTOR INFERTILITY
Male factor infertility accounts for at least 40% of couples trying to conceive. Environmental toxicities and convenience foods are thought to play a large role in the sudden uptick in sperm analysis that have been observed in industrialized nations in the past 2 decades. Recent studies have shown that acupuncture can help to improve sperm count, motility and morphology as well as correcting some immune factors such as anti-sperm antibodies that can sometimes form as a result from varicoceles and low grade infections. Men make new sperm every 72 days which is great news if you are trying to improve your male factor fertility. Change is very possible. It does take a minimum of 3 months to do so, so we always recommend starting sooner than later.
HOW YOU CAN HELP YOURSELF IF YOU THINK MALE FACTOR IS PLAYING A ROLE IN YOUR INFERTILITY
Educate yourself. The book Count Down by Shanna Swan is a wealth of information about how we got to this point in humanity and how to improve your odds of having healthy sperm as well as how to protect the development of your baby in utero.
Eliminate or greatly cut down on alcohol, marijuana, CBD, sugar, and caffeine as they have all been found to be implicated in various aspects of poor sperm analysis.
If you have not been tested, but suspect male factor is part of the issue, get yourself tested at home with a company like Legacy or through a reputable Reproductive Urologist like Dr. Beilan at Shady Grove Fertility here in downtown St. Pete.
Testosterone should absolutely be avoided when trying to conceive as it can have detrimental effects on sperm count and quality. x
Book an acupuncture treatment. We offer individual and couples visits and pride ourselves on creating customized protocols for all of our patients.