What Happens When Trying to Get Pregnant

There are a lot of ways to get pregnant. All you need is a good quality egg, good quality sperm, and the ideal environment for the embryo to implant and grow, right…? That’s easier said than done sometimes, and a fertility acupuncturist can help you learn more about all of the factors that lead to optimized fertility.

First, you will need to know when you ovulate. There are a number of ways to figure this out: Using an ovulation predictor kit, checking for cervical mucus changes (or changes in the cervix), checking your basal body temperature are all helpful tools. You can also watch your body’s signs. Some people feel pain in their low abdomen at ovulation, or you might notice tender breasts, cramping, or bloating around ovulation.

Acupuncture can’t help you know when you’re ovulating, but it can help you ovulate at the right time in your cycle. If you have short or long cycles, your ovulation is likely earlier or later in the cycle than is ideal. Ovulating too early or too late can lead to poor-quality eggs. Acupuncture, herbal formulas, and supplements are our best natural tools for helping you produce high-quality eggs.

Once you know when you’re ovulating and your ovulation is coming at a good time in your cycle (around day 14), then you can proceed with intercourse, at-home insemination, or in-clinic insemination. This is another area where acupuncture shines: Acupuncture and related modalities can help with sperm production, morphology, and motility.

In fact, acupuncture can also help with sex, if that’s how you’re trying to get pregnant. Acupuncture is well known for relaxation and stress-reduction (both libido-enhancers), and it can also help with hormone balance and blood flow. And that, in turn, helps with arousal and orgasm.

The last ingredient in your pregnancy is an ideal environment for the embryo to implant and grow. This is complex and there are a lot of unknown factors. Acupuncture, herbal formulas, and supplements can help by improving circulation to the uterus and reducing inflammation in the pelvic region. This, in turn, allows the uterine lining to grow to the right thickness and become the perfect place for your baby to grow.

When you arrive in our office for fertility acupuncture, we will ask questions about your health history, and make a number of recommendations to improve your fertility. In general, you can expect to be coming for acupuncture weekly for a while (often three months or more). This is because it takes time to regulate the menstrual cycle to produce high-quality eggs, and to support your uterine lining development over time.

As acupuncturists, we have the most influence over the eggs that you will release three or more months from now. The egg you release this month is already mostly formed. So, if you are trying to get pregnant, coming for your treatments as soon as possible in your process is best.

As part of your fertility acupuncture treatment plan, we will make recommendations on diet, lifestyle, supplements, and herbal formulas. Some of our recommendations are good for everybody, like “eat a variety of whole foods every day” or “try to reduce stress.” But some of our recommendations are specific to your case. For example, supplement recommendations are tailored to each individual’s needs.

Regardless of how you plan to get pregnant, we would be delighted to be part of your care team. Contact us at Portland Acupuncture Studio to learn how we can help you get pregnant soon.

Established patients can schedule online, patients who haven’t seen us at Kwan Yin Healing Center call (503) 701-8766, or email us to schedule your appointment.