Acupuncture for Unexplained Infertility
Unexplained Infertility
As many as 1 in 5 couples will receive the difficult diagnosis of ‘unexplained infertility’. This diagnosis usually follows after couples have been trying to conceive for one year, and tests that indicate that the woman is ovulating, the fallopian tubes are clear and the semen analysis is normal.
Receiving a diagnosis of "unexplained infertility" can feel deeply frustrating and disheartening. Without a clear cause, it’s difficult to know where to turn or what steps to take next. This term often leaves couples feeling lost, and many are advised to pursue IVF with minimal investigation — a step that isn’t always necessary. In my practice, “unexplained infertility” is one of the most common reasons clients seek my support. In Chinese medicine, the ‘unexplained’ can often be explained.
Even subtle imbalances can affect fertility, sometimes delaying conception without an obvious cause. Often, multiple factors combine to extend the time it takes to conceive. My role as a fertility acupuncturist is to act as a detective — looking at the whole person to uncover areas where further investigation, intervention, or support may be needed.
I consider 'unexplained infertility' to be under investigated often. I take an integrated approach, combining traditional acupuncture with insights from Western medicine. I’ll review any tests you’ve already undergone and identify areas that may have been overlooked, helping to uncover potential barriers affecting your fertility.
Where Western medicine sometimes struggles to pinpoint the root causes of infertility, Chinese medicine can provide a different perspective, often identifying and correcting subtle imbalances. Through traditional acupuncture, I take a thorough health history, including genealogical and menstrual health, and diagnose using techniques such as pulse assessment and tongue observation.
By understanding why you’re struggling to conceive and addressing those factors through both Chinese and Western approaches, we can significantly improve your chances of conception.
What to expect from a Fertility acupuncture consultation
Our consultation will involve
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A full health consultation
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A review of all fertility tests and scans
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A personalised report from our session both Chinese medicine and western medicine - recommendations with outlined next steps
Choosing a Fertility Acupuncturist
I highly recommend choosing a Fertility Support Expert. Another valuable resource is the Acupuncture Fertility Network, where you can find practitioners with advanced training in fertility and acupuncture and have completed integrated postgraduate-level training in gynaecology, with a specific emphasis on training to support assisted protocols.
How many acupuncture sessions do I need?
I recommend a program of weekly acupuncture sessions for 3 months. This timeframe allows enough time to support meaningful changes in your internal environment — including metabolic, immunological, and hormonal balance. It takes about three menstrual cycles for an egg to be recruited, matured, and ovulated. By enhancing the environment in which the egg develops, we have the opportunity to improve its quality.
Acupuncture helps to modulate the immune system, improve pregnancy receptivity, and promote a more parasympathetic (relaxed) state. It also increases blood flow to the reproductive organs, supporting overall fertility health, and helping you feel like the best version of yourself.
This timeframe also provides the opportunity to review and complete any testing that may have been overlooked, as well as to implement personalised diet and lifestyle changes identified during our consultation.
After 3 months of treatment, you have the choice of continuing fortnightly, discontinuing or continuing with early pregnancy support. Often, patients choose to return nearer the end of their pregnancies for support around the time of labour, and then again postnatally. I also have many patients who return for subsequent pregnancies.
Many clients notice such positive benefits during their sessions that they simply don’t want to discontinue acupuncture. It becomes an important part of their self care and they choose to continue acupuncture beyond fertility support. They choose to continue (albeit less frequently) for help to regulating the menstrual cycle, alleviating painful periods, anxiety and providing hormonal support during pre-menopause and menopause.
