Men and woman that wish to utilize acupuncture as a method to treat infertility, will first have to go to a medical doctor for a diagnosis of fertility prior to making an appointment with an acupuncturist. Infertility in men is usually due to a low sperm count, injury or prior disease of the testis. Infertility in women is usually due to ovarian dysfunction or uterine abnormalities. A fertility specialist will determine who is infertile and the level of infertility. Women will be tested for ovulation and the possibility of fertility treatments or embryonic transplant at the first week after the initial day of ovulation.

Acupuncture is a procedure that can be undertaken after the doctor’s diagnosis of infertility, but before beginning any other fertility treatments. Acupuncture can also make the uterus more receptive to an invitro embryo, which is when a doctor will transplant an already viable embryo into the womb, which will then have a normal gestation period of nine months.

Acupuncture can promote circulation of blood and improve ovarian function by making the follicles stronger that hold a sperm in the fallopian tube. The uterine lining can be made thicker for the fertilized egg to embed on the lining surface while becoming an embryo.

Go to a fertility specialist for blood work and for a diagnosis of infertility. The acupuncturist may or may not be a physician, and one that specializes in infertility.

With the actual diagnosis and prognosis report with the doctor's signature, make an appointment to see an acupuncturist. The acupuncturist will need to know about the patient's prior medical history as well as a current diagnosis, making note of any substances, including medications, that the patient is allergic to.

Acupuncture treatments can vary from a few sessions to many sessions, depending upon the results of the treatment. Chinese herbs are usually a part of acupuncture, taken after each acupuncture treatment.

There are over 150 different combinations of herbs that can be used in fertility acupuncture. The doctor will determine which herbs should be dispensed depending on the nature of the infertility and the causes as diagnosed by an infertility specialist physician.

The most common Chinese herbs dispensed for infertility are Tang Kwei, Dang Gui, Bai Shao, Shu Di Huang, Chuan Xiong and Ba Zhen Wan.

Chinese herbal medications that are dispensed in the united states have all been approved by the FDA. The patient should be aware of any allergies to specific herbs prior to receiving herbal vitamins or medications from the acupuncturist.