Acupuncture can help boost circulation to the uterus, small-scale studies show. With the use of Doppler ultrasound technology, it has been proven that the enhanced circulation in infertile patients causes successful pregnancy in most of these patients.

Initial studies have demonstrated that acupuncture can regulate endocrine function that can lead to normal ovulation. A study done in Germany in 2002 involved 80 patients who were under IVF therapy. They were given acupuncture before and after intrauterine embryo transfers. The Fertility and Sterility journal reported that half of the women in this study were able to conceive as compared to only 26% rate of success in the control group.

Being able to find a qualified acupuncturist is extremely important. You can accomplish this by asking for referrals from women who may have the same problems. Search for an acupuncturist that can understand Western medical thought and is affiliated with the Western medical community. It is important to seek treatment from an acupuncturist who integrates diet, and Chinese herbs among others into his/her acupuncture practice.

Nutrition and Diet

Traditional Chinese medicine refers to this as proper food-combining. Spicy, sour, sweet, bitter and salty are the five flavors you eat with. Each flavor has a direct association to an organ system. Foods and substances to avoid when you want to get pregnant include tobacco, alcohol and caffeine. These products can inhibit egg production. Studies reveal that foods laden with zinc enhance reproductive health. Zinc-rich foods include pumpkin seeds and yams. Yams can help boost reproductive hormones.

The Nigerian government as well as the universities of Harvard and Yale is doing studies pertaining to the consumption of yam and genetic predisposition to multiple births. Scientific and demographic studies done in the early 1970s indicated that white yams are directly responsible in the mystery surrounding multiple births in the southwest of Nigeria. These studies suggest that there is a direct connection between fertility and yams. Yams contain anti-estrogens that trick the brain into perceiving a sufficient amount of estrogen exists in the body. This causes the body to release a hormone known as gonadotrophin and to enhance the rate of ovulation. These studies imply that yams are foods that can potentially boost ovulation.

Herbs

To regulate the reproductive cycle of both women and men and to address certain fertility concerns, Chinese herbs are often utilized by TCM practitioners. Herbs are excellent regulators of physiological processes such as the luteal phase, ovulation and menstrual cycle as well as the overall function of the endocrine system. It is best to talk to a qualified practitioner who has extensive experience in formulating herbs properly.