It’s no secret that some women simply need help with fertility. In fact, an entire subset of the medical industry has sprung up around this fact. Fertility medications like Clomid are being prescribed on a daily basis as sort of a first-response to women who are struggling with fertility. Yet, according to some recent research, fertility drugs alone may be less effective than when fertility medications are combined with a more nontraditional form of fertility therapy: acupuncture.

Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to help with a variety of physical ailments, including fertility problems. Today’s scientists are discovering that acupuncture can be a wonderful complement to medical interventions for fertility.

Understanding fertility medications

It’s important to understand fertility medications like Clomid and how they work. Clomid, or clomiphene, is what’s known as a “selective estrogen receptor modulator.” It works to inhibit feedback of the hypothalamus. This stimulates the body to produce gonadotropins (which are hormones that affect your fertility). These gonadotropins consist of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH).

In this study, pregnancy rates were higher for women who received acupuncture along with their treatments of Clomid. Women who received acupuncture were more likely to show evidence of ovulation, and they were also more likely to conceive than women who only received the medication.

Help with IVF, too

Another study looked at combining acupuncture with in vitro fertilization (IVF). They found that acupuncture seemed to help prevent problems with the implantation of the fertilized egg. The acupuncture therefore helped with the process of embryo transfer, one of the key processes in IVF>

Researchers are studying why exactly acupuncture helps with IVF and with fertility medications. Many think that acupuncture also helps to stimulate some of the hormones that Clomid stimulates, giving the woman a higher overall chance of conceiving.

Acupuncture is known to be safe for the woman who’s trying to conceive. If it improves your chances of conceiving, it may be worth a try. While there are no guarantees, many women have tried acupuncture and have found themselves becoming pregnant after receiving the treatments.