According to the American Pregnancy Association, acupuncture is an effective treatment for infertility. One of the ways it can increase fertility is by restoring health and energy balance to the body's hormonal control systems, such as the thyroid gland. Acupuncture works best for women who have intact reproductive systems. It won't, for example, unblock serious Fallopian scar tissue. It can spur an under-performing system to wake up. In order to tell if acupuncture is working for your fertility problem, look for the markers of a healthy fertility cycle.
Cervical Mucous
One of the hallmarks of a healthy fertility cycle is a cycle of cervical mucous. Cervical mucous starts out dry at the beginning of the cycle. You might not see much of it in the days following your period. As you move toward ovulation, or the fertile period, the mucous gets more frequent and shifts from whitish and thick to clear and the consistency of egg whites. It dries back off again as you near menstruation. If your cervical mucous cycle is restored, this is a good sign your fertility cycle is back on track.
Ovulation
One of the most common fertility problems and the one easiest addressed by acupuncture is anovulation, or lack of ovulation. Ovulation is the process by which your ovaries release ad egg. Without this monthly egg release, there's nothing for the sperm to fertilize. Home ovulation test kits, blood work and basal body temperature monitoring are all ways to check for ovulation. Ovulation is a huge indicator that your acupuncture treatments are working.
Regular or Returned Menstruation
As acupuncture works to restore hormonal balance, you may experience positive changes to your menstrual cycle. These would certainly be a good sign that your treatments are working. For women who don't menstruate or who menstruate irregularly and infrequently, restoration of normal monthly cycles is a good indicator that other things tied to the hormonal cycle, like ovulation, are healing.
Improved Thyroid Function
If you need hard evidence as to whether acupuncture is working to restore or improve fertility, ask your doctor to perform regular blood draws to test thyroid function. Because the thyroid gland helps regulate hormone systems in the body, it's function is tied to fertility. Compare the levels from each test to he levels of the previous tests and look for improvements.
