Sperm have always been a precious commodity, given the critical role they play in generating new life. Even a relatively small change in the typical sperm count has a substantial impact on the percentage of men who will be classified as infertile or subfertile. It’s not just about sperm count, however; certain qualities, including movement patterns, are also essential for them to swim upstream to meet the egg of their dreams.

The psychological and medical burdens of dealing with fertility issues have been placed squarely on the women’s shoulders. Not only is this incorrect on the most basic level - given that it takes viable sperm + a healthy egg to create a pregnancy- it’s especially wrong now, when a high proportion of infertility issues can clearly be placed at men’s feet.

For couples who experience recurrent miscarriages, recent research has found that men have twice the level of DNA fragmentation in their sperm and 4 times higher levels of reactive oxygen species in their semen, which can cause DNA damage to sperm, than men whose partners didn’t have a history of miscarriage. In couples with recurrent pregnancy loss, the men also had reduced sperm mobility and morphology, compared to their peers.

The study of sperm began, unsurprisingly, in a fairly bizarre fashion. In 1677, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, a Dutch tradesman and self-taught scientist who was fascinated with microscopes, collected his semen and examined it under a microscope, where he saw millions of tiny, wriggling shapes called animalcules (little animals) swimming in the fluid. He believed that each sperm contained a miniature, preformed human being that would unfurl and develop inside the mother after being nourished by the female egg.

Infertility is defined as the inability of a sexually active, non-contracepting couple to achieve pregnancy in one year, but very few men or women are truly infertile. Most couples who have been given a diagnosis of “infertility” are merely out of balance, and from a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective, are entirely treatable. For the 1 in 8 couples experiencing infertility each year, acupuncture and TCM may be just what the doctor ordered. In fact, it has been shown that acupuncture boosts fertility rates for couples by enhancing both male and female fertility.

I recently received a call from one of my long-term patients, who over the past 6 months wanted to focus on boosting her fertility health. She was a regular patient who lead a very healthy, green, clean lifestyle, eating all the healthy organic foods, while carefully tracking her cycle and ovulation. Everything looked great on paper.

Endometriosis is an often painful gynecological disorder in which the uterine lining (the cells of the womb) begin to proliferate outside of the womb itself, like the bowels, the abdomen, and in rare cases even the brain and lungs, which can lead to severe and sometimes fatal events. Luckily, acupuncture, herbal medicine, dietary modifications, and other natural remedies can be immensely beneficial in the treatment of endometriosis.

Regardless of where you are on your healing journey, acupuncture can be effective and beneficial, and acupuncture often shines where traditional treatments do not. It is especially effective for chronic illness and symptoms when doctors have difficulty making a clear diagnosis.

Acupuncture is also an effective tool to maintain health. Even for the healthiest, an acupuncture treatment is suggested at least 4 times per year at the changing of the seasons in order to effectively boost the immune system, calm the nervous system, and regulate hormones.

The 5 Benefits of Acupuncture (that May Surprise You)...