You’ve been trying for years to have a baby. You’ve been through every kind of hormone treatment, every version of IVF, and even lost weight and started eating better. Still no baby. This cycle of trying and failing to get pregnant is a source of great stress and frustration for you and you’re thinking about giving up all together because—quite literally—NOTHING seems to be working.
The Final Lineup
Though it may seem like you’ve tried everything to help with increasing fertility, you may have only tried all the traditional forms for how to get pregnant with PCOS. Acupuncture, chiropractic adjustments, psychotherapy, and hypnosis are the new, and not-so-common, kids on the block in the fight against infertility.
While these methods may not work for everyone, the fact that they have played a role in increasing fertility for any segment of the infertile population may mean that they are worth trying. Read on to learn how these treatments work and how you can find a service provider in your area.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a method of promoting physical wellbeing. It involves placing tiny needles into the skin in order to direct body energy and blood circulation to create optimal functioning for the body as a whole and in specific areas of the body.
How It Works
As acupuncture relates to increasing fertility, there is evidence that it can increase your chances of becoming pregnant by as much as 16%. However, these results are found in women who have no other factors that are greatly contributing to their infertility. For instance, having blocked fallopian tubes would be something that acupuncture may prove ineffective against.
Acupuncture can help with fertility by increasing blood flow to the reproductive organs and relaxing the tissue in the uterine area, making it easier for an embryo to properly attach.
Where to Go
The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine can help you find an acupuncturist in your area.
Chiropractic Adjustments
Chiropractors focus on bringing overall health to the body through making sure that joints, especially the ones in the spine, are in healthy positions and that nerves throughout the body are functioning well and not being compressed.
How It Works
By relieving stress on nerves and joints, chiropractors help increase proper blood circulation throughout the body, including uterine walls and ovaries. Increasing circulation in these areas means you’re increasing fertility.They also ensure that the nervous system is functioning properly, meaning that the body sends appropriate signals related to pregnancy including when to release eggs and when to start sending extra blood supply to an attached embryo.
One study saw 93% of subjects become pregnant between 2 months and 2 years of beginning to regularly see a chiropractor for adjustments.
Where to Go
The American Chiropractic Association can help you find an acupuncturist in your area.
Psychotherapy
One of the biggest culprits related to someone being unable to become pregnant is stress and anxiety. Both of these stem from the mind. Just as there are therapies for your body that may contribute to increasing fertility, therapy for your mind may be a viable option as well.
How It Works
A therapist (also called a “psychologist,” “social worker,” or “counselor”) helps you reduce and manage stress and depression related to infertility. Women with lowered levels of stress hormones (cortisol and alpha-amylase) have a 12% higher chance of becoming pregnant.
Where to Go
The National Board of Certified Counselors can help you find a therapist in your area.
Hypnosis
How It Works
Studies have shown that hypnosis can increase a woman’s chance of getting pregnant by as much as 23%. Similarly to psychotherapy, hypnosis can aid in helping the mind to relax and allow the body to complete its natural functions without the interference of stress hormones. This is helpful for increasing fertility.
Where to Go
The National Board of Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists can help you find a hypnotist in your area.
Always discuss these treatment options with your fertility doctor before trying them.