THE TAO OF WELLNESS: Those seeking fertility help can benefit from acupuncture

It's 7 a.m. and the waiting room is packed. Women are waiting for their blood work, ultrasound and doctors appointments - an almost daily routine for those undergoing fertility treatments.

For those wanting a family, medical technology has come a long way in helping couples achieve their dreams. Ultrasound has enabled us to be able to see whether the uterus is hospitable and track egg development. Drugs have allowed us to optimize the chance of conceiving by boosting the number and quality of eggs developing as well as improving pregnancy rates.

In vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine insemination (IUI) are helping millions of couples around the world. Fertility treatments help to boost your chances of conceiving, but like trying naturally, it doesn't always happen on your first try. The medicine that gives us hope can be a challenging path emotionally, physically and financially.

It's been shown that using complimentary medicine can help further boost your chances assisting IVF and IUI success rates.

A 2008 study has found that coupling acupuncture with IVF treatments can boost your chances of conceiving to 65 per cent. Acupuncture is a non-invasive means of decreasing stress levels, increasing uterine blood flow and relaxing the cervix, all of which help to improve IVF results by aiding in egg quality, uterine lining as well as implantation rates.

Acupuncture treatments are most beneficial when you receive them three months prior to your IVF or IUI cycles.

This allows sufficient time to help improve your overall health while also improving egg quality.

But time is a luxury for most of us and if the decision to do IVF is already made, it's important to time your acupuncture treatments around your IVF.

Receiving a treatment right before and right after your embryo transfer has shown improved pregnancy rates.

In addition to acupuncture, here are some other treatments that can help:

Massage therapy

Deep tissue massage helps alleviate stress both physical and emotional. It promotes healthy circulation and removes toxins from your body naturally. Massage therapy is a good routine to get into to help maintain your health and minimize stress.

Pelvic abdominal massage

Involves gentle stretching to loosen tightened areas of the pelvic, low back and sacral area to help reduce adhesions and improve blood flow in the reproductive tract. This is a great adjunct to artificial reproductive treatments (ART), too.

Tai chi/qi gong/yoga

We all know exercise is good for us, why not try incorporating any one of these to your weekly routine. These are slow-moving low-impact cardio workouts that are safe during pregnancy and can help enhance your chances of conceiving. Always let your instructor know if you may be pregnant.

Infertility is a daunting journey, incorporating exercise, a healthy diet and methods to relieve stress can all help to make that journey a little easier and help you achieve your dreams of a family.

Term glossary

IVF, a method of assisted reproduction, a man's sperm and the woman's egg are combined in a laboratory dish where fertilization occurs. The resulting embryo is then transferred to the woman's uterus (womb) to implant and develop naturally.

IUI, a procedure in which a fine catheter (tube) is inserted through the cervix (the natural opening of the uterus) into the uterus to deposit a sperm sample directly into the uterus.