You may have heard of fertility massage as an alternative supplement to your infertility treatments. If you are like most women who are trying to conceive, then you are probably wondering if it will work. While there is no scientific evidence to support that fertility massage will get you pregnant, there is no doubt that it can reduce anxiety and stress that is related to infertility.
Many women who are working at getting pregnant and are unsuccessful suffer from feelings of inadequacy and loss of control. The stress of trying so hard to achieve a positive pregnancy test can make them anxious most of their waking hours. While no medical studies assert that a woman who is anxious or stressed cannot conceive, conventional wisdom tells us that it certainly isn’t helping.
In the January 2004 issue of International Journal of Neurosciences, a study showed that even just 10 minutes of basic massage could reduce anxiety levels. Researchers measured the participants’ stress level and heart rates both before and after the massage. The results showed a significant reduction in anxiety in all of the participants.
This is good news on several levels. First, it proves what anyone who has ever had a massage knows: It helps you relax. Second, it proves that even if you can’t afford a full hour massage, even a 10-minute massage has relaxation benefits.
Fertility massage has been around for more than 1,000 years. Both traditional Chinese medicine and ancient Mayan societies used fertility massage to try to help women conceive. Today, more and more certified fertility massage therapists are cropping up in strip malls and spas across the country.
Proponents of fertility massage assert that the benefits of the experience are numerous. They claim that it not only relaxes you and helps your reproductive system to perform better, but it also aids in digestion. They also claim that thousands of years of practice make the technique even more focused and successful today. Another important point that promoters of fertility massage make is that it gives your uterus a workout, alleviating some of the symptoms that are associated with your period, like cramps.
No matter what you think about the viability of fertility massage, there is one fact that no one can deny: It is 100 percent natural. There are no drugs or injections involved. The practice only uses natural oils and fragrances, so it will have no side effects for the participant. There will also be no adverse effects for any of the drugs or treatments that your doctor has prescribed. So while there is no proof that fertility massage can help you get pregnant, there is no question that it can help you relax – something that all couples that are going through infertility treatment should do as much as possible.
Sources:
Sahgal, MD, Dr. Prabha. “Fertility Massage.” www.conceiveeasy.com. 17 October 2014. Web. 5 February 2014. https://www.conceiveeasy.com/get-pregnant/fertility-massage/
Domar, Alice. “Will massage help me get pregnant?” www.babycetner.com. Web. 5 February 2014. http://www.babycenter.com/404_will-massage-help-me-get-pregnant_1411676.bc