Meditation and Fertility

Meditation tends to be one of those things that people have very strong opinions about, especially in Southern California. Its devotees claim it works wonders for all manner of health concerns; its detractors think meditation is simply new-age nonsense, and tend to lump it into the same category as chakra alignment, vibrating crystals, and psychic readings – namely just another hippy-dippy obsession among many such oddities common to Los Angeles. Fertility doctors, however - including such well-known fertility specialists as Dr. Mark Surrey and his associates at the Southern California Reproductive Center - are finding merit in meditation.

How does meditation work on the brain?

Meditation actually changes the brain for the better by increasing gray matter density, and these changes can actually be seen on MRI scans. That’s the conclusion of a group of researchers at UCLA, who published their findings in the journal NeuroImage (click here for the abstract). According to another recent study in the journal Psychiatry Research Neuroimaging, practicing meditation results in changes in gray-matter density in parts of the brain associated with memory, sense of self, empathy and stress.

Meditation reduces stress; lowered stress increases fertility

Meditation is a well-established as an effective method of stress reduction. And we know that women who have higher stress levels have more difficulty conceiving than women who report lower stress levels. So it stands to reason that meditation may be effective as part of an infertility treatment strategy.

Is there clinical evidence actually linking meditation to fertility rates?

Yes! A recent clinical study by researchers at the hospitals associated with Harvard Medical School and published in the prestigious journal Fertility and Sterility demonstrated that women who were undergoing IVF treatment who also participated in a mind/body program had significantly higher pregnancy rates than women who did not participate in the meditation program. And when we say “significant,” we mean it: in fact, women in the program had a pregnancy rate of 52%, while those in the control group had a pregnancy rate of just 20%. At the Southern California Reproductive Center (SCRC), we think those are some pretty strong results.

Meditation as part of a comprehensive infertility treatment plan

At SCRC, we don’t believe that meditation is a magic cure-all for couples dealing with fertility issues. We DO believe that meditation can be an important part of a comprehensive infertility treatment strategy. This strategy has as its foundation the latest, most advanced techniques available in conventional fertility medicine. We build upon that foundation with a variety of complementary medicine options, which include meditation. This comprehensive approach provides you what we believe to be the best outcomes a fertility clinic can deliver.

How do I find out more about using meditation to increase fertility?

Call SCRC at 866-477-9982 to speak to one of our helpful, friendly fertility consultants. They will be happy to explain details of effective meditation methods as well as the other complementary medicine approaches we offer. We can also schedule a consultation for you with an SCRC fertility specialist. If you prefer, you may also click here to contact us.