Pulling Down the Moon

Fertility Massage: What It Is and How It Can Help Conception

Nov 15, 2023
Tamara Quinn

Written By:

Tamara Quinn

Co-Founder of Pulling Down the Moon, Reg. Yoga Teacher,

Yoga Swami

Cassie Harrison

Reviewed for Accuracy By:

Meredith Nathan

Director of Massage

A woman is getting a womb massage for fertility benefits through fertility massage.

What is a Fertility Massage?


This form of fertility massage focuses on the uterus. It can help relieve stress and pressure in the abdominal area. This ancient holistic healing practice gently manipulates the muscle and connective tissue around the uterus and other organs in the pelvis. It is a delicate, non-invasive therapy that is one of many that we offer.


Fertility massage is a complementary fertility treatment. The goal is to restore and enhance blood flow and nourish tissue. It can help realign the abdominal organs and improve the chance of fertilization and successful implantation. 


In addition, the treatment can detoxify the body, assist lymphatic flow, and encourage hormone balance. Ultimately, it promotes relaxation during an otherwise stressful time. 


What Makes a Fertility Massage Unique?


One of the ways fertility massage is unique is it targets a key area, specifically the connective tissue around the ovaries and uterus. The original therapy dates back to the ancient Mayans. They believed that infertility was due to the improper alignment of the reproductive organs, as we do today. The initial Mayan therapy and the one we do now work to bring these critical organs back into alignment. 


Modern therapists better understand fertility and what makes getting pregnant difficult for some. Still, they appreciate what the Mayans did because it has physical and mental health benefits and is all-natural. Our treatments are different but with many of the same goals. 


The effectiveness of the procedure doesn't rely on medication. That makes it a very unique approach to infertility. It is also a complementary practice used along with other fertilization methods, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF).


When Can a Fertility Massage be Performed?


That will depend on the other fertilization efforts. For those relying on the old-fashioned way to get pregnant, the best time for fertility massage is typically between the first day of your period and ovulation, about 14 days from it. 

A 28-day cycle leaves a window of anywhere from that first flow to 14 days after it ends. The fertility window can be unpredictable, though. For some, it is earlier, and for others later.


In an intrauterine insemination (IUI) or IVF cycle, the therapist will adjust their techniques to align with the goals of the medicated cycle. Often, our IVF clients have a preparation period before they start their cycles. Fertility massage can be performed at any time in your cycle including before and throughout ART (assisted reproductive technologies) cycles. This may  improve the quality of the eggs that will come up during the IVF cycle. The typical life cycle of an egg is 90 days, so fertility massage can encourage better outcomes even in the months leading up to IVF therapy. Once pregnant, the massage therapist guides you to the most appropriate prenatal massage. 


What are the Benefits of Massage When You're Trying to Conceive?


The potential benefits of fertility massage are both mental and physical. For example, one goal of the massage  is to help realign the abdominal organs, including the uterus. This realignment may increase the chances of fertilization. Other potential benefits include:

  • Releases tension from the abdomen
  • Improves circulation to the reproductive organs and pelvic region
  • Tone the muscular uterus and the supporting connective tissue
  • Breaks down adhesions and scar tissue that might exist and contribute to fertility issues.
  • Detoxification 
  • Hormonal balance
a woman wrapped in a white towel is getting a fertility massage for help getting pregnant

Another major benefit is relaxation and stress relief, though. A 2018 study published in Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience states that between 25 and 60 percent of infertile individuals have high levels of anxiety and depression. These mental health issues can be further enhanced by using medication to treat infertility.


Massage helps relax you and ease tension. It will stimulate the pelvic region to help promote blood flow to the uterus and ovaries. That, in turn, could increase your chance of a successful pregnancy.


Are there Negatives to a Fertility Massage?


Fertility massage is a tool that can be used independently or as a complement to other treatments. 

For centuries, though, practitioners have been using massage therapy for many ailments for a reason. There are no real negatives involved. Fertility massage isnon-invasive and completely natural. 


Pulling Down The Moon's Fertility Enhancing Massage


At Pulling Down the Moon, we approach fertility treatment from a whole-body approach. Our staff includes some of the most respected leaders in holistic medicine and women's health.


Thefertility-enhancing massage program at Pulling Down the Moon is cutting-edge. The therapy is award-winning and nationally recognized. We’ve spent over 20 years researching and developing special techniques that provide far-reaching benefits to help women and couples trying to conceive. Each day, we hear stories of the miraculous changes we have made in their lives.


Five Distinctive Sessions of Fertility Massage at Pulling Down the Moon


The fertility massage program involves five unique sessions.


#1 – Cleanse the Body – Detoxifier

This session consists of a lymphatic massage, therapeutic-grade essential oils, and Chi Nei Tsang abdominal massage to trigger detoxification and calm the mind. 


#2 – Enhance the Blood – Blood Builder

This full-body session utilizes abdominal and myofascial massage, arterial compression, hip stretches, and heat to increase reproductive blood flow and revitalize the pelvic organs. 


#3 – Align the Abdomen – Deep Pelvic Release

This session uses breath exercises, massage, psoas release, myofascial stretches, and trigger-point therapy to stimulate and align the viscera in the pelvic region. We use the synergy from external massage and internal movement to melt adhesions, clear stagnation, and oxygenate the core. 


#4 – Soothe the Senses – Calm the Nervous System

This session gently stimulates the reproductive system and balances the endocrine glands. We use light touch techniques to influence the body’s balance, receptivity, and fertility. 


#5 – Unwind the Mind – While You Wait

Our Unwind the Mind session helps calm post-ovulation stress and encourage implantation. We use body, aromatherapy, vagus nerve, vibrational, and lymphatic massage to boost endocrine function and support your potential pregnancy. 


Our five-part fertility massage program can provide significant benefits, such as:


a woman is getting a fertility massage with her eyes closed she is trying to conceive

We want to help you make that dream of a healthy, successful pregnancy come true. That's our purpose. We work to turn patients into parents with our distinct techniques like Fertility Enhancing Massage. We even offer massage for men. Learn more at our upcoming Fertility Enhancing Massage Seminar!


While  booking an online appointment for fertility massage, look at the other services we offer, such as  red light therapy, yoga classes, abdominal wrapping, and nutritional supplements. Combine one or more with your massage for even better potential. We also offer continuing education in fertility massage. 

Find out more today about our Pulling Down the Moon clinics, now accepting health insurance coverage for acupuncture and pain. Visit our website's insurance verification portal to see if your plan has coverage. Discounted packages are available for those without insurance coverage. You can also visit our website to find a practitioner near you if you are out of the area. 

Meet the Author: Tamara Quinn

Tami, the Co-Founder of Pulling Down the Moon, played a pivotal role in transforming the care provided to women facing infertility. After a corporate career, she sought balance and meaning through yoga and ancient healing practices, eventually leaving the corporate world. Tami became a registered yoga teacher (RYT), immersing herself in mystical yogic traditions such as Kriology and Ayurveda. She also attained the status of a reiki master, a disciple of Kriya yoga, and an ordained Swami. Utilizing her extensive training, Tami creates fertility rituals, meditations, and yoga classes tailored to women dealing with infertility, some of which are highlighted in her co-authored book, "Fully Fertile, A 12-Week Plan to Optimal Fertility." Her journey remains ongoing as she continues to learn from her Guru and her students, demonstrating a deep commitment to her path.

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There are many reasons that a therapeutic yoga program may benefit women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. PCOS presents very differently in different women but the syndrome as whole is associated with infertility and other adverse health conditions including obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Women with PCOS may also have higher levels of chronic inflammation and elevated levels of circulating stress hormones. The good news is that more and more research suggests that lifestyle intervention including lifestyle intervention including diet and exercise may be the best way to manage PCOS. In addition, new research is showing the benefit of Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat the hormonal imbalances, symptoms like hirsutism and acne, and menstrual irregularity that is associated with PCOS. Another element of PDtM’s PCOS “Action Plan is yoga. Yoga has been shown to lower levels of stress hormones and women with a regular yoga practice have been show to have a “healthier physiological response to stress". Yoga has also been shown to reduce markers of oxidative stress and blood sugar control in people with diabetes as well as improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels in heart disease patients (1). Some of the goals of a therapeutic yoga practice for PCOS include: Standing and seated yoga asana that create an invigorating, but not exhausting, exercise session Twisting poses, which in yoga physiology are believed to help decrease abdominal fat Postures that bring blood to the thyroid gland, an important endocrine gland for metabolism Stimulating agni, the digestive fire, that supports complete digestion and metabolism of foods Mudras (hand yoga) that stimulate different physiological and energetic systems Breathing exercises that induce the relaxation response While lifestyle changes can be very helpful with PCOS, they are not enough on their own. Working in partnership with you physician or Reproductive Endocrinologist and ensuring they are kept up to date on any holistic treatments you may be using is the smartest approach for PCOS management. Yoga for Fertility to support PCOS is available at Pulling Down the Moon in-center starting on Sept 21st and virtually starting on Sept 30th . If you would like to learn more about PDtM’s PCOS Action Plan to manager your PCOS Action Plan with holistic health treatment ( Acupuncture , Massage , Nutrition , and Yoga ) then contact us at 312-321-0004 or email info@pullingdownthemoon.com to get started today! (1) Field, T. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 17 (2011) 1e8
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