ACUPUNCTURE AND FERTILITY I offer fertility support to individuals and couples looking to expand their families naturally or who may be using in-vitro fertilization (IVF) or intra-uterine insemination (IUI). Research shows that adding acupuncture to your fertility treatment plan increases the outcomes of pregnancy and live births. It may increase your fertility success by:
increasing blood flow to reproductive organs to improve egg quality and/or sperm quality
thickening the uterine lining for those who may have lining issues
reducing stress
balancing the endocrine system
increasing response to fertility medications
managing side effects of fertility medications, like bloating and headaches
INDIVIDUALIZED AND COMPREHENSIVE CARE I use a comprehensive approach with my fertility patients, providing individualized treatment plans that may include day-of transfer treatments, Chinese herbal medicine when appropriate, dietary recommendations, and lifestyle advice. According to a research study published in 2015, this type of approach, referred to as Whole Systems traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), significantly boosts outcomes for achieving a live birth. Compared to women who just received acupuncture treatments on the day-of embryo transfer, women treated with Whole Systems TCM for an average of 12 acupuncture treatments prior to embryo transfer, were more likely (61.3% vs 50.8%) to get pregnant and give birth. Compared with usual care (no additional treatment), the Whole Systems TCM group were 61.3% vs. 48.1% more likely to deliver a baby. While more research is needed to bolster these positive findings, the study demonstrates what TCM practitioners experience clinically: a comprehensive approach to treatment boost the chances for success in fertility care.
PREGNANCY AND POST-PARTUM CARE I'm also experienced in treating pregnant and post-partum parents navigating the hormonal and physical changes during pregnancy and childbirth recovery. I'm sensitive to the needs of both new moms and dads during the “fourth trimester,” and I encourage new parents to think of acupuncture and herbal medicine as resources to help supoort the stress, sleeplessness, and general overwhelm that can accompany the transformation into parenthood.
Resources:
Hullender Rubin LE, Opsahl MS, Wiemer KE, Mist SD, Caughey AB. Impact of whole systems Traditional Chinese Medicine on in vitro fertilization pregnancy outcomes. Reproductive Biomedicine Online. 2015; 30:602-612.
Stener-Victorin E, Waldenström U, Andersson SA, Wikland M. Reduction of blood flow impedance in the uterine arteries of infertile women with electro-acupuncture. Hum Reprod, Jun 1996; 11(6): 1314-7.
Cochrane S, Smith CA, Possamai-Inesedy A, Bensoussan A. Prior to Conception: The Role of an Acupuncture Protocol in Improving Women’s Reproductive Functioning Assessed by a Pilot Pragmatic Randomised Controlled Trial. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : eCAM. 2016;2016:3587569. doi:10.1155/2016/3587569.