Fertility

Acupuncture for Natural Fertility

Acupuncture is an effective holistic treatment option for women trying to conceive naturally.  After spending years trying not to get pregnant, it’s common to discontinue birth control and try on your own for awhile, without any guidance about how to create optimal fertility health. Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine excel at rebalancing and harmonizing the body in preparation for pregnancy. By addressing overall health, and specifically reproductive and menstrual health, acupuncture can:

• balance hormones
• regulate menstrual cycle length and flow
• reduce symptoms such as cramps, clots, spotting, headaches, bloating, PMS and other imbalances
• help the transition off birth control
• improve blood flow to the reproductive organs
• thicken the uterine lining
• reduce stress hormones such as cortisol which can affect hormone balance and fertility
• balance energy and mood patterns through the monthly cycle
• prepare for a healthy pregnancy

Treatment may include acupuncture, dietary suggestions, stress management, herbs or supplements. I also work with women to track and understand their ovulation cycles for optimal timing of conception.

Often times, simply balancing the menstrual cycle and hormones is enough for many women to become pregnant on their own. Women who receive regular acupuncture, or who have done a course of acupuncture for other reasons,  may conceive more easily. Preparing the body for pregnancy before conception often results in a healthier pregnancy as well.
 

Acupuncture for IVF and ART/Assisted Reproductive Technologies

For those not able to conceive naturally, acupuncture is helpful at all stages of reproductive medicine including IUI (intra-uterine insemination), IVF (in-vitro fertilization), ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) cryopreservation (freezing embryos) and donor egg cycles.

There are many roads which lead women to pursue IVF including diagnoses of poor egg quality, abnormal FSH levels, unexplained infertility and age. Male factor health or sperm issues, genetic issues or pre-existing health conditions may be involved. Same sex couples and single women also benefit from the ongoing advances in reproductive medicine. Regardless of the reason, IVF is a big journey to embark on. I have experience and success supporting women through all of the medical, physical and emotional stages of treatment and provide healing and support during the entire journey.

Acupuncture treatment in conjunction with IVF treatment can:

• improve IVF outcomes
• minimize fertility drug side effects
• improve blood flow to the reproductive organs
• thicken the uterine lining
• increase follicle quality and count
• support implantation
• reduce and manage the high stress levels associated with ART
• support overall health throughout the process

Acupuncture treatments for IVF are timed at specific intervals during follicle stimulation, egg retrieval and embryo transfer. For best results, treatment is started 1-3+ months prior to the first IVF cycle, as acupuncture treatment is cumulative. The more healthy, prepared and balanced your body is, the more likely positive outcomes are.
 

A Holistic Approach

Chinese Medicine takes a very holistic view of fertility, viewing a woman’s body as the fertile ground for seed to take root and be nourished.  As an acupuncturist I’ll look at how healthy and balanced your vital energy is, and how well your system will be able to support the demands of a growing fetus. We can address any factors that can improve your fertility health including diet, lifestyle, exercise levels, stress, emotions, sleep, digestion and overall health. The more balanced you are before attempting to conceive, the easier it will be to get pregnant, stay pregnant, and to have a healthy pregnancy.
 

Reiki and Energy Healing for Fertility

The fertility journey can be a challenging, emotional and isolating process that can have big effects on mood, mental health, the psyche and soul. Reiki and energy healing sessions can assist in processing and healing on this journey.

• Release negative emotions or energy around the fertility journey or fertility treatments
• Restore trust and connection with your body
• Provide a self healing space to be nurtured
• Reconnect with your soul or spirit
• Reset your nervous system or fight-flight response
• Release any inner blocks, fears or resistance to getting pregnant
• Shift anxiety, negative self-talk or mindset throughout the process
• Help to process loss and grief after failed cycles or miscarriage
• Assist with gaining clarity at crossroads or decision points for next steps

Reiki or energy healing can be used at any stage of the fertility journey in addition to acupuncture, or as stand alone sessions. (Please note that energy healing sessions are scheduled separately from acupuncture.) Sessions can be done in person or by distance healing.

Please reach out if you are interested in using acupuncture or energy healing to support your fertility journey!