For couples wading through the waters of fertility, acupuncture and holistic support can be the perfect fit.  Western fertility interventions like IUI’s, IVF’s and other methods can be invasive and take their toll on your overall body balance.  Sometimes, these western interventions cause health issues that did not exist prior to treatment, and take long periods to resolve.  Acupuncture treatments are much more affordable then western interventions,  so couples can partake often enough to make a positive difference in their health and fertility without going into debt to do so!  So, It’s better for your health and your pocketbook to go the holistic route  to conceive and carry a healthy baby to term when you can.

I’ve helped countless couples and single parents by choice realize their dream of a baby through acupuncture, herbal medicine and holistic health care coaching.   Over the last 16 years in my own practice, two eastern medicine fertility clinics, and a community acupuncture clinic,  I am full circle back to my own practice in a fully supportive integrative practice at Peoples Rx Wellness Center North.

Treating male fertility is just as important as female fertility and often goes unattended to.  Fact is over half of couples with fertility issues have an unidentified contributing issue found in the male partner, like low sperm count, poor morphology, or varicocele, all of which acupuncture, and herbal medicine treat.

In women’s fertility treatment, there is a misguided movement towards western intervention methods that implies if you are over 35 or simply have not been able to conceive for “unknown reasons,” you need a synthetic drug, an IUI, or an IVF to treat infertility.   As for “unknown reasons,” well many of those simply require a good look at diet, nutrition and lifestyle.  And, yes, “advanced maternal age” (a term I’m not fond of!) is one factor to consider.  Couples are waiting longer to start families, yet I know from my clinical and personal experience (which science supports) that women 35, and even over 40 (43 for me!) can conceive naturally when they tend mindfully to their overall body health and balance — that is why they are still menstruating!

Along with acupuncture and herbal remedies, holistic healthcare coaching helps my patients reduce chronic stress, examine the quality of their diet and lifestyle, and consider other factors in the environment and elsewhere that disrupt hormonal balance.  Also, we are an integrative clinic at Peoples Wellness North and can run any necessary tests to check hormone levels, methylation, metabolism and also your digestive function – all these things are an integral part of fertility!  And our clinic can do all basic blood tests necessary to check your overall state of health as well.  My goal is to help patients get the answers and treatment they need, and incorporate good self care rituals that will contribute to their ability to conceive and carry them through their parenting years.

It has been estimated in studies that acupuncture alone, or while undergoing assisted reproductive technology, can increase your likelihood of pregnancy 40-60%.

• Acupuncture improves blood flow to the uterus, ovaries and male reproductive organs —strengthening the male and female reproductive organ systems making conceiving and carrying a baby more possible.
• Balances male and female hormones and hormone cycles
• Regulates digestion and other organ functions, which are vital to fertility.  
• Reduces body tension, stress and anxiety – helping your body breathe, let go and relax so it can do what it’s innately able to do — conceive and carry a healthy baby to term.

Acupuncture can greatly enhance the success rates of both couples trying to conceive naturally and couples who are needing to use assisted reproductive technology such as IVF and IUI treatments due to issues that cannot be resolved more holistically.  Also, herbal medicine partnered with good diet, nutrition and a healthy lifestyle can help you conceive and carry a baby to term no matter what route you choose to do so.  I would be honored to be a part of your fertility care team, and will take excellent care of you, come see me!  And I also practice and teach parents Pediatric Tuina a form of massage for babies and young children that is great for many common childhood illnesses and issues.  You can read more about that on my website.

Happy Baby Making!