Acupuncture in Cheltenham, Acupuncture in Gloucester, Acupuncture in Cirencester.

Acupuncture and IVF

Fertility

Acupuncture for fertility and supporting IVF cycles.

I treat men and women with fertility problems, both as a stand alone treatment (if appropriate) and to support and enhance IVF cycles.

Fertility treatment has a long history in Chinese acupuncture. Family is, and was, hugely important to the Chinese. Acupuncture strategies for the treatment of both male and female infertility were developed thousands of years ago.

The desire for family is no less strong in today’s society here in the West. Demands of work, finances and society mean that many couples are attempting to conceive relatively late in life. The emotional impact of fertility problems can be immense. Fertility levels are thought to be declining. Modern diets can lead to nutritional deficiencies; for the first time in history people are over-fed and undernourished. Pollution, lack of exercise, chronic stress all take a toll on our health and fertility.

Acupuncture can help both male and female sub-fertility. I prefer this term as 'infertility' seems very final. Research shows that our physiology mirrors our beliefs. Whilst some women can’t achieve a pregnancy without medical help, for many the barriers to conception are much more surmountable. Doctor and acupuncturist Randine Lewis writes, 'There is no such thing as infertility; it is a myth! Rarely have I met a woman of childbearing age with all her reproductive organs intact who isn't capable of bearing children. As long as the anatomical structures are present, a medical diagnosis of "infertility" is often a fallacy. Many factors can cause a woman to have difficulty conceiving, but once these factors are overcome and a woman's body is restored to health, conception can occur naturally.' (Randine Lewis, Ph.D., 'The Infertility Cure').

I have worked in this area for as long as I have been an acupuncturist, now over 20 years, and I am a member of the 'Acupuncture Fertility Network'. It can be the most rewarding, and the most distressing area of practice. Imagine; a young woman with unexplained infertility comes for treatment. She has heard that acupuncture can improve the success rates of IVF (see blog for research details) which she is planning on starting in around 3 months. 6 weeks after commencing acupuncture she is pregnant. Another woman is starting her third IVF cycle. She has lost both fallopian tubes because of a severe history of endometriosis. Even with the help of acupuncture, the procedure is ineffective. Yet when treatment is effective and a new life is brought into the world I find this area of my practice to be truly rewarding.

Whether you are at the start of your journey, and would like to try acupuncture as a stand alone therapy, or whether you are about to start an IVF cycle, I would be happy to chat, by phone or in person, about how acupuncture can help you. Each couples needs are unique and complex so it is much easier to explain in person the extent to which I think acupuncture might be able to help you. I will happily give a free 15 minute consultation. Treatment fees can be reduced if both partners require treatment.

Finally, I have both personal and professional experience of 'infertility', and I have undertaken post-graduate study in this area.