For couples wading through the waters of fertility, acupuncture and holistic support can be the perfect fit. Western fertility interventions like IUIs, IVFs, and other methods can be invasive and take their toll on your overall body balance, sometimes causing new health issues that could take a long time to resolve. Acupuncture treatments are much more affordable than 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.
I’ve helped countless couples and single parents realize their dream of a baby through acupuncture, herbal medicine, and holistic healthcare 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 Wellness Center.
Treating male fertility is just as important as female fertility and often goes unattended to. The 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 can be treated by acupuncture and herbal medicine.
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, 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 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. Peoples Wellness Center is an integrative clinic where we can run any necessary tests to check hormone levels, methylation, metabolism, and your digestive function–all these things are an integral part of fertility! 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 parenting years.
It has been estimated in studies that acupuncture alone, or while undergoing assisted reproductive technology, can increase the likelihood of pregnancy by 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 couples trying to conceive naturally and those who need to use assisted reproductive technology such as IVF and IUI treatments. Herbal medicine partnered with a 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.
Happy baby making!
Schedule an appointment with a number of practitioners, including myself, at Peoples Wellness Center by calling 512-219-8600.
Charlotte Sobeck, MSOM, L.Ac. practices Functional Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Acupuncture for the entire family, and specializes in fertility, prenatal, postpartum and pediatric care. She also practices pediatric Tui Na, an acupressure massage for infants and children that strengthens the immune system and treats common childhood health issues. Charlotte’s practice includes holistic healthcare consulting with a functional medicine approach.
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