Services
Acupuncture for IVF
My suggested optimal schedule for using acupuncture to enhance IVF results is below. Please keep in mind that individual circumstances may vary and so can treatment.
Before Starting Your Cycle (2-3 Months):
Weekly sessions: Focus on regulating your menstrual cycle, balancing hormones ,and improving pelvic blood flow to enhance egg quality and overall wellbeing. This lays the foundation for a healthy reproductive system.
Additional considerations: Depending on your specific health concerns, I might recommend more frequent sessions or address related issues like stress management and sleep quality.
During Your IVF Cycle:
Weekly to twice-weekly sessions: Continue supporting egg development,endometrial lining thickness, and managing stress levels. Adjustments might be made based on your cycle phase and medication usage.
Key points: Consider acupuncture:
Day 3 of your cycle: To potentially improve follicular growth.
1 week into stimulation cycle: optimise blood flow to your ovaries to support follicle development.
Pre-embryo transfer (morning of or evening before): Enhance uterine receptivity and promote relaxation.
Post-embryo transfer (afternoon of the next day): reduce any cramping, calm the nervous system.
3-5 day post embryo transfer: support implantation, reduce anxiety
Weekly during early pregnancy: continue to support implantation and calm the nerves system.
ACUPUNCTURE for birth preparation
Acupuncture for birth preparation, also known as pre-birth acupuncture, is a traditional Chinese medicine practice gaining traction among expectant mothers. It involves the insertion of fine needles at specific points on the body to help prepare the body and mind for a smoother, more natural birth experience.
Benefits:
Promotes cervical ripening and softening: Acupuncture may gently coax the cervix to thin and open naturally, potentially reducing the need for medical interventions like induction.
Eases pregnancy discomforts: Common aches, pains, and anxieties associated with pregnancy may be addressed through acupuncture, contributing to overall well-being and calmness.
Optimises fetal positioning: Specific points can be used to encourage the baby to adopt the optimal head-down position for delivery.
Reduces stress and anxiety: The relaxing nature of acupuncture can help manage stress and anxiety, fostering a positive mindset for birth.
Boosts natural pain management: Acupuncture may stimulate the release of endorphins, the body's natural pain relievers, potentially reducing labor pain and the need for epidurals.
Treatment Details:
Treatments typically begin around 36 weeks of pregnancy and continue weekly until closer to the due date, when frequency may increase.
Sessions are generally painless and relaxing, involving the insertion of sterile, hair-thin needles at specific points on the body.
Acupuncture for endometriosis
Pain relief: Studies suggest acupuncture might reduce pain associated with endometriosis, possibly by stimulating endorphin release, natural pain relievers in the body.
Reduced inflammation: Research indicates acupuncture may decrease inflammatory markers linked to endometriosis.
Improved quality of life: Some studies show acupuncture can improve overall well-being and daily functioning in women with endometriosis.
Management of menstrual symptoms: Acupuncture may help alleviate painful periods and other menstrual irregularities.
How it Works:
Acupuncturists insert thin needles at specific points on the body based on traditional Chinese medicine principles.
The exact mechanism of action for endometriosis remains unclear, but various theories are explored, including:
Regulation of hormones: Acupuncture may influence hormone levels like estrogen, potentially impacting endometriosis growth.
Improved blood flow: Increased blood circulation in the pelvic area could facilitate healing and reduce pain.
Modulation of the nervous system: Acupuncture might influence the nervous system, leading to pain relief and reduced inflammation.