Trying to get pregnant and maintain a healthy pregnancy can be one of the most stressful and emotionally taxing times in a couple’s life. Infertility and miscarriage are very painful experiences and they can leave you feeling depressed and overwhelmed emotionally.
“Oriental medicine helped me, and I believe it has the potential to help many people.” -Karen Moreland
How Is Treatment With Us Different?
Dr. Karen Moreland DACM, L.Ac. FABORM, is certified by the Acupuncture and TCM Board of Reproductive Medicine, in the safe use of acupuncture and Oriental medicine for fertility and during pregnancy. This means she has met all the requirements for additional training and knowledge, by the board, in this area of expertise. We believe each person is unique. When coming for fertility treatment, each treatment is customized to what your body needs at the time, to help improve your fertility.
Acupuncture and Herbs For Male and Female Fertility
In women, acupuncture and Oriental Medicine help to regulate hormones, regulate ovulation, reduce inflammation, improve circulation, and manage stress and anxiety. Chinese herbal therapy helps to build healthy uterine lining, reduce endometriosis and ovarian cysts, and improve ovarian function. In men, acupuncture and Oriental Medicine help to improve blood flow to the testes which has a positive effect on sperm quality, motility and concentration.
Ideally it is best to start treatment with acupuncture and Chinese herbs three to four months prior to trying to become pregnant. If you cannot start that soon, there are still many benefits to starting treatment at anytime. We recommend acupuncture treatments once per week plus or minus Chinese herbs taken every day.
Acupuncture and Herbs for women receiving IVF or IUI
If you are receiving ART (Assisted Reproductive Technologies) like IVF (In-Vitro Fertilization) or IUI (Intra-Uterine Insemination), acupuncture can help improve the outcome. Studies have shown that Oriental medicine increases the chances of success by about 25% for IUI, and by almost 45% for IVF. Acupuncture helps to improve blood flow to the uterus and ovaries, reduce uterine contractility, regulate the immune system, and improve ovarian and uterine response to medications, while decreasing their side effects.
The Process For Acupuncture and Herbal Treatments For IVF
Ideally your treatment should start 3 or more months before medications are started. Treatments during this time are once per week. Herbs may or may not be included to help support the treatment. Our goal during this time is to support follicle development and quality, healthy uterine lining and quality.
Once IVF or IUI medications start, we have you stop taking all herbal formulas. Acupuncture continues once to twice per week, depending on individual needs. These treatments will focus more on nourishing and thickening uterine lining, reducing anxiety, and help manage side effects of pharmaceuticals.
We do an acupuncture treatment before transfer and after transfer. We also recommend an acupuncture treatment 3-5 days post transfer.
After that, treatments are 1 once per week. Our focus is on supporting implantation, and helping to reduce risk of miscarriage.
Insurance is not accepted for fertility acupuncture at this time.