These days more women are proactively seeking fertility support even before embarking on their conception plans. Many have the desire to feel as healthy, balanced, and vibrant as can be, knowing they are doing everything they can to feel ready when taking that next step. The beauty of Chinese Medicine is that the entire system; physical, mental, and emotional, benefits from treatment no matter where focus lies. The advantages of acupuncture are far reaching through all of the body’s networks including hormonal, metabolic, immune, digestive, neurological, and adrenal. Nutritional and lifestyle factors play heavily into an optimal fertile environment and in most cases there is room for improvement in both these areas when it comes to healthy conception. Often stress is such an enormous factor when initially thinking about trying to conceive that it creates a negative impact on what are the best intentions. Holistic support in the preparatory stages is a wonderful opportunity to negate that stress and direct focus on a healthy dietary & lifestyle habits to enhance fertility. We work together to formulate a personalized fertility plan that involves acupuncture, nutrition, quality supplements, and appropriate movement to support you every step of the way. 

The journey to pregnancy can take a great toll on emotions and often women feel lost and in need of advice and education to understand what the next steps are. Multiple causes of infertility exist but it is frequently not until trying to conceive becomes a struggle that certain health conditions come to light, such as hormone imbalance, fibroids, PCOS, and endometriosis. There are many ways that these various conditions can effectively be treated and managed with acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and each unique case is assessed to create a strong plan of action to address these concerns. Having the right support can be key in enduring this often challenging road. Stress relief, emotional balancing and addressing anxiety and depression, as well as sleep issues, is an important component of the treatment you receive with acupuncture and Chinese medicine. A schedule of regular acupuncture care, dietary changes, targeted supplements, and in most cases custom Chinese herbal formulas will be prescribed. While the goal is always to try our very best to help achieve pregnancy naturally, there are times that more testing and further support is needed. Drawing on an integrative approach, I work to connect my patients with skilled reproductive doctors in order to create a dynamic and thorough system of care.

In the absence of a known medical cause many women are diagnosed with unexplained infertility. It is estimated that 1 in 5 couples will be identified as such. After going through extensive medical testing and evaluation, it can be difficult and down right maddening to hear that there is no good reason you are not getting pregnant. As an alternative and often second opinion, women and couples will seek holistic medicine to help find other answers and support. It is important to know that the diagnosis does not mean you can’t get pregnant! It just means a cause has not been found yet as to why. I understand how this uncertainty is deeply challenging to deal with, and I work closely with my patients to explore the specific and wide range of factors that might be affecting fertility across every aspect of life. Because the body is viewed differently on a physiological level in Traditional Chinese Medicine than western medicine, there are aspects we examine that can reveal clues as to what may be at play. How you sleep, eat, move, handle stress, and menstruate are all key components, in addition to your patterns of hormonal rhythm. Based on important details of your body and health state, we formulate a course of holistic treatment that aims to resolve and restore any imbalances in order to enhance fertility and improve your chances of conceiving. If you’ve been diagnosed with unexplained infertility, know that this is not the end of the road. It may just be time to explore other paths forward. 

It is quickly assumed when a couple is having difficulty getting pregnant that the problem always lies with the woman, when in truth a large number of cases have to do with male fertility issues, about 30-40% in-fact. Sperm quality issues are not restricted to age, as we see younger and younger men seek treatment for issues with their morphology, motility, and count, as well as for erectile dysfunction. Nutritional and environmental factors are largely influential as sperm is very susceptible to oxidative stress from toxins and pollutants. Diet, lifestyle, stress levels, and medications all play a part.The positive news is that poor sperm health can be corrected. The spermatogenesis cycle, during which new sperm is made, is approximately 3 months. With the support of dietary changes, targeted supplementation, and regular acupuncture treatment, the body can give rise to healthy new sperm and improved male fertility.

For many women facing fertility issues, the conceiving part happens without a problem but they experience one painful loss after another. Recurrent miscarriage takes an enormous emotional toll and creates very high levels of anxiety with every pregnancy. There are many factors that point to what may be at the root cause of repeat loss, including genetics, clotting disorders, autoimmune factors, hidden infections, and chromosomal abnormalities. My approach with this particular issue is a highly integrative one, as I recognize the importance of helping connect my patients with skilled doctors that will help us investigate and find the hidden cause of repeat loss. With the combined efforts of Western and Eastern medicine, we create a plan to support the next pregnancy with all the tools we have, and build a solid foundation of support to not only ease the journey emotionally but ensure that support is always within reach.