Fertility

• increase blood flow to the uterus, which improves the chances of an ovum implanting on the uterine wall
• normalize hormone and endocrine systems that regulate ovulation 
• regulate the menstrual cycle
• reduce anxiety and the stress hormone cortisol, which can significantly decrease fertility 
• positively affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, which plays a key role in fertility
• improve sperm count, morphology and motility 
• reduces side effects of hormonal therapies
• prevent miscarriage and support healthy pregnancy 

In order to fully enhance your chances of conceiving, having a healthy pregnancy and delivering a healthy baby, it is recommended that you prepare your body for 3-6 months. The female reproductive system begins the maturation of your eggs approximately 120 days before they are released. It also takes approximately 100 days for sperm to generate in males. It may seem like a long time to wait after facing fertility problems, but this time is a wonderful chance for you to nurture your body, mind and spirit.

ACUPUNCTURE AND IVF

I highly recommend beginning acupuncture, herbs and making certain lifestyle changes 3-6 months prior to the IVF procedure for the reasons stated above. Chinese medicine produces amazing results, but takes time. IVF requires an enormous financial and emotional commitment and TCM can help maximize your chances. If you are not able to receive treatment in the months prior to IVF, 8 treatments (2 sessions per week for one month) prior to egg retrieval can be helpful as well. For those with very restricted schedules or financial concerns, just two acupuncture sessions, one directly before and after your embryo transfer, have been demonstrated to increase the success of an IVF cycle from 26 to 42%!!  Ask Mia for copies of research done on the effectiveness of using Chinese medicine with your western medical fertility treatments.