Acupuncture at Sweet Momma
Fertility Treatment Basics
We understand the need for women to have a complementary and alternative medical treatment alone or in combination with their IVF treatment. Our treatments offer men and women a natural alternative to enhance fertility without any side effects in a comfortable atmosphere. We have completed training in the treatment of infertility and we have an excellent success rate in helping couples to become pregnant.
The most important factors in influencing fertility, pregnancy optimization and better pregnancy health are mind body stress reduction, nutrition and exercise.
Research has shown that these three components are key to creating the best environment possible for a healthy pregnancy, and an increased chance of pregnancy conception
When you come in for a visit a reproductive specialist in Traditional Chinese Medicine will listen to your concerns and take a complete medical history. We will focus on your reproductive health, and pay special attention to the symptoms and how your body is currently functioning. This whole body approach is the foundation of the practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The idea is to create an optimal environment in order to enhance your own natural fertility and ability to conceive.
We customize our treatment plans in order to address each womens unique constitution. Around three months prior to your IVF procedure we recommend that your receive acupuncture to regulate the bodies functions and make IVF more successful. Often times after three months the patient regains a normal menstrual cycle and is able to conceive naturally.
We do offer programs for couples who want to conceive naturally before they start IVF or if they have exhausted the IVF route.
IVF (in-vitro Fertilization)
Having difficulty conceiving and being told you have fertility issues is not something any couple wants. The decision to pursue In-vitro fertilization (IVF) is not a step anyone takes lightly. The process is often times grueling, requires a lengthy time commitment and can follow years of frustration and grief. However, the good news is that even though you have been told you suffer from infertility there are many steps you can take in order to make the experience more pleasant, less stressful and more likely to bring you the result you want, the birth of your baby.
Acupuncture has been shown to not only decrease your stress level and help you to feel better during your IVF cycle but it can also to help to increase your chances of becoming pregnant.
Acupuncture and IVF are very complimentary and when used in combination the chances of conceiving may increase 40% compared to those who use IVF alone. (Lifang ). Based on clinical experience when acupuncture is used for infertility and IVF for just one day before and one day after a transfer this can increase to up to 60%. (Lifang). Clinical trials and research from around the world show that acupuncture can increase IVF pregnancy rates and reduce anxiety related to infertility and the IVF process.
Often it is just the woman who seeks a treatment for infertility, however, it does take two! Men do in fact play less of an active role in IVF procedures, but the sperm is as important as the egg. Acupuncture is very effective at increasing the sperm quality, something western medicine has not been able to do, although it can help with fertilizing the egg. Clinical studies have shown that acupuncture can improve sperm quality , in particular morphology and motility.
If you are currently using or plan to use an ART (Assisted Reproductive Technique) such as clomid, IVF, ICSI or IUI, acupuncture and western medical treatments in combination are extremely effective. Recent research shows that having an acupuncture treatment within one day of the embryo transfer can increase your conception rate by up to 60%. This may be the outcome because acupuncture can increase blood flow to the reproductive organs, improving a womans ovarian response and enhancing uterine receptivity.
This treatment plan may include dietary/nutritional counseling, lifestyle changes, exercise programs and herbal medicine.
Our main objective is to:
1. Improve ovarian function by improving blood flow to the ovaries nad uterus
2. Increase response to hormonal stimulation
3. Strengthen the immune system
4. Decrease and alleviate side effects from fertility medication
5. Improve semen quality and quantity
6. Facilitate positive diet and lifestyle
7. Reduce stress and initiate relaxation
Natural Conception
The idea behind a preconception treatment plan is to “cultivate and nourish the soil, before you plant the seed” . If you are trying to conceive naturally, our treatment plan may include learning how to observe and chart your Basal Body Temperature (BBT) in order to interpret your body’s fertility signs and make nutritional recommendations. We strive to help women to understand and become more in touch with their bodies signs and symptoms with regard to ovulation and fertility.
1. Improve ovarian function by improving blood flow to the ovaries and uterus
Acupuncture Treatments from conception to labour
Traditional Chinese Medicine has for thousands of years encouraged women to modify their lifestyle during pregnancy to ensure a healthy baby an efficient birth and a calm emotional state during this possibly stressful time. Acupuncture is a very effective way to promote the proper flow of blood and qi circulation during pregnancy and prior to deliver.
Acupuncture during pregnancy and childbirth offers women a drug free alternative and method of relief in order to deal with various issues related to pregnancy.
Not only can acupuncture be used for conditions that come hand in hand with being pregnant, such as pelvic pain, low back pain and nausea, but its also used in order to ease the labour process and prevent further medical intervention.
Pregnancy related conditions are a special branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture and fall with in the scope of practice of registered acupuncturists!
Acupuncture during pregnancy is very safe and natural form of health care!
-frequency of treatment reaction does not differ between pregnant and non pregnant women
-involves inserting superfine needles into specific points on the body
-stimulates the release of oxytocin and endorphins
-internally regulates your bodies own hormones
-earlier treatment begins the more effective it is
A healthy pregnancy depends on adequate rest, a suitable diet and emotional well being. Maintaining a regular relationship with your midwife or Ob/Gyn is encouraged!
We offer individualized treatments that promote regulating exercise, dietary guidelines and maintaining a calm emotional state.
Common Conditions
Acupunture during pregnancy provides women a drug free treatment in order to help you feel your best, it means you are being proactive and as a result can experience positive results usually the same day as treatment. This means you dont have to take a 'wait and see' approach! All this with no side effects!
During pregnancy acupuncture has been shown to effectively ease discomfort and treat the following conditions:
Morning sickness - nausea and vomit
Heartburn
Fatigue
Anxiety and depression
Sinusitis
Pregnancy induced hypertension
Insomnia
Edema
Miscarriage (threatened and recurrent)
Sleep disturbances
Constipation
Hemorrhoids
Pain Managment
One of the oldest applications of acupuncture is to effectively control and ease pain. Acupuncture improves circulation thus reducing swelling and inflammation to the area of discomfort. It does so by either taking blood to an area or away from an area with too much blood.
In pregnancy, pain can also be due to the hormones softening ligaments and joints increasing the likely hood of the pelvis moving inorder to make room for the growing baby. backache, pubic bone pain and sciatica.
Acupuncture is safe, gentle and effective for controlling pain!
We can treat:
Carpel tunnel
Back pain
Pubic pain
Headaches
Sciatica
and more!
Pre-Birth Treatment
Pre-birth acupuncture treatments are designed to prepare women for the most efficient labour possible and are offered as a series of treatments in the final weeks of pregnancy.
Pre-birth treatments for pregnant women from weeks 36 on have been shown in research to reduce the duration of labour in first time pregnancies. The mean labour duration for women seeking acupuncture was two hours shorter then women not receiving acupuncture.
The acupuncture treatments start at 36 weeks and are given once a week until labour commences. Clinical experience shows that this consistently increased the chance of women experiencing a natural labour. (betts)
Breech Position
You have seen your Dr. or Midwife and they tell you your baby is in a breech position. This refers to the fact that your baby is lying upside down in your body, with its head up and its bum in your pelvis.
Sometimes western medicine takes a wait and see approach , this can be frustrating. Acupuncture and Moxibustion can help, and are very effective in turning a breech baby. Moxibustion is a herb that warms an acupuncture point that will help to move the baby.
The most succesful time to start a treatment for breech is at 32-35 weeks. You should may receive 1 treatment a day for 10 days or 2 treatments a week for several weeks.
This is also a treatment that you can be proactive in, we will show you how to perform moxibustion and give you the tools and guide in order for you and a partner to do at home!
Labour Induction
Acupuncture for induction of labour
If you are past your due date and/or a medical induction is planned, acupuncture has been shown to:
•support cervical ripening at term
•shorten the time interval between the expected due date and actual delivery time. (betts)
Acupuncture induction should start two to three days prior to planned medical induction.
After the acupuncture treatment is given we will teach you some self-administered acupressure that you can be proactive with the process
If the labour does not commence spontaneously, research shows that you will still have a more efficient labour when compared to a group of women who did not receive acupuncture (betts)
It is not advised to have an induction before term if not medically necessary.
After Pregnancy Treatments
After the birth of your child is becomes important for you to rebalance, restore and replenish your body if you are experiencing any of the following conditions:
Postpartum depression
Anxiety
Low breast milk production
Blocked milk duct or mastitis
What you eat after your pregnancy plays a vital role in maintaining balance and nourishment for you and your baby. Maintaining a diet the is nutrient rich not only works to increase you own energy (Qi) and blood production , but will directly translate into better and more nutrient rich milk.
Sweet Momma
TREATMENT PROGRAMS
We are able to treat the following conditions related to infertility:
Unexplained infertility, menstrual irregularities, PMS, painful periods (dysmenorrhea), luteal phase defect, no periods (amenorrhea), no ovulation (annovulatory), PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), Endometriosis, Thyroid conditions, recurrent miscarriage
We offer customized treatment plans ranging from
- research based protocols
- preconception programs
- one or two treatments on the days surrounding an embryo transfer
- a course of treatments leading up to IVF transfer and beyond
- pregnancy and labour health
In-vitro Fertilization (IVF)
If you are undergoing IVF and you are waiting for your cycle to start it is a great time to begin the balancing of your body to create a good atmosphere for implantation.
Maintaining proper health at this time would include active stress reduction, a proper diet, exercise and scheduled acupuncture treatments.
At this time the more balanced and healthier your body is the better the quality of your sperm and egg.
Acupuncture on or around day of transfer:
1 treatment before or after transfer
2 treaments Before and after transfer
Acupuncture starting any phase of the IVF cycle
This is a good program if you have already started your cycle and you would like to mitigate side effects from drugs and decrease your stress load. You may feel less fatigue, less bloating, and an increase your mood !
1-2 treatments per week as needed
Acupuncture for frozen embryo transfer
Shown to increase blood flow to uterus and improve implantation and pregnancy rates.
2 treatments per week for 4 weeks before embryo transfer plus treatment on day of transfer.
Acupuncture for Men
This is a good program in order to increase sperm motility, reduce anxiety and increase blood flow to the genital area
2 treatments per week in the 6 weeks prior to IVF
Natural Preconception
Acupuncture should start 3 months or for 3 menstrual cycles before trying to conceive. Treatments are given 1 time per week during this time. The idea is to balance the body during each phase of the menstrual cycle in order to achieve and optimal environment, a balanced mind and a strong body. Women who try to conceive with out optimal balance to their system have a lesser chance of conception.
Women who start a pregnancy with imbalance tend to experience a more uncomfortable pregnancy, with a greater chance of pregnancy related issues.
1 Treatment per week for 3 menstrual cycles
Acupuncture before and during the medication phase of IVF
A treatment before and during IVF increases blood flow to the uterus and ovaries. Acupuncture appears to regulate fertility hormones that can contribute to follicular development and increased implantation.
Two treatments per week for 4 weeks before egg retrieval plus treatment at the time of embryo transfer
Cost:
Initial consultation and treatment:
Per treatment for approximately 9 treatments:
Position: Acupuncturist
Specialty: Infertility, back pain, morning sickness, headaches, labour preparation
Favorite Food: Ice cream
Interests: Water skiing!
Cecil Horwitz graduated with honors from Macewan University school of acupuncture. Since graduating he has been apprenticing in a herbal apothecary while studying to become a certified clinical herbalist. While practicing Chinese Medicine it soon became evident that there was a need for women to have a natural treatment option for pregnancy related issues, so he began to specialize in womens health. This specialty ranges from menstrual, in/fertility related issues conception to labour, post partum related issues.
Cecil stays current with the most up to date advancements in research and literature in both eastern and western medicine. The best health care is a combination of both eastern and western medicine.
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Specialty: fertility, back pain, morning sickness, headaches, labour preparation
Favorite Food: Sushi
Interests: spending time with my family
Chung Park Le has been an acupuncturist since 2002, and has been with the Sweet Momma family ever since it was founded in 2006. During her acupuncture career, Chung helped many women with various pregnancy ailments, assisted couples with fertility issues. She enjoys spending time with her 2 kids and husband, taking long meditative walks, and is an avid Oprah fan!
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Comments
"After years of unexplained infertility (which included 4 unsuccessful IUI's and 2 pregnancy losses), acupuncture with Cecil has not only helped me conceive with IVF but allowed me to experience a healthy pregnancy! Cecil is very knowledgable, caring and is such a pleasure to deal with." SK
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