Fertility
In China, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has helped infertile couples conceive for a very long time. And more recently TCM has helped a growing number of women and men in the West to have babies.
TCM may offer women and men a holistic treatment to improve their own health and thereby the quality of eggs as well as the quality and quantity of sperm. This is achieved by discussing each aspect of your health to diagnose and prescribe appropriate treatment for each individual.
A course of fertility treatment may encompass regular acupuncture sessions and taking Chinese medicine, as well as modifications to diet and lifestyle. For women, this also includes monitoring of any normal and abnormal gynaecological signs and symptoms. And for menstruating women, the recording of these signs and symptoms should include your basal body temperature (BBT).
A BBT chart is an extremely useful tool and method to monitor your body’s hormonal changes throughout a menstrual cycle and for you to really understand what is occurring at different stages of your cycle. It graphically provides information about your own fertility during pre-conception to hopefully improve and/or attain natural fertility and eventual pregnancy.
And yes, a pregnancy becomes very evident on a BBT chart as well!
Click here for more information on the following:
Pre-Conception
If you are hoping to become a parent, optimize your chances of conceiving with acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine.
Your treatment should ideally begin at least three months prior to trying to conceive. This time frame accounts for the follicle taking approximately three months to develop and to ensure the body is at its naturally healthiest, fertile state.
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine may help to regulate all aspects of a menstrual cycle, thereby regulating hormones and improving the quantity and quality of various areas of female fertility. Acupuncture and herbs increase blood flow to the uterus, improve ovarian function and reduce stress and anxiety, promoting physical and mental well-being, therefore positively augmenting your state of fertility.
This also applies to male fertility, as acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine may improve the quantity and quality of sperm, helping to ensure the male factor is also at its maximum potential.
With an individual treatment plan to augment your fertility, you or you and your partner may wish to embark in optimising your chances in having the baby that you are hoping for.
Natural Fertility
Women and men with fertility issues and those who are experiencing difficulties in conceiving may have unexplained infertility or a specific infertility diagnosis. For many women and men, natural fertility may be gained with acupuncture, Chinese medicine, diet and lifestyle modifications; and for women, using a BBT chart.
Some women and men may seek Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) cycles, or some may turn to TCM following a number of failed ART cycles (such as IUI or IVF). And others may seek TCM before embarking on an ART cycle to enhance their chances of success.
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine help to maximise the chances of pregnancy and giving birth as they have been clinically demonstrated to:
- Regulate and stabilise hormone levels: FSH, LH, Oestrogen, Progesterone
- Regulate the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle
- Regulate ovulation
- Help produce more follicles
- Increase blood flow to the uterus and ovaries
- Thicken and improve the quality of the uterine lining
- Reduce stress and anxiety
- Reduce the chance of miscarriage
- Absorb nutrients
- Maintain a moderate weight
I first contacted Christine in 2016 because I had very painful gastric reflux that was not responding to any medication, even at high doses, for months. I was desperate to find anything that may alleviate my symptoms and, with great surprise, I completely recovered in only a few weeks of acupuncture treatment with Christine. I had never tried acupuncture before, and I was a little anxious because I have always been scared of needles but she reassured me and showed me the needles so I realised that they were very thin and felt much better.
I then continued to see Christine for fertility issues and she helped me a lot during a long and stressful period of fertility treatments. She was always very available and assisted me whenever I needed help, and she was very sympathetic. She participated in the lowest moments of my journey as well as the happiest, when I finally had my child! It was good to have a close relationship in one of the hardest journeys of my life. From my experience, I would definitely recommend Christine.
