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Women's Health, Fertility & Pregnancy

A woman's body goes through many cycles in the course of a lifetime. From the onset of puberty, pregnancy, and menopause, a woman's body and hormones go through constant change. When a woman's body is in balance, the menstrual cycle should be regular with no discomforts before, during or after the menses. Conception should come naturally. Menopause is seen as a time of transition but there should not be symptoms other than the cessation of the menses. If you are experiencing negative symptoms, acupuncture and herbal medicine can help restore physical and mental balance to your body.

Acupuncture Therapy Session

Commonly Treated Women's Health Conditions

Women in fitness class

Photo by Jennifer Kung

  • Fertility: difficulty conceiving, repeated or threatened miscarriage,

  • Irregular periods, long periods or mid-cycle bleeding

  • Heavy or light periods

  • Amenorrhea - no periods

  • Dysmenorrhea - painful periods

  • PMS - mood swings, cramps, backache, breast tenderness, abdominal distention, bloating, etc.

  • Peri-menopause and menopause

  • Hormone/endocrine Imbalances

  • Fibroids

  • PCOS - Polycystic ovarian syndrome

  • Endometriosis

  • Premature ovarian failure

  • Cervical dysplasia

  • Fibrocystic breasts

  • Urinary tract infections (UTI)

  • Thyroid conditions​​

Fertility & Preconception Care

Acupuncture has been proven as a natural and effective in assisting women and men with their fertility. In women, research has shown that acupuncture increases blood flow to the ovaries and uterus, regulates hormones, increases blood flow throughout the body and reduces stress. This allows the body to decrease cortisol levels and improve the endometrial lining and egg quality. In men, scientific studies have shown acupuncture can increase sperm count and motility. For those undergoing Western fertility treatments such as IUI or IVF, acupuncture and Chinese herbs help increase the chances of success.

 

We specialize in reproductive medicine from a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) viewpoint. Looking at the body as a whole, treatment of male and female fertility encompasses acupuncture, herbal medicine, dietary supplements, nutrition, and lifestyle recommendations. Using acupuncture & herbs alone or coupled with conventional medicine's fertility treatments, our methods have been successful for many women and couples to achieve pregnancy.

 

To optimize the chances of having a healthy pregnancy and delivering a healthy baby, one should prepare her body for 3-6 months. A woman's body begins to recruit the eggs about 120 days before they are released, and it takes about 90 days for sperm to renew. This is a window of opportunity allows one to nourish her body to improve egg quality, and strengthen the uterus and ovaries by increasing blood flow, as well as enhance sperm count, motility, and morphology.

 

As we age, blood flow decreases in our bodies and science has verified that the circulation to the reproductive organs diminishes. Given that blood provides oxygen and nutrients in the body, it is easy to realize why lack of blood flow to these organs can result in poor egg and sperm quality. Acupuncture and herbal medicine restores the environment in which eggs and sperm develop and mature by increasing circulation in the body. Studies have shown that women and men receiving acupuncture along with Chinese herbal medicine, appropriate nutrients, adequate exercise, and stress reduction techniques, improve their chances for developing healthier eggs and sperm.

 

It is important to remember that healing and strengthening our bodies takes time. Acupuncture treatments and lifestyle changes during the preconception time are very important, whether you are trying to become pregnant naturally or through IUI/IVF procedures.

Mom holding baby's foot

PRENATAL CARE

photo of pregnant woman

Did you know Acupuncture can help you maintain and healthy and comfortable pregnancy? Pregnancy involves great changes in your body and within your life. Acupuncture is a safe and highly effective treatment of various pregnancy symptoms. Recent studies show that acupuncture is particularly helpful in alleviating the following symptoms during pregnancy:​​

  • Morning sickness

  • Nausea & vomiting

  • Fatigue,stress

  • Headaches/migraines

  • Threatened miscarriage

  • Insomnia

  • Digestive problems such as heartburn, constipation, etc.

  • Edema

  • Leg cramps, numbness and tingling

  • Elevated blood pressure

  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

  • Sciatica

  • Backache

  • Pelvic girdle pain

  • Preventing early labor

Birth and Beyond

  • Rotating a breech baby position (32-36 weeks)

  • Reducing pain and the need for pain medication (during labor)

  • Inducing delayed labor (40-42 weeks)

  • Increasing your chances of delivering on time

  • Promoting cervical ripening

  • Facilitating milk production

  • Relieving postpartum fatigue and depression

POSTPARTUM CARE

mother and infant

​After the joyous arrival of the baby, it is important for the mother to take care of her own health as she cares for her precious newborn. Immediately following birth, a woman's constitutional resources have been depleted during delivery and throughout her pregnancy by the demands of her growing baby. This depleted constitutional state throws the body into a pattern of deficiency, which can cause a multitude of mental and physical postpartum symptoms, including:​​

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  • Depression and anxiety

  • Fatigue

  • Insomnia

  • Hot flashes

  • Perineal pain

  • Backache

  • Insufficient lactation or excessive milk production

  • Mastitis

  • Urinary difficulty

  • Incontinence

  • Constipation

  • Hemorrhoids

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Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can help a new mother recover and regain strength sooner during the postpartum period.

Menopause

Menopause is a natural transition from one phase of life to the next. It marks the cessation of menstrual periods and the end of childbearing years. Menopause is not a pathological disease requiring medication or a cure. While some women have no problem getting through this time, many women experience mild to severe discomfort during menopause.

 

For many years, medical doctors have prescribed synthetic hormone replacement therapy to combat the symptoms of menopause. However, Western therapies may have unwanted side effects such as blood clots, heart attack, stroke, breast cancer or gall bladder disease. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs are natural, safe and effective methods of relief for menopause and each treatment plan is designed uniquely to each individual. As a woman hormone levels decrease, acupuncture and Chinese herbs can treat the following imbalances:

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  • Weight gain

  • Loss of libido

  • Vaginal dryness

  • Insomnia

  • Night sweats

  • Hot flashes

  • Mood swings or depression

  • Extreme fatigue

  • Memory impairment

  • Irregular bleeding, heavy or painful menstruation

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