DAAN Chinese Herbs and Acupuncture

Some couples are finding success with using acupunture to treat infertility:

“The countdown has begun for “Jessica,” 40, and her husband. The couple is blissfully expecting their first offspring, twins, this June after several attempts at natural conception. When the old-fashioned method wasn’t working, they pursued invitro fertilization (IVF).

That wasn’t working either, so Jessica turned to acupuncture to nudge her into the family way.

“I was having problems getting pregnant,” she says. “My fertility doctor couldn’t find anything wrong. One day I woke up and decided to check out acupuncture. I did some research on the Internet, just read up what people had to say. I also have migraines, and I needed some help with that as well.”

Jessica made a visit to Hong Yan, an acupuncturist and traditional Chinese medicine specialist at Southcentre Chinese Acupuncture. After an extensive assessment and a customized treatment plan, the new mother-to-be said she noticed a difference.

“Hong was very good, very relaxing,” she says. “After two months of having pins stuck in you, I’d had enough of it, but I felt great afterwards. I think it woke my system up. Once we started the second IVF treatment, I got pregnant right away.”

Yan, who originally honed her skills in China as a physician, has been practicing acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine for 13 years. While many people come to her for pain and stress relief or alleviation from chronic illnesses, she’s found the method has worked effectively for couples who want to conceive.

“Most want to try a natural process, and some of them are on waiting list for fertility clinic specialist,” she says. “Then some people have already tried IVF, didn’t succeed and they want something more natural.”

Yan says she immediately checks to see if there are any medical impediments to prevent a woman from getting pregnant. Then she helps them track their basal body temperature, which is commonly used the rhythm method. The evidence collected helps her determine where to apply the acupuncture needles as well as which herbs to prescribe.

“With every phase of a woman’s cycle, there are particular levels of hormones and temperatures,” she says. “I find what is wrong with the hormones I will try to add some new protocols with acupuncture and Chinese herbs to help regulate the temperatures.”"

Tags: Women's Health //