DAAN Chinese Herbs and Acupuncture

Couples trying to conceive are looking to Chinese medicine in addition to western methods to help them in their quest:

“Acupuncture, improved diets, herbal supplements and lifestyle changes associated with traditional Chinese medicine have increased the probability of pregnancy for many infertile couples.

Amy Teeters, 33, believes it is not only a key factor in her getting pregnant and carrying the baby, but also in her body being able to function normally.

When she and her husband, Chuck, decided to have a baby about five years ago, her doctor found her hormone levels were so low she could not produce eggs. As a teenager, she had suffered with anorexia that stopped her menstrual cycles, unless she took birth control pills.

Teeters, who is now almost 30 weeks pregnant, spent five years trying to conceive. Her journey led to several miscarriages and failed IVF attempts, emergency hospitalization from side effects of

hormone treatments and incredible emotional anguish.

At the suggestion of a friend, she went to see Dr. Judi Harrick of Acupuncture Healing Arts Medical Group. Harrick, a former critical care nurse, has extensive training in oriental medicine, including a doctoral degree from Samra University of Oriental Medicine in Los Angeles.

While in Harrick’s care, Teeters continues seeing her obstetrician, who prescribed the drug heparin to counteract her tendency to miscarry due to clotting in the placenta.

But she credits Harrick with getting her healthy enough to have her first nondrug-induced menstrual cycle in 16 years last summer.

Harrick uses acupuncture to restore the flow of “Qi,” (pronounced “chee”), which is your body’s essence and energy. Needles are placed at key points practitioners say are linked to reproductive and other organs.

Although they are not sure how it happens, many doctors of Western medicine now believe acupuncture increases blood flow to the uterus and ovaries and also stimulate hormones involved in conception.”

Tags: Acupuncture, Women's Health, East and West //