Be Well Family Acupuncture
9086 Cypress Green Drive, Suite C
Jacksonville, FL 32256
(904) 990-3228
(904) 295-0127 Fax
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Using Chinese Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture for Fertility in Jacksonville, FL

9/18/2020

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By Kendra Lay, AP, ACN and Jacksonville Fertility Acupuncturist

Acupuncture and herbal medicine when performed and prescribed by an experienced fertility acupuncturist can greatly enhance your chances of getting pregnant naturally or through IUI/IVF. 

Reasons Why Acupuncture Helps Fertility Outcomes
  • Improved Circulation and Blood Flow to the Reproductive Organs, Including Improving Endometrial Lining
  • Enhance Sperm and Egg Quality
  • Regulates the Neuroendocrine System and the HPO (Hypothalamic Pituitary Ovarian) Axis
  • Reduces the Stress Hormone Cortisol - Cortisol Can Interfere with Female and Male Hormonal Balance (Bonus: Acupuncture will make you feel less stressed and anxious!)

However, in addition to 1-2 acupuncture treatments per week (1 each week, but 2 the week of ovulation if possible) we can also use herbal medicine in conjunction with acupuncture to enhance your fertility naturally.

I will usually recommend that we try acupuncture alone for the first 1-2 months. For some women, a little boost to the system is all that is needed and the acupuncture provides that. However, some women will need more support and that's where herbal medicine comes in.

Using Herbal Medicine in Correspondence with the Menstrual Phases to Enhance Fertility

From a Chinese Medicine perspective, the menstrual cycle has four distinct phases that we work with during treatment.

Phase one is the menstrual phase and we are focusing on making sure that the lining of the uterus is sloughed off smoothly and successfully, so that we can ensure that a healthy endometrial lining will grow in its place. We can use herbal medicine and acupuncture to help us with this task as well as help ease symptoms of cramping. This is accomplished by "moving blood" and also "nourishing blood" during the menstrual phase. Some of the herbs I use in this phase are dang gui and red peony root, as both are blood moving herbs. Herbs are selected and customized on the individual presentation of each patient. 

During the second phase of the cycle, the follicular phase, when the follicles are growing, from a Chinese medicine perspective we are focused on "nourishing yin" and also some nourishment of blood. In acupuncture theory, yin states and substances help to nourish and grow things (in this case: eggs). The concept of yin also corresponds with the hormone estrogen, which is dominant in this phase. You can think of a seed being in a yin state when it is underground and being nourished by the nutrients in the soil and water. Some of the yin nourishing herbs that might be used are rehmannia root and wild yam. 

In the third phase of the menstrual cycle, the ovulatory phase, we are viewing this as a time for "moving qi" from a Chinese Medicine perspective. This is when the egg needs to be successfully released from the ovary and travel down the fallopian tube. This takes a lot of energy and we need to make sure that energy doesn't get stuck. This is where the concept of "qi moving" comes in. We can use herbal medicine for this, but acupuncture is even better in this phase so we often recommend 2 acupuncture treatments the week of ovulation. Herbs that may be selected are dodder seed, dang gui and cyperus, but sometimes we just use acupuncture in this phase.

In the fourth phase, the luteal phase, we are focusing on "nourishing yang energy" as well as "lifting, holding and consolidating." Yang energy corresponds with progesterone, which sustains early pregnancy. When I am doing acupuncture treatments in this phase, I use a treatment cutely nicknamed "hold the baby treatment," which focuses on points for raising energy, nourishing yang and holding it in place. This helps to support early pregnancy and prevent miscarriage. For herbal medicine we may use herbs such as white atractylodes (which helps to lift and hold) and Sichuan teasel root (which nourishes yang...roughly corresponding to progesterone). 

These herbs are used for anywhere from 1-4 months to enhance fertility, but may be tweaked and changed each month as needed. In addition to the phased herbs, I often prescribe certain nutrients, other herbs and antioxidants that can support hormonal balance and signaling as well as enhance egg quality. Some of my favorites are magnesium, zinc, ubiquinol, and NAC.

I prescribe all of my herbs and nutrients in either capsule form or tincture (liquid) form to enhance compliance. I've found this to be critical to success, because it won't work if it doesn't get taken!

What About the Male Partner?
It is usually a good idea to have the male partner receive acupuncture treatment as well, because it does indeed take two to tango, especially in this case! This becomes even more important if there is any known issue with sperm quality, or if the male partner is stressed out, has low energy or any other health conditions. These symptoms are signs that his vitality is a little low, which could absolutely impact his fertility and the ability of his sperm to fertilize an egg. Certain nutrients and herbs can also be prescribed, some of my favorites for males are a good B complex with extra folate, zinc, ubiquinol and tribulus.

​Read more about our fertility acupuncture services here.





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Fertility Acupuncture in Jacksonville

9/26/2014

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By Kendra Lay, AP, Jacksonville Acupuncturist

These days, women study and work harder than ever before. Stress, environmental factors and our diets can cause hormones to become out of balance. By the time a woman is ready to have a baby, getting pregnant can sometimes prove challenging.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can be very helpful in readying the body for optimal fertility, a healthy pregnancy and a smooth delivery. Acupuncture can be used with or without Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) such as In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) to achieve the ultimate goal: a healthy baby.

Acupuncture can help with these common barriers to getting pregnant:
  • Irregular Periods
  • Amenorrhea
  • An-Ovulatory Cycles
  • Advanced Maternal Age
  • Hormonal Imbalances (FSH, LH, estrogen, progesterone, high testosterone)
  • Poor quality of eggs, follicles or cervical mucus
  • Thin endometrial lining
  • Fibroids
  • PCOS
  • History of Pelvic Infections

In Chinese medicine, many factors can be involved in optimizing fertility. One overarching theme in fertility with Chinese medicine is the energy of the kidneys. It is important to understand that the kidneys in Chinese medicine do not mean the anatomical kidneys in our bodies. If an acupuncturist says your kidneys are weak it does not mean you have kidney failure! According to acupuncture theory, the kidney energy is in charge of birth, growth, development and passing along genetic information. Often, boosting the energy of the kidneys with acupuncture and herbs is a key factor in getting pregnant, especially for women nearing or over age 40. Even younger women can have kidney deficiency contributing to their fertility struggles, and a complete evaluation can determine this. Boosting kidney energy can be achieved through acupuncture, herbal medicine and certain foods. One helpful food to add to your diet is black sesame seeds, which boost the kidney energy.

Another key in promoting fertility is regulating the menstrual cycle and all of the factors and hormones involved in it. Different acupuncture points and herbs can be prescribed to focus on goals such as: stimulating ovulation, building the endometrial lining and promoting progesterone so that the pregnancy can be sustained. Reducing or eliminating PMS and menstrual cramps is also considered important, because this means greater hormonal balance is achieved. It usually takes about 3-4 months to regulate the cycle with acupuncture and herbal medicine.

Additionally, if a patient has conditions such as fibroids, cysts, endometriosis or a history of pelvic infections these factors will be considered and treated as well.

If a woman has decided to use IVF, acupuncture can be very useful for readying the body for the entire IVF cycle. It is recommended that a woman start receiving acupuncture at least three months before starting her IVF cycle. There are also specific protocols that can be done before and after embryo transfer. These protocols are based on studies conducted in Germany, which showed acupuncture with IVF had a much higher success rate than just IVF alone. However, acupuncture treatments are always individualized, so often other points are selected in addition to the protocol points in order to tailor the treatment to the particular woman. This allows the patient to reap the benefits of both the protocol and customization.

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine is holistic medicine, which means that physical, mental, emotional and spiritual factors are all considered. A woman undergoing acupuncture for fertility can expect for her health to improve in many areas. This is one of the most important things about using acupuncture for fertility because the healthier the woman is overall, the healthier her baby will be.


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Avoiding Birth Control & Treating Menstrual Disorders with Acupuncture

3/15/2013

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Did your doctor put you on birth control to get ride of acne, cramps or to stop heavy bleeding? Are you concerned about some of the side effects of birth control which can include weight gain, vitamin B6 deficiencies (which can cause all sorts of problems like depression and even carpal tunnel syndrome), headaches, breakthrough bleeding, mood swings and decreased libido?

Chinese medicine (acupuncture and herbs) can help TREMENDOUSLY with menstrual disorders. Acupuncture and especially herbs are helpful for menstural cramps, irregular cycles, PMS and mood swings, anxiety, depression and insomnia associated with your period, breast tenderness, heavy bleeding and amenorrhea (your period stopping).

Chinese medicine, acupuncture, nutrition and herbs can also help a great deal with acne.

You can usually expect your periods to improve within 3 cycles with the use of Chinese medicine and nutrition. Acupuncture can balance your hormones naturally so that you don't have to use the birth control pill and experience the risks associated with it.

If you are looking for natural family planning options I recommend the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility.  These methods of natural birth control are also called the rhythm method or the fertility awareness method. To use natural family planning to avoid pregnancy (or to induce a pregnancy, for that matter) you need to have regular cycles, track your cycle and be aware of your body. As stated before, Chinese medicine and acupuncture can work wonders to regulate your cycles and if your acupuncturist has a focus on women's health they should be able to help you become more aware of your body and its natural rhythms.

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    Kendra Lay, ACN

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