The tiny thin acupuncture needles are typically inserted on the front of the body with the patient lying on their back. Needles are placed on the abdomen, lower legs, feet, top of the head and wrists. If wearing loose clothing, patients can roll up their pants and leave most clothing on.
No, acupuncture is not painful but some areas of the body can be sensitive to the needle insertion. You may feel a slight prick sensation with some points but not all. Acupuncture should be a comfortable relaxing experience and many of my patients even fall asleep during their treatments.
This is a very difficult question to answer as everyone is different coming from different fertility backgrounds. I typically like to give you acupuncture for three to six months for optimal improvement in egg quality, to regulate the menstrual cycle, balance hormones and improve blood flow to the reproductive organs.
Acupuncture is best done weekly if there are no underlying reproductive challenges. Patients with PCOS, endometriosis or other hormonal imbalances may have treatments twice per week.
Each acupuncture session is 50 minutes. The initial session, because it involves a thorough consultation, can take up to 80 minutes.
Most insurance plans do cover acupuncture but please look into your individual plan for details. You will pay for your treatments and then submit your receipts to your insurance company for reimbursement. Your receipts will have my registration number on them as I am a registered acupuncturist and registered doctor of TCM.
Come and see me for acupuncture as soon as you can. Acupuncture done for at least three months (six months is even better) prior to starting your IVF or IUI cycle is so beneficial in getting your body ready for your cycle. Some couples have even gotten pregnant naturally from having acupuncture before their IVF cycle even begins! Once your IVF/IUI has begun, you can see me weekly throughout the process until your embryo transfer. I also highly recommend my online self guided course called IVF With Confidence. In this course you can learn appropriate diet, lifestyle and self acupressure techniques at each phase of your IVF cycle to enhance the effectiveness of your acupuncture sessions as a complement to the sessions.
Yes, absolutely. Acupuncture can support you throughout your whole pregnancy and even into the postpartum time. Acupuncture can help with morning sickness, pregnancy back pain, digestive disturbances, fatigue, insomnia, anxiety and can even help prepare you for efficient smooth labor.
Your initial visit includes an initial consultation plus acupuncture at $135 and each follow up acupuncture visit is $98. Herbal medicine is approximately $25 to $35 per week supply and may or may not be given. Click here for a breakdown of all acupuncture fees and packages. With packages, you pay for your sessions in advance and receive a reduced rate per session or up to six weeks of herbal medicine at no charge.
Herbal medicine in combination with acupuncture is very beneficial for improving fertility and I highly recommend it. Your herbal medicine will be customized to fit your fertility pattern (type) and is given in concentrated powder form (mixed into hot water) or pill form. In China, the primary treatment given for infertility and other gynecological issues is Chinese herbal medicine.
Any test results that you have are helpful to me but not critical.
No, this is optional. You may find it helpful to track your BBT’s but some of my patients find it can be overwhelming at times. I will discuss this with you at your initial visit to see if this is something that would be necessary or helpful to you.
Yes, you can bring your supplements or just a list is fine too. This is helpful as I almost always have suggestions on which supplements to add or subtract from your regimen.
