Excited to welcome guest blogger Claudia Weitkemper from Natural Healing Ways to the Fab Fertile Blog!
Claudia is a National and California licensed Acupuncturist. She received her Master in Traditional Chinese Medicine from the Academy of Chinese Culture and Health Sciences, prescription Oakland, ampoule her Naturopathic Doctor degree in Munich, Germany, and her Nursing degree in Wuppertal, Germany.
She has worked in private practice as a professional Naturopath & Acupuncturist since 1993 in Germany and the Bay Area. Her Clinic, “Natural Healing Ways” is located in Albany, California. She teaches Kriya Yoga classes and “Heal your Body -Temple” workshops here and in Europe.
Let’s learn how acupuncture can help with fertility!
Combining acupuncture with Western fertility treatments can increase the rate of conception by 26 percent. In a study done by Tel Aviv, 65.5 percent of study participants conceived by combining Traditional Chinese Medicine and IUI treatments. The control group’s conception rate was 39.4 percent. The control group received no acupuncture or herbal remedies. This study shows that acupuncture is a viable and effective option to the more than 4.5 million couples seeking medical assistance for infertility each year.
Acupuncture offers stress reduction, increased blood flow to the reproductive system and balance of the endocrine system. Traditional Chinese Medicine not only seeks to improve fertility but also works to ensure a healthy pregnancy and baby. Acupuncture helps improve blood flow to the uterus and ovaries, which helps ensure that the egg is properly nourished and the baby is carried to full term. Essential nutrients and oxygen are supplied to the uterus and fetus via the blood.
Improve Your Qi
Acupuncture uses thin, sterile needles. These needles are placed at specific locations, called acupuncture points throughout the body. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, there are 14 pathways through the body called meridians. TCM believes energy called Qi, travels through these pathways. The Qi balances all of the systems in the body, a person’s spirit and a person’s emotions. They believe that when the flow of Qi is disrupted, poor health and illness can occur. Acupuncture helps to open up the pathways so that the Qi can flow freely through the meridians. When Qi is flowing properly, the chances of conception increase, stress levels are reduced and hormone levels are balanced.
Acupuncture fertility treatments help both men and women. Approximately 40 percent of infertility issues are due to female issues, such as endometriosis and anovulation. Male infertility caused by low sperm count and motility accounts for another 40 percent of the infertility issues. Finally, the remaining 20 percent of infertility issues are caused by unknown factors. Acupuncture helps to improve the odds of conception by reducing stress, improving blood flow and balancing the sex hormones that are responsible for fertility.
Acupuncture And Stress
Acupuncture helps to decrease stress in the infertile couple, which is one of the main causes of infertility. When a man or woman becomes stressed, cortisol is released. This chemical affects hormone levels and disrupts the delicate balance of hormones in the reproductive system. Chinese medicine supports a woman throughout the fertility and pregnancy. It helps with emotional control, morning sickness, insomnia, low back pain and anxiety at the prospect of delivery.
Stress can prevent a woman from ovulating. When a woman is stressed, the hormone levels can get out of proportion and cause infertility. Stress can also cause spasms to occur in the uterus and fallopian tubes, decreasing the chance of implantation of a fertilized egg. In men, stress can reduce sperm counts, cause impotency and reduce sperm motility. Acupuncture treatments help to relieve stress and balance hormones. In addition to acupuncture, there are several herbal remedies that can help with impotence and stress reduction.
Another common reason for infertility in women is an ovulation disorder. A hormonal imbalance can prevent a mature egg from being released. Another example is low progesterone levels can prevent the fetus from attaching to the uterus. Finally, increased levels of prolactin, the hormone responsible for the stimulation of breast milk, can prevent ovulation. Acupuncture helps to level these hormones out so ovulation can occur and the fertilized egg can attach to the uterus.
Male Infertility
Male infertility can also be caused by hormone imbalances. An imbalance can reduce sperm production and cause sperm motility. A fertility drug that regulates the reproductive hormones does not work as well in men as they do in women. In fact, the success rates of fertility drugs in men are approximately a third that of women. Additionally, the FDA has not approved these fertility treatments in men. For this reason, male infertility options must try a different path. Herbal remedies can help treat impotence in men. Impotence is one of the leading reasons for infertility. This herbal remedy causes no side effects and can be used in conjunction with male infertility treatments.
Side Effects Of Infertility Treatments
Fertility drugs can increase the chance of pregnancy from 20 to 60 percent. However, they also cause a number of side effects. Some of the most common side effects include fluid retention, bloating, nausea, abdominal tenderness and weight gain. Additionally, some studies suggest these drugs can cause breast cancer. For these reasons, many men and women are turning to Traditional Chinese Medicine, like the services offered by Natural Healing Ways.
Acupuncture, on the other hand, carries little to no side effects. The side effect can include minimal bruising and bleeding at the application site and mild aching the following day due to toxins being released from the body. Patients can help reduce and prevent these aches and pains by drinking plenty of water and doing gentle stretches after receiving an acupuncture treatment.
Acupuncture works similarly to fertility drugs. They stimulate the endocrine system, balance the hormones and reduce stress which are the most common issues affecting fertility in both men and women.
Book your free Supercharge Your Fertility Session and see how functional medicine can help you conceive and carry your baby to term. Book here!
Sarah Clark empowers couples to discover how lifestyle and diet can dramatically impact their chances of conceiving. She was diagnosed with premature ovarian failure at 28 and had both her kids with donor eggs. Not until years later did she discover that the root cause of her infertility was a food intolerance. Join the Free Fab Fertile Support Group on Facebook for mini-challenges, motivation and inspiration!
