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Can you combine acupuncture with fertility treatments?

Short answer, yes. It is safe and effective to combine acupuncture with any type of fertility treatment including medicated cycles, IUI, IVF, FET, donor IVF, etc. We have worked closely with all of the Knoxville fertility doctors and clinics and even clinics from out of state and have the experience needed to support you throughout whatever cycle your doctor is recommending.

Long answer, there are quite a few reasons why you might consider combining acupuncture with any type of fertility treatment cycle.

1. Increase your chances of success: Acupuncture has been shown in many research studies to increase chances of ovulation, conception, clinical pregnancy, and live birth when combined with fertility treatment.

In IUI cycles, a study showed pregnancy rates for those using acupuncture with their treatment was 65.5% vs 39.9% for those doing just an IUI cycle.
In IVF cycles, women combining acupuncture with their whole cycle have pregnancy rates around 60% in our clinic.
Doing acupuncture only before and after embryo transfer leads to a 42.5% pregnancy rate vs 26.3% in women who did not use acupuncture.
In women doing clomid, femara, injectable or other medicated cycles, one study showed rates of ovulation of 67.8% vs 51.9% and a conception rate of 51.9% for the acupuncture and treatment group, vs 30.4% for the treatment only group.

2. Reduce overall cost of fertility treatment: While there is a cost to receiving acupuncture treatments, adding acupuncture to your fertility treatment plan can reduce the number of cycles needed to achieve pregnancy, thereby significantly reducing costs.

3. Decrease side effects of treatment: Acupuncture is often used symptomatically during a treatment cycle to decrease side effects such as:

Hot Flashes
Mood Swings
Help increase cervical mucous production
Stress
Cramping or pain during cycle

4. Support throughout the cycle: We’ve been working with patients going through fertility treatments for a long time and know the how tough the emotional rollercoaster can be. We also know that it isn’t often a topic discussed with friends and family. So we strive to support you and help answer any questions along the way.

5. Acupuncture can be used to support your doctor’s treatment for conditions such as:

Endometriosis
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
Male Factor Infertility
High FSH/Low AMH
Premature Ovarian Failure
Low Ovarian Reserve

6. Decrease Side effects of treatment: Acupuncture is often used symptomatically during a treatment cycle to decrease side effects such as:

Hot Flashes
Mood Swings
Help increase cervical mucous production
Stress
Cramping or pain during cycle

When should I begin treatment? In an ideal world, we would see our patients 3 months before the begin any fertility treatment. We refer to this treatment phase as “Preconception.” During these three months, we work to regulate the menstrual cycle, correct any hormone imbalances, and increase blood flow to help your body give the best chance for a good response to treatment.

However, we don’t always live in an ideal world. Often we see our patients at the beginning of their cycle. Of course, we can start treatment at any time throughout your cycle, so it is never too late to receive benefit from acupuncture.

We are always available for questions via phone or email and encourage you to reach out and discuss your situation so we can find an acupuncture treatment plan that is right for you!

References:

http://americanpregnancy.org/infertility/acupuncture/

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-traditional-chinese-medicine-fertility-treatments.html

https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(01)03273-3/pdf

http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1817-acupuncture-enhances-fertility-treatment-lowers-adverse-effects

Why You Should Consider Hiring a Birth Doula

A doula is an excellent addition to your birth plan!

As our patients struggling with infertility finally get pregnant, aside from the joy of finally seeing those two lines, there are many decisions that need to be made. What provider is right for my pregnancy? What type of birth do I want?

Many of our patients have never allowed themselves to consider any of these things for fear of ‘putting the cart before the horse,’ so to speak. So this process, while exciting and wonderful, can be overwhelming and stressful.

One thing we often discuss with our patients, as they get closer to delivery, is their birth plan. It is our desire for our patients to be informed about their choices and have a provider they trust and feel totally comfortable with. One thing that can really help during your pregnancy and birth is having a doula. As highly trained, non-medical birth experts, they can walk through your needs, fears, desires, etc and help you come up with a birth plan and guide you and your partner through labor.

I asked a trusted doula friend of mine to do a post for our blog about what role a doula can play and why you would consider working with one. So, without further adieu, here is Hillary Ebling with East Tennessee Doulas.

Congratulations on your pregnancy! I am so glad Sarah was able to help you reach this point! Did you know, she can continue to help you throughout your pregnancy?

I am Hillary Ebling, and I am a birth doula and postpartum doula in Knoxville, TN . I work with fellow doula, Danielle Anthony, at East TN Doulas. Working as a doula, we work with expectant families so they may have the best chance of achieving their ideal birth. Our goal is that you feel confident, cared for, and respected during your childbearing year.

As you begin researching how to have a happy, healthy childbirth, you may run across the words “birth doula” and see that this is a person who supports a family during pregnancy and birth. That sounds awesome… but you already spent money on a medical provider, birth location, and higher price tag baby items like a car seat and a crib. You may think a doula is a luxury you should go without. Before your accept this, however, check out these compelling reasons to spend the money on a birth doula.

First, what is the role of a doula?

“Doula” is a Greek word meaning a woman who serves. I’m using a more formal definition of birth doula to refer to a specially trained birth companion (not a friend or loved one) who provides labor support. This labor support includes comfort measures and emotional support. “Comfort measures” means using massage, position changes, water, hot/cold packs, mindfulness, and breathing to help deal with the intensity of labor. “Emotional support” means using reflective listening, positive presence, and reassurance to help increase your confidence and satisfaction of your birth experience.

It is important to notice that doulas play a completely “non-medical” role. Doulas do not diagnose or treat in any modality, nor do we take blood pressure or temperature, fetal heart tone checks, vaginal examinations or postpartum clinical care. What this means as a client, is that you also need a medical provider, whether that is a midwife or a doctor, to attend your birth. In short, your medical providers keep you and your baby safe, provide all medications, deliver the baby, and take care of the mother postpartum, whereas the doula keeps the mother encouraged, comfortable, and confident.

Now that we have clarified the role, what are the benefits of having a doula for my clients?

First, a doula is the only team member entirely focused on the laboring parent’s physical comfort and emotional well-being.

Your medical providers attention is inherently split between two different people – exactly as it should be! We all want a happy, healthy mother and baby at the end of a birth. Their training is scientific and this is where their focus should be. Medical providers are often expected to care for multiple patients at a time and usually work shifts of time in the hospital or on-call period.

A doula’s training, on the other hand, focuses on the “art of labor support,” that is, the emotional needs of people in labor, and non-medical physical and emotional comfort measures (as mentioned in the examples above). Our sole focus is on the needs of the mother, not the baby. Unlike medical providers, doulas work with one client at a time. We will join you when asked, either in early labor or later in active labor. We will stay with you throughout, often with only very brief breaks.

Second, having a doula can help you have shorter, more satisfying birth with less interventions.

Although the exact reasons for this are unclear, there have been numerous studies showing that doulas help families. The largest systematic review of continuous labor support, reported the combined findings from 20+ randomized controlled trials, including over 15,000 women. These trials focused on the benefits of continuous support (having a support person constantly present throughout labor, not coming and going as family and medical providers often must). Women with continuous labor support are

28% less likely to have a cesarean section
31% less likely to use synthetic oxytocin to speed up labor
9% less likely to use any pain medication
34% less likely to rate their childbirth experience negatively

Why can’t a family member or partner fill the same role for free?

Outcomes were most improved and intervention rates were most dramatically lowered in the group with doulas as their support person, not a nurse, friend, or family member.

But do you need one if your partner is really supportive?

In a perfect world, your doula and your partner work together to give you the best birth possible. We cannot possibly replace the loving, intimate relationship of your partner. We don’t stand in the way of your partner being great labor support – we help him or her achieve it!

Our birth culture puts a lot of pressure on partners. A pregnant parent often expects her partner to be knowledgeable – and good – at a host of new things. You may expect your partner to help you emotionally (by providing reassurance, encouragement, and confidence in you) or physically (by encouraging coping mechanisms like breathing and relaxation and providing comfort measures like massage). Lastly, you might expect your partner to fulfill other roles, like updating family and friends of your labor progress. That’s a lot of expectations for one person to handle! For many partners, this may be the first time he or she has ever set foot in a delivery room or seen labor! Add the love your partner feels for you and your discomfort to the equation, and it can be completely overwhelming!

With a birth team of both a partner and a doula, though, we share the weight of these expectations. You will have twice the emotional support and reassurance. We can alternate providing physical support so your partner is less fatigued by the labor. We stay with you if your partner needs a break for food or to update your family. This way, you are never unsupported and your partner can have peace of mind while handling these tasks. We have seen many labors and can use our experience to provide helpful suggestions for new things to try for both you and your partner.

Last but certainly not least, doulas provide informational support to the family.

By “informational support”, I mean explanation and discussion of practices and procedures, and assistance in acquiring any knowledge necessary to make informed decisions about your care. We help you find reputable, evidence-based information that will help you make informed decisions about your birth and your new baby’s care.

In essence, a doula doesn’t tell you how you should give birth. Instead, we share information with you so you can make informed decisions and then support you, whatever your choices.

Ok, so you definitely want a doula, but aren’t doulas expensive?

Often, yes – we are trying both to answer a calling and make a living. Although not usually covered by your insurance, some insurance companies will pay a portion or allow you to pay for your doula out of a health or flexible savings account. Contact your health insurance provider for more information about your specific situation.

DONA International’s Vision is “A doula for every woman who wants one”. With this in mind, many doulas offer some way to cut costs. I offer gift certificates so friends and family can donate to help financially (consider asking for this for baby shower presents!!). We do offer some packages of our services to save a little bit of money when bundling services. I am of course happy to answer any questions you have about my current options email us or give us a call at (865)315-8548.

Bottom Line: With all this information in mind, I urge you to consider carefully the benefits and options to offset the cost before you write off having a doula off as a luxury you can’t afford!

Preconception Tips to Help Ensure Your Cycle is a Success: A 90 Day Plan

Help your cycle become a success with these preconception tips!

Many of our patients have been told they have poor egg quality or diminished ovarian reserve, or even poor embryo quality and this is the reason why they are having trouble conceiving or carrying a pregnancy to term. While it is true that your egg health diminishes over time, it is not true that there is nothing that can be done to help support your egg health.

Even if you don’t have any specific ovarian or egg quality issues, helping support good egg health will help increase the chances your cycle will be a success!

The total time it takes for one egg to fully mature is about 90 days. It is during this window of time that we are able to have the biggest impact on egg health. So, we recommend that all of our patients looking to plan a treatment cycle take advantage of this time to prepare and consider acupuncture, supplements, diet, and lifestyle changes to help support their egg health.

Some of the main factors affecting egg health are:

Diet and Nutrition
Blood flow to the uterus and ovaries
Oxygenation of your blood
Stress
Hormone balance

Our three favorite ways to improve all of these factors affecting egg health are acupuncture (of course!), diet and exercise, and specific supplements.

1. Preconception Acupuncture:

Each of our treatment protocols (IUI, IVF, and medicated cycles) begins with the recommendation of preconception acupuncture. Preconception acupuncture is treatments given weekly in the 1-3 months prior to any fertility cycle specifically designed to support egg health and hormone balance.

By now, you probably know that acupuncture done alongside a fertility cycle can improve the chances of pregnancy for that cycle. What you may not know, is that acupuncture’s effect is cumulative, much like exercise. Each treatment and treatment cycle builds on the previous. Research done on fertility acupuncture supports this idea. Generally, the more acupuncture one receives, the better the pregnancy rates.

The reasons why acupuncture done in the months prior to a fertility cycle can have an impact on your egg health and the overall success of your cycle are:

Dramatically improved blood flow to the uterus and ovaries: This increases the delivery of oxygen and nutrients, and facilities waste product removal, improving overall egg health.
Hormone regulation: Many women notice changes in their cycles during preconception acupuncture: less pain, more regular ovulation, and normalization of menstrual flow.
Reduced stress: Help your body and mind get ready for the upcoming cycle.

2. Diet, Exercise and Lifestyle:

Diet: A healthy diet can dramatically affect one’s fertility (and overall health!). Taking the preconception time period to focus on eating a clean, whole-food, plant-based diet can help improve egg health. Our favorite general fertility diet comes from a Harvard Medical School research study, but many diagnoses related to infertility, such as endometriosis or PCOS, call for some specialized nutrition.

Overall, the basics of a healthy fertility diet include:

Low amounts of saturated fat: Choose plant based fats such as nuts, seeds, avocados, and healthy fats like those found in salmon and other fish.
Local, grass fed, organic meats whenever possible
Fresh fruits and veggies: We suggest eating foods from every color of the rainbow and making sure at least half of your plate is filled with veggies as an easy way to maximize your fruit and vegetable intake
Vegetable protein sources: Try to replace one serving of meat per day with a vegetarian protein source like beans or tofu.
Lots of fresh water: Try to avoid water bottled in plastic and stick to filtered when possible.
Whole grains: brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat bread and pasta, etc instead of simple, white carbs,
Iron rich plants: spinach, pumpkins, beans, tomatoes, and beets.
Full fat dairy instead of low fat varieties.
Minimal (or no) sugar intake: be sure to watch added sugars and high fructose corn syrup as they can hide in many unsuspecting foods as well as sugary drinks and desserts.

For women who have endometriosis, we recommend following an anti-inflammatory diet. For those with PCOS, a low-glycemic index diet is best.

Exercise: Regular aerobic exercise improves the oxygenation of blood and increased blood flow throughout the body. It is also a great stress reliever and helps maintain a healthy BMI, which is associated with higher pregnancy rates. Yoga is also a great way to strengthen your core and help reduce stress.

The preconception time is perfect for implementing a consistent exercise routine as exercise is commonly limited by your doctor during a fertility treatment cycle.

Lifestyle: There are many lifestyle habits that can have an effect on egg health. Our top suggestions are the following:

Stop smoking
Allow personal ‘down-time’ to meditate, read, or just relax.
Listen to fertility meditations via Circle Bloom to help de-stress and foster a healthy body/mind connection
Work to reduce stress and overwork as much as possible
Seek counseling or a support group if you feel it is necessary.

3. Supplements and herbs: In addition to a good quality prenatal vitamin, there are some supplements that you can take that will help support egg quality and overall fertility. One supplement that has some evidence showing it’s efficacy is CoQ-10.

CoQ-10 is a vitamin-like substance (meaning our bodies can make some on their own) that functions within the energy production centers, called mitochondria, present in each cell. As we age, the efficiency of the mitochondria declines. The idea is that by supplementing CoQ-10, we can help support this energy production, which is especially needed for high-energy processes like the cellular division involved in egg production and embryo development. There is some preliminary research showing an egg-health benefit in mice and we await further research. CoQ-10 is generally regarded as very safe to take while trying to conceive and most experience no side effects. It also shows some promise in helping support male fertility as well.

Other supplements that we typically recommend are:

Fish Oil: high in omega-3 fatty acids to help reduce inflammation in the body
Probiotics: to support good digestion and absorption of nutrients.

There are also specific supplements and herbs available for other fertility related conditions such as PCOS, endometriosis, luteal phase defect, male factor infertility, etc and will be recommended as needed.

Please call 865-315-3845 or contact us, we are more than happy to answer your questions or set you up for preconception acupuncture! Good luck with your cycle!

The One Year Anniversary of The Tennessee Center for Reproductive Acupuncture: Wisdom Teeth and Gratitude

Thank you, Knoxville, for a successful first year!

On March 1, 2016 the Tennessee Center for Reproductive Acupuncture finally opened it’s doors to Knoxville and the surrounding areas. We are Knoxville’s first and only acupuncture practice specializing in fertility and prenatal wellness. It was my goal to provide East Tennessee with an integrative option for the treatment of infertility and help each of our patients navigate this complex journey. We have officially been open for our patients for one year (and counting) and I wanted to touch on my thoughts for this first year in practice here.

It was my intention to post this retrospective on the 1 year anniversary of my practice, but I spent the morning driving my husband to and from his wisdom teeth removal appointment. Luckily, all went well, and I was able to fill my afternoon seeing the patents that are truly the heart and soul of TNCRA. Minus the wisdom teeth extraction (who wants to do that!?), I wouldn’t have wanted to spend the one year anniversary of my practice in any other way.

When I think back over the past year, I am completely overwhelmed with a feeling of gratitude. I have been humbled by the reception that Knoxville has given to TNCRA. Over the past year I have met many families struggling with infertility and had a chance to help many of them achieve their dream of pregnancy. I have also met many expectant mothers and had the honor of working with them as they prepare to become mothers for the first, second, third, fourth, or fifth (and more) time. I have also met so many others whose passion for working with families during infertility and pregnancy just bleeds through their work: doctors, doulas, midwives, nurses, massage therapists, craniosacral therapists, nutritionists, chiropractors, photographers, lab technicians, yoga teachers, other acupuncturists, counselors, reproductive endocrinologists, ultrasound technicians, OB/GYN’s, and I’m sure there are few I am forgetting.

One thing I kept hearing in my first year of practice here is that it can be hard for people coming from outside of Tennessee to get a successful business going. I have found this completely and happily untrue. Knoxville has an incredibly welcoming atmosphere and a truly wonderful community to support families of all backgrounds on their journey from trying to conceive to becoming parents. I am honored to be a part of this community and look forward to many years of practice here.

So, thank you Knoxville for welcoming me with open arms. Thank you to the other practitioners who have taken time to learn about TNCRA and how we may be able to work together to help support our patients. But mostly, thank you to my patients. You have put your trust in my experience and training during the most sensitive of times and I am forever grateful to walk alongside you on this journey.

I am very excited for the years to come and hope to build upon the foundation that has been laid. I look forward to learning more each year and working with more families. Mostly, I look forward to pregnancy announcements, birth announcements, and holding space (or a hand) for those experiencing a loss or a failed cycle. These moments are truly what drives me to come to work each day. I love my job.

5 Reasons to Try Acupuncture for Fertility

5 reasons why you should consider adding acupuncture to your fertility treatment.

Are you currently trying to get pregnant or planning to try in the next few months? Have you considered adding fertility acupuncture to your IVF, IUI, or medicated cycle?

You’ve probably read or heard a little about acupuncture for fertility, but maybe don’t know much about how it can help you. Here are our top five reasons why you should book an acupuncture treatment with your next cycle!

Increases Chances of a Take Home Baby: Research shows that acupuncture not only improves pregnancy rates (up to 60%!), but can reduce miscarriages leading to an overall increase in the chances of a take home baby! After all, this is what everyone facing infertility really wants! This research is typically done on IVF cycles, but the same mechanisms of action can help improve an IUI, medicated, or natural cycle in much the same way.
Improves Blood Flow: Acupuncture has been shown to increase blood flow to the uterus. This improved blood flow is associated with a better chance of embryo implantation in IVF cycles. It can also facilitate better nutrient delivery and waste product removal to potentially increase the the quality of your follicles and endometrial lining.
Hormone Regulation: Over the course of 1-3 months, acupuncture can help to regulate your reproductive hormones. For example, women with PCOS often begin ovulating after treatment with acupuncture. Subtle cycle changes also occur as hormones become more balanced. Changes often noticed during the course of treatment include: increased fertile cervical mucous, a longer luteal phase, reduced PMS symptoms, and even changes in your basal body temperature chart.
Reduced Stress: We all know struggling with infertility is stressful. Acupuncture can help you cope with this stress so you can relax and feel normal while going through treatment cycles. It causes a release of ‘feel-good’ chemical called endorphins in your brain that will…. well, help you feel good! You may also notice that you sleep better or have better digestion after treatment as well.
Treatment of Side effects: Often when we are treating patients during their cycles, we use points to reduce headaches, nausea, bloating, irritability, insomnia, hot flashes, night sweats, constipation, anxiety…. you name it! Making you feel comfortable during treatment is a huge part of what we do. The way we see it is that, for many couples, success can be a matter of time. Time finding the right medication combination that works with your body and time waiting for the right follicle to develop. If we can make that wait easier, you’re more likely to try an additional cycle or two and increase your chances of success! Additionally, we all know you can’t push the pause button on life while you undergo fertility treatment, so we work to help keep you at your best so you can continue to be a wife, co-worker, student, mother, sister, friend, and/or superwoman!

As you can see, combining acupuncture to your fertility treatment plan is a great way to, not only, increase your chances of pregnancy, but to feel more comfortable, relaxed and get a more regulated cycle!

We work with both men and women to find a treatment protocol that works with the timing of their cycles to give you the maximum benefit of acupuncture. Please give us a call or contact us online and we’ll walk you through what is best for your situation. Or, if you’re ready, you can schedule an appointment online now!

How We Use Acupuncture and Moxa to Help Turn Breech Babies

Moxa sticks, pictured above, are a useful treatment in encouraging a breech baby to turn.

If you’ve been told by your midwife or OB/GYN that your baby isn’t in the best position for a vaginal birth, you know what kind of stress this can bring on! Most women facing a possible Cesarean section for breech presentation will search far and wide for things they can do to help their baby get into a better position for delivery.

If you end up consulting Dr. Google, you have probably come across others talking about using acupuncture and moxibustion (moxa) for turning breech babies, and you probably have some questions. It is true that we safely use these techniques to turn many breech babies and it can be successful much of time!

What to expect: At the Tennessee Center for Reproductive Acupuncture we use a combination of acupuncture and moxa to help encourage a cephalic presentation.

Acupuncture: We generally recommend acupuncture 1-2 times per week to help encourage baby to turn, reduce stress, and to relax any tight muscles that might be preventing an ideal presentation.
Moxa: You will be given moxa sticks and instruction for their use at home. Our protocol involves moxa treatment 2 times a day for 15 minutes for a course of 7 days (or until the baby turns).

After treatment, you will generally feel an increase in fetal movement, and an overall sense of relaxation and well-being. New to acupuncture? Here is what you can expect.

When to receive treatment: The ideal time to use acupuncture and moxibustion is between week 33 and 35 of your pregnancy.

Beyond week 35, the chances of success decreases as baby is starting to get larger, but many breech babies have turned in the last weeks of pregnancy or even as labor starts.

It’s best to call as soon as you find out you are breech and discuss your personal case with our acupuncturist. We can walk you through your options and what the best course of action is for your situation.

What else can I do?

Swimming: any type of swimming with your stomach down in the water can take the pressures of gravity off your uterus and allow baby to move into a good position
Dance: put your favorite music on and make sure to let your hips rock!
Talk to your baby: Baby can hear your voice and some women have reported success with asking baby to adjust his or her position.
Webster Technique: This is a chiropractic technique that is helpful in turning breech babies. Be sure to seek out someone trained in this technique.
Spinning Babies: The positions on this website can help your baby settle into position and are highly recommended. We also recommend using this site throughout your pregnancy to help prevent breech presentation.
Talk to your doctor about performing an external cephalic version or other medical interventions.

What are the chances that it will work?

In one study, where moxa and acupuncture was compared with a watch and wait approach, 75.4% of women treated with acupuncture and moxa had a cephalic presentation vs 47.7% of the control group. Both groups were offered external cephalic versions and results included the successful versions.

In addition to the recommendations here, we encourage all pregnant women to take advantage of Pre-Birth Acupuncture starting at week 36 to help get your body ready for labor and help support a vaginal birth. Prenatal acupuncture done in the last weeks of pregnancy can reduce the need for interventions like epidurals and emergency C-Sections.

Please give us a call at 865-315-3845 or contact us online for more information or to set up an appointment. We look forward to working with you!

Resources:

https://acupuncture.rhizome.net.nz/acupuncture/research/moxabustion-breech/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20430289

https://acupuncture.rhizome.net.nz/acupuncture/fact-sheets/evidence-base-acupuncture-and-moxibustion-breech-presintation/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15280133

http://www.cochrane.org/CD003928/PREG_cephalic-version-by-moxibustion-for-breech-presentation

http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/188144

Our IVF Acupuncture Protocol: Improving Pregnancy Rates up to 60%

A painless and relaxing complement to your upcoming cycle that can increase your chances of success!

With the development of in-vitro fertilization, many families unable to conceive were suddenly given hope. Over the years, there has been great scientific interest in improving this procedure and success rates have increased greatly and currently hover right around 30% for women under 35.

While this is all great news, most will agree that a success rate of 30% in the youngest population of infertile women leaves a lot of room for improvement. Women going through or preparing for IVF treatment will wonder if there is anything else they can be doing to improve their chances. In addition to maintaining a healthy body weight and healthy lifestyle, acupuncture remains one of the most commonly sought after complementary treatments for couples going through IVF. With numerous research studies showing improved pregnancy rates, many doctors and fertility clinics are coming on board with combining their treatments with acupuncture.

In our clinic, over the last two years, we saw a pregnancy rate around 60% for all women who went through an IVF cycle. This number includes all ages and all types of transfers (frozen, fresh, and egg/embryo donor). These results are truly amazing and in line with what many other acupuncturists are seeing in their own clinics.

Just think, if all women going through IVF had acupuncture treatment we would have so many more success stories and the cost savings of not having to do repeated IVF cycles would be astounding!

We use a protocol inspired by the work of Dr. Magarelli and Diane Cridennda, and other fertility acupuncture research, that involves a series of treatments specifically timed throughout your IVF cycle to help support each phase of your cycle. This protocol has been shown to not only increase your chances of getting pregnant, but improves live birth rates as well! They found a reduction in the number of miscarriages, rates of ectopic pregnancy, and even lower numbers of multiple pregnancies when using this protocol in combination with IVF. The protocol has even been shown to help keep certain hormones at levels consistent with women who get pregnant on their own to support a healthy, successful cycle. After all, the ultimate goal is a take-home-baby!

We divided the protocol into 4 phases corresponding with your cycle. The bulk of the protocol begins when you begin your cycle medications, but it is recommended to being treatment designed to help prepare your body for your upcoming cycle about three months before your expected cycle.

4 Phases of TNCRA’s IVF Acupuncture Protocol:

Pre-Conception: Treatments in the 3 months preceding the cycle to manage stress, regulate hormones, and help your body prepare for the cycle. For more information about our preconception program click here.
Ovarian Stimulation: Treatments are done twice weekly along side your ovarian stimulation medications to help increase the quality and quantity of your eggs and reduce side effects.
Transfer: A treatment given immediately before and/or after your embryo transfer to increase blood flow to the uterine lining, reduce uterine contractions, and manage stress. We are available 7 days a week for pre and post embryo transfer appointments.
Transfer Follow Up: One treatment 5-7 days post embryo transfer to support implantation, early pregnancy, and reduce stress.

Throughout your treatment you can expect to feel more relaxed, get better sleep, and see a reduced number of medication side effects like bloating, mood swings, and cramping. Many of our patients report that the cycles they’ve done with acupuncture are ‘easeir’ than those done without. And, hopefully, at the end of it all you will get those long-awaited two pink lines!

TNCRA’s owner and acupuncturist, Sarah Prater, inserts needles into a patient.

We are comfortable working alongside any of Knoxville’s fertility doctors and have even seen patients from doctors in neighboring areas and out-of-state. We work closely with your cycle and will check in frequently to make sure the timing of your treatments is the most beneficial for your cycle. We truly love our work and want nothing more than for you to have the family of your dreams.

Please feel free to contact us by email or phone at 865-315-3845 if you have questions about your own cycle or are interested in scheduling an appointment. We also have online scheduling available.

Please feel free to reach out, we are always happy to help!

We wish you the best of luck with your cycle!!