Traditional Chinese medicine provides customized treatment for both partners wanting to conceive. Often the stresses of life, frustration, improper diet, inadequate rest, unhealthy emotions, lack of exercise, toxins, pollutants and genetic factors all lead to an imbalance in the body. Traditional Chinese Medicine has the answers and practical solutions for you. In traditional Chinese medicine the basic theory is that only when the body is balanced it will function at its optimal level. Acupuncture, the right herbs & supplements along with diet and lifestyle changes helps restore balance. This will result in a higher chance of achieving pregnancy. More and more studies found that patients who received acupuncture treatments appeared to have better IVF outcomes. Most Reproductive Medicine specialized doctor recommend their patient for acupuncture and Oriental medicine. With Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine alone can increase your chances up to 30-40% each month.
How Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Can Help In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Succeed
Chinese Medicine and acupuncture can significantly increase the response and success of all forms of Assisted Reproductive Technologies, including a 50% increase in In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) success rates. Studies have focused on how acupuncture can increase the blood flow in the uterus and ovaries, creating a more suitable and fertile environment for mature follicles to both develop and implant. Additionally, treating the man at the same time will allow him to provide improved sperm samples of higher counts, increased motility, and more regular morphology. Specifically, Chinese medicine and acupuncture can benefit In Vitro Fertilization IVF in the following ways:
Acupuncture increases the blood flow to the ovaries to nourish the developing follicles and create better egg quality and stronger embryos. It normalizes the function of the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Ovarian axis to regulate and improve the body’s natural hormonal production which in turn improves ovarian function and egg quality. Acupuncture relaxes the body and reduces stress levels (elevated stress can prohibit conception by blocking blood flow to the reproductive organs and causing an imbalance in hormonal production, thus resulting in irregular menstrual cycles, lack of ovulation, high FSH levels, poor ovarian production, and diminished egg quality). Acupuncture can also do the following:
- Regulate the stimulating hormones to produce an increased quantity of follicles - Increase the blood flow to the uterus and increase the thickness of the uterine lining to improve implantation rates - Improve the blood flow to the reproductive organs and prevent the uterus from contracting - Prevent hyper-stimulation of the ovaries and address its side effects - Diminish the side effects of Clomid, Gonal f and other ovulation and hormonal support drugs - Decrease the chances of miscarriage by relaxing the uterus and providing increased blood flow - Strengthen the immune system - Improve sperm to increase the fertilization rate of eggs and create better quality and quantity of embryos
Chinese herbs build strong, nutrient-rich blood for the ovaries which will better nourish the developing follicles and create better egg quality and stronger embryos. The herbs also normalize the function of the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Ovarian axis to regulate and improve the body’s natural hormonal production which in turn improves ovarian function and egg quality. And, Chinese herbs nourish the spleen and kidney system which are responsible for our reproductive health.
Dietary guidelines are customized for each patient based on the health of their kidney, liver, and spleen functions, which control our reproductive health and underlie our metabolic processes. We offer each patient a Fertility Diet guideline that can optimize conception and increase a successful pregnancy within just months.
When should I start Acupuncture for my upcoming In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) cycle?
Most patients require a series of ongoing treatments over a two - three month period to gain all the benefits acupuncture can provide. The recommended treatment schedule is based upon your individual case and can vary. In many cases, we recommend that you start acupuncture treatment two months prior to the commencement of the In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) cycle to ensure you get the most out of it. As the transfer gets closer, the frequency of visits may increase. When the day of the transfer arrives, one of our practitioners will meet you at our Nurture Acupuncture clinic and work with the In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) nurses and doctors to time the treatment correctly. We administer two acupuncture treatments, one immediately before, and one immediately following the embryo transfer. Not only does it help increase your chance of success, but the acupuncture will help relax and calm you during a very stressful procedure. After the transfer day, it's usually advised to receive a follow up acupuncture session twice weekly until your pregnancy is confirmed.
What if I would like to try acupuncture and Oriental Medicine on its own?
Most of our patients do try to conceive naturally with acupuncture and Oriental medicine. We have many success stories that don't include and ART (assisted reproductive technology). Although this choice is up to the individual patient. We are willing to work with anyone on their path towards becoming a parent.
When should I stop getting acupuncture?
Typically most miscarriages occur within the first three months of pregnancy. Therefore, treatment of patients may often last through week twelve to help prevent miscarriage. Although we also enjoy treating our patients till term and many times help them through their labor, delivery and recovery. We would love to meet you and hope that one day your babies picture will be featured in our office as a success story!
Testimonies
Unexplained Fertility Issues
After almost a year trying to get pregnant and another year of failed fertility treatments and a miscarriage it was time for our family to take a break and regroup... it was a much needed financial, emotional and physical break for both, my husband and I. That's when I started looking into acupuncture and found Dawn. She seemed very knowledgeable and the ease to schedule the first appointment made our decision much easier. Dawn gave me a diagnosis and immediately started me on herbs and food therapy also recommending fertility meditation videos and an amazing book. I followed every recommendation Dawn gave me and to our surprise we got pregnant the first month! I am now 14 weeks pregnant and safely out of the first trimester. I am convinced I wouldn't be writing this testimonial today if it was not for Dawn and the power of TCM. I am already referring couples to Dawn!
PCOS
I have been seeing Dawn since 07/16 or 08/16 and seeking her care was one of the best things I have ever done! After struggling to get pregnant for years and finally turning to IVF, my husband and I thought we would get pregnant immediately. Unfortunately, we had two failed transfers. I decided to call Dawn and started seeing her about twice a week. I got pregnant on the 3rd transfer and I definitely think a big part of it was because of Dawn! Unfortunately, I miscarried but Dawn was one of my biggest supporters and did everything she could to help me save the pregnancy. If there had been any hope of viability, I firmly believe being treated by Dawn would have worked.
Being under Dawn's care is very personalized & complete. She CARES about you and wants you to get pregnant. She is always learning new things, taking classes and talking about new points. She knows her craft very well. She listens to everything you tell her, she looks at the big picture and shes very positive. When I had my 3rd transfer, she came to the doctor's office with me and treated me before and after the transfer. When she had an emergency and I really needed the acupuncture because we were worried about miscarriage, she set me up with a trusted colleague who gave me excellent care as well. She encourages a healthy diet and recommends foods to eat and liquids to drink. She pushes increased water intake. She helps you visualize your goal. She helps you think positively and speaks positive statements out loud, that you're able to take home and say to yourself. The things work!
After my miscarriage, I was feeling tired and sad all of the time. I went to her two weeks ago and after that treatment, I felt like my old self again almost immediately. She has been working on points to help me ovulate on my own, and I'm fairly confident that it worked.
She also has a menagerie of adorable little dogs. My favorite is little Bu. That dog is great therapy!
I will keep going to Dawn for a very long time. I know I will get pregnant again and that will be largely because of her treatment. Then I will go to Dawn while I'm pregnant. Then I will go to Dawn after I'm pregnant for post-partum and nursing. And then of course once it is time for more babies, I will go to Dawn again! She's awesome, she has tons of success and you will love her!
Amenorrhea & PCOS
Dawn helped me in a point in my life when I was struggling the most. Infertility is not something I planned on. I felt lost and surrounded by darkness after discovering that our journey was going to be a long one. I began reading about alternative methods to treating infertility and decided to change my lifestyle. During this time I discovered that acupuncture was a great addition to my efforts and was fortunate enough to find Dawn. She was very understanding and knowledgeable from the beginning. She created a custom plan for me. Allowing myself the mental relief from the stresses and depression of infertility was the largest benefit I received from acupuncture. I was able to spend the time reflecting and removing negative thoughts from my mind. The points Dawn worked on really energized my body. When we decided it was time to move to IVF, Dawn was crucial to our success. She was supportive and flexible in our most important moments. I am overwhelmed with excitement to announce that we will be welcoming a healthy baby girl into the world in about 6 weeks! Dawn was part of my amazing team and I do not think I would have made it without her.
H.G. - Ahwatukee, Az
Update: She participated in our birth prep program and welcomed a beautiful baby girl. She is a great Mommy and loves motherhood. We run into each other at Sprouts where we buy healthy food for our families. Her baby is so happy and healthy.
Successful IVF Outcome
As a patient undergoing IVF, I had many failed cycles and was advised to see an acupuncturist in addition to my medical treatments. I chose to go to Dawn because she had knowledge and extra expertise in the area of fertility through acupuncture. Her rates were fair and her schedule was accommodating. I received treatments for several weeks prior to transfer and I was able to see her immediately after my transfer for a treatment which was important.
I believe that adding the acupuncture to my treatment plan worked and is the reason that I am now pregnant with triplets. Her treatments were relaxing and I believe made a difference in the implantation and success of my embryos.
I thank Dawn for her help and highly recommend her to anyone who is having issues with fertility or undergoing fertility treatment as it really made a difference in my outcome.
R.L. - Chandler, Az
Recurrent Miscarriage
"I was terrified to enter my seventh pregnancy, as we had lost the previous 6 babies to miscarriage. Through the Holy Yoga community, I was introducted to Dawn Krueger-Sherin who helped diagnose me with a blood deficiency, and quickly get me taking some herbs and on an acupuncture regimen that (Praise GOD!) helped me make it through the first trimester safely! I am so thankful for her knowledge and guidance, and I am absolutely an acupuncture believer for life! Excited to update you all on the progress of our baby (we are in week 15 now!)"
Update: Her dream came true of being able to sustain a healthy pregnancy and add to her family a beautiful baby girl.
O.R. Iowa
Unexplained Fertility Issues
I met Dawn Sherin over a year ago. At the time my husband and I had been struggling with infertility for two years. We had done 5 IUI’s (intrauterine inseminations) and 2 IVF’s (in-vitros) without any results. So, we decided to take a break and consult with different doctors before doing anything else. Then I received an e-mail from a friend who mentioned that Dawn was looking to work with people with infertility problems, and we decided to give it a chance. A lot of my friends going through infertility had been doing acupuncture, so why not? After almost 6 months of acupuncture and treatments with a new doctor, we got pregnant on our own without any special meds—only herbs prescribed by Dawn. Unfortunately, the pregnancy hadn’t been progressing, and I ended up miscarrying. However, this put us in a different place: we proved that we could get pregnant.
When we were ready again, we tried on our own, but this time with meds and a couple of IUI’s—but no luck. Then, we decided to try IVF again, and this time, along with the acupuncture, Dawn gave me some herbs to boost my system. When we started treatment, I was seeing her at least twice a week. Once my retrieval was done, I produced a lot eggs, but unfortunately only had 1 fair embryo due to something that we didn’t know at the time of transfer. With the doctor giving us only an 18-20% success rate, Dawn helped us with treatments before and after the transfer.
To our surprise, when we got the results, our pregnancy test was positive! Since then everything has been great. Of course, there is still a lot of ground to cover, but at almost 14 weeks, we are happy we have come this far. It’s my belief that acupuncture not only helps with the imbalances in your body but also to relax, which is very necessary on this road of infertility. You are always stressed, which doesn’t help, but can’t help feeling it. For those fearful of herbs, I think they are helpful and safe. We are very thankful to Dawn for helping us through this journey not only with the treatments, but as a friend who always believed that this would happen for us.
L.H. - Phoenix, AZ
Endometriosis
I suffered from infertility and endometriosis for almost 20 years. When I decided to get pregnant I was told I only had a 5% chance, with IVF, a second and third opinions resulted in adoption referrals. At the advice of a friend I decided to seek acupuncture treatments, and after about 3 months I went back to my infertility clinic, had one IVF cycle and got pregnant with my first son. Instinctively I knew that it was the acupuncture that helped. Approximately 14 months later while still nursing I conceived my second son, with no help.
For the next 5 years I was unable to conceive to have the girl my husband and I wanted. I decided to visit my old doctors at the fertility clinic. Now at 37 years of age, they just smiled at me and tried to be polite. As long as I had the money they would do whatever I told them to do. I requested a full work up to make sure there were no blocked tubes anything new since it had been 5 years. I passed all test with flying colors except the dreaded FSH. I was at 12.5, and after a Clomid Challenge Test my FSH was 21!. The doctor called me to her office, to tell me that I had "less the 1%, chance of anything". Immediately the depression set in. The doc had no hope for me, but if I had the $ she agreed to do ONE IUI '"Just one, then we're done". Is what she told me.
I did the IUI and it didn't work. I was left with cysts on my ovaries and a prescription for birth control pill, to "resolve the cysts" I never took the pills. I immediately started to look for an acupuncturist. My only requirement was she had to be female and understand fertility issues. When I did my internet search, she popped right up: Dawn Sherin Licensed Acupuncturist- specializing in infertility. An Angel sent by God.
Dawn verbalized everything I knew in my heart. "If you have the parts you can get pregnant" she told me. "37 is not old!!" LOL! "" you can do this". It was 180 degrees different from the clinic. The positive attitude was the start to my healing. I began treatment that same day. She put me on some herbs and I continued to see her once a week. After 40 days with no period I got concerned, thinking that maybe that last round of fertility drugs shut me down for good. But Dawn put every needle she had in my pelvis and before I could go to bed that night, I started my period (whew!)
Since I had just come off of fertility drugs and a long wait for my period (usually I'm 28 days!) I wasn't sure if I even would ovulate this time. But Dawn encouraged me to track my temps., and I decided to take an ovulation test every day , just to see. So you know what happened next.....I OVULATED CD16! (whoo! Hoo!) For the next 2 day we TTC, and when I went back the next week to see Dawn I was 29 days with no period.
Neither one of us, said anything about me being late! Dawn told me "we don't know how long its gonna take" :). Five days past and still no period. "Is this going to be like last month?" I though to myself. I had a pregnancy test in my bathroom, and I had to go, so I went on the stick...and guess what? 2 PINK LINES!!!
After only 6 treatments I was actually pregnant. Overjoyed, I immediately called Dawn and we both screamed in the phone! I went back to the old clinic, they didn't believe me and wanted me to take 5 more pregnancy test. Then they made come in for an ultrasound....and there it was, my new baby.
Now at 15 weeks pregnant I know that I will never visit another infertility clinic again in my life! Acupuncture works especially with someone who is as sweet, caring and so positive as Dawn. Thank you, thank you ,thank you.!!!!! And I'll let you know when we find out that she's a girl ;) Peace!
Update: God works in mysterious ways because she had another healthy baby boy to add to her family. His picture is on our wall at Acu Pointe Healing and he has the most beautiful big brown eyes!
L. B.- Phoenix ,AZ
PCOS and Anovulation
Dawn helped me in a point in my life when I was struggling the most. Infertility is not something I planned on, and I felt lost and surrounded by darkness after discovering that out journey was going to be a long one. I began reading about alternative methods to treating infertility and decided to change my lifestyle. During this time I discovered that acupuncture was a great addition to my efforts and was fortunate enough to find Dawn. She was very understanding and knowledgeable from the beginning and created a custom plan for me. Allowing myself the mental relief from the stresses and depression of infertility was the largest benefit I received from acupuncture. I was able to spend the time reflecting and removing negative thoughts from my mind and the points Dawn worked on really energized my body. When we decided it was time to move to IVF, Dawn was crucial to our success. She was supportive and flexible in our most important moments. I am overwhelmed with excitement to announce that we will be welcoming a healthy baby girl into the world in about 6 weeks! Dawn was part of my amazing team and I do not think I would have made it without her.
H.G. - Phoenix, Az
Miscarriage Recovery and Fertility Treatments
I've been visiting Dawn for a while now and don't know how I survived without her. I am currently being treated for fertility issues and have felt the effects of my treatments since day one. I've noticed my stress levels decrease, energy levels increase and more regular ovulation cycles. She has a passion for what she does and for her patients. I look forward to my appointments and would recommend her to anyone.
