I believe every woman is fertile.
Fertility Acupuncture
My goal as a Naturopathic Doctor is to help the body achieve a state of Optimal Health. When addressing fertility, this is the approach I take. I look for any interfering factors that affect this goal. Hormonal health, gynecological health, advanced age, diet, environmental toxin burden, genetic factors, stress levels, etc. When the list can be so long and where many factors may play a role, I cannot help but wonder how any women get pregnant at all. Knowing all of these potential causal agents, I marvel at the reality that some women conceive right away and others do not. What makes these two groups of women different is not always so apparent. Sometimes age is a factor but then I get reminded when I witness a mom at 44 have a healthy baby naturally, that it is not the determining factor. Similarly, I see many women with low AMH (anti-mullerian hormone) scores, achieve pregnancy, despite what statistics suggest or fertility doctors advise. Sometimes pregnancy occurs with very little intervention at all.
I often remind women that sometimes they can conceive naturally without even my assistance. I enjoy helping couples put the faith back into their bodies. I encourage them to be persistent and to not give up hope. I do my best to help bring the body into balance – mind, body and spirit. It does not work all the time, but it does work a lot of the time.
Woman receiving acupuncture — Image by © Royalty-Free/Corbis
By far, I have found bimonthly acupuncture treatments (timed to ovulation and 2 weeks later), to work very well. This is my formula. In addition to acupuncture, if indicated, nutritional support, food sensitivity testing and fertility psychotherapy, may also be beneficial. I work with a team of dedicated health professionals who also assist with this journey. Our holistic nutritionist, Linda Heredia, provides detailed menus based on the results obtained through food sensitivity testing (IgG). When there are digestion issues such as constipation, bloating, heartburn, individualized testing is often encouraged. Our psychotherapist, Melissa Moore, supports and counsels women undergoing fertility treatments. She helps women find their way. We often encounter women who lose themselves in the pursuit of pregnancy. They feel isolated, fearful and emotionally drained. A change in perspective, a shift to nourish and to love one’s body is needed. And we need to encourage each other in the belief that every woman is fertile.