Although acupuncture and Traditional East Asian medicine (TEAM) for the treatment of infertility has been practiced for thousands of years, the combination of acupuncture with in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine insemination (IUI) has emerged in recent years as an effective method for improving pregnancy and live birth rates.

As a doctor of Chinese medicine specializing in fertility, pregnancy, and women’s health, the majority of my patients come to see me when they are trying to conceive, and while many of patients continue care throughout their pregnancy and beyond, others fall off, seemingly unaware of how much acupuncture is able to help throughout the three trimesters and in preparation for labor and birth. Some women have even been told by their western medical doctors not to come in for acupuncture when they’re pregnant, even if they previously recommended it for fertility!

At Phoenix Rising Acupuncture, we support women through the entire pregnancy journey, from conception and fertility to pregnancy and postpartum. Dr. Monica Dayanand is a Doctor of Chinese Medicine, a licensed acupuncturist, a women’s health and fertility specialist, and a certified postpartum doula who offers postpartum support and healing home visits.

At Phoenix Rising Acupuncture, we are here to support you physically and emotionally during this next step in your journey to parenthood. Acupuncture during pregnancy has significant health benefits for both mom and baby, and we recommend treatment throughout your entire pregnancy.

Although many women have been known to be able to give birth to breech babies vaginally, most doctors these days have little to no experience with this type of delivery and feel more comfortable performing an external cephalic version or scheduling a cesarean section if a baby is not in an optimal position (vertex, or head down) towards the end of a pregnancy; however, the good news is that there are natural ways to turn breech babies that have been used successfully for centuries.

Millions of women worldwide rely on birth control pills. Not only to prevent pregnancy but for cycle regulation, flow reduction, endometriosis and even hormone related acne. While many take the pill, it is important to note there are a variety of side-effects that every female should be aware of before taking birth control pills. These side-effects of birth control range from mildly annoying to potentially life changing issues.

Infertility is an issue which impacts one in six couples trying to have a baby. While the reasons couples experience difficulty becoming pregnant may vary, the struggle is the same. Thousands spent on treatments, time, effort, hormones, and the range of emotions couples endure is exhausting. Doctors have long touted the importance in folic acid for women during their childbearing years, as well as during pregnancy. One issue impacting infertility is a defect in the Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase or MTHFR gene, but there is good news. Despite MTHFR, acupuncture for fertility can be effective.

Infertility is defined as the inability of a sexually active, non-contracepting couple to achieve pregnancy in one year, but very few men or women are truly infertile. Most couples who have been given a diagnosis of “infertility” are merely out of balance, and from a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective, are entirely treatable. For the 1 in 8 couples experiencing infertility each year, acupuncture and TCM may be just what the doctor ordered. In fact, it has been shown that acupuncture boosts fertility rates for couples by enhancing both male and female fertility.

I recently received a call from one of my long-term patients, who over the past 6 months wanted to focus on boosting her fertility health. She was a regular patient who lead a very healthy, green, clean lifestyle, eating all the healthy organic foods, while carefully tracking her cycle and ovulation. Everything looked great on paper.

Endometriosis is an often painful gynecological disorder in which the uterine lining (the cells of the womb) begin to proliferate outside of the womb itself, like the bowels, the abdomen, and in rare cases even the brain and lungs, which can lead to severe and sometimes fatal events. Luckily, acupuncture, herbal medicine, dietary modifications, and other natural remedies can be immensely beneficial in the treatment of endometriosis.

Pssst….PMS is not normal, but there are natural remedies for PMS, including acupuncture.

I recently conducted an informal poll on social media, which went out to hundreds of women, asking questions about symptoms related to their cycle. What I discovered is that 100% of women experience at least one PMS symptom during the time of their cycle. Most women (about 80%) experience some cramping, whether it was mild, moderate, or severe. About one-third experience headaches, nearly half experience breast tenderness, breast swelling, bloating, and food cravings, and nearly all admitted to moodiness. The most alarming statistic was that every woman who responded who was not a Chinese Medicine practitioner believe that there was no long-term relief, and this was their fate to suffer. (Hint: there is an answer. Read on…)

Women have been using tampons and pads during their monthly cycles for decades. Often uncomfortable, and for some women unreliable, pads and tampons have remained the products women most use. What if there was something better? What if there was something that was safe, reliable, and easy to use? How many women would be willing to give up their traditional tampons and pads for something many claim is a far better option? There are benefits to the menstrual cup…