Fertility Talk with Acupuncturist Lisa Abernathy
We are so excited to bring you this virtual fertility Q&A with acupuncturist, herbalist, and owner of Blue Heron, Lisa Abernathy!
Why is acupuncture so beneficial for fertility?
Acupuncture and herbal medicine offer whole body healing. We get to the root of conditions, evaluate your health through the lens of pattern of imbalance, and nourish body, mind and spirit. We strive to help you achieve a state of vibrant health.
When it comes to fertility, we take into consideration your western medical diagnosis, symptoms and lab results to direct our acupuncture diagnosis and treatment. Acupuncture is incredibly helpful for fertility! We bring circulation to your reproductive organs, strengthen your hormones and endocrine system, regulate your cycle, and improve the quality of your eggs and blood. We also nurture your spirit and help you gain a better understanding of your body. Acupuncture has a great success rate for helping women become pregnant whether they are trying to conceive on their own or with a doctor’s help. We help you thrive.
What if there is another underlying issue such as PCOS or unexplained infertility?
Well, I’ll start by saying we see many women become pregnant who are told they won’t be able to. It breaks our hearts to hear women’s stories when they have been discouraged and made to think there is something wrong with their bodies. Often, basic treatment that regulates their hormones, brings vitality to their ovaries and uterus, and calms their spirits is enough to help them become pregnant. That’s not to say every woman will become pregnant. For some, the healing and learning lies elsewhere, such as adoption or acceptance. Either way, we are here to nurture women’s bodies and spirits and support them as they find their way along their paths.
We always look at the woman’s personal presentation to determine the best treatment plan for her. That goes for conditions such as PCOS, endometriosis, poor egg count or quality, unexplained fertility, etc. We consider western understanding of conditions and treatments while approaching her health from a Chinese medical lens.
How important is acupuncture for someone about to undergo IVF or IUI?
Oh my, it’s a tremendous help! Acupuncture is definitely the way to increase your chances of success with IVF or IUI. Our success rate for patients doing IVF is twice that of doing IVF without acupuncture. Just as when trying on your own, acupuncture brings circulation to your womb, improves hormone balance, decreases inflammation and enriches egg quality. (For men, acupuncture also improves sperm count and quality.) We additionally support women’s spirits to ease their way through the process. Emotional healing plays an important role in healing for many women.
We always hear about fertility declining with age, what are your thoughts on this?
One’s yin and jing do decline with age. This equates to hormones and egg quality. However, we can nourish these with acupuncture and herbs and offer guidance on preserving yin and jing through diet, lifestyle and emotional healing. We help you be in your best health.
For women in your late 30s and early to mid 40s, come in for regular treatment as soon as you can. The process of conceiving may take some patience. Let us help you be present with the process and optimize your wellbeing. Listen to your body. Trust that you are right where you should be for healing and learning within your life.
Are there any supplements you recommend for women trying to conceive?
Yes!
Vitex or chastetree berry is a go-to for balancing hormones and regulating your cycle.
High dose ubiquinol CoQ10 has been shown to increase egg quality.
Maca is excellent for supporting your endocrine system, hormones and libido.
Beyond these commonly used supplements, we frequently prescribe Chinese herbal formulas for women’s fertility and menstrual health. They work so well and give us the opportunity to customize herbal medicine as part of your acupuncture treatment or alone in an herbal consultation. We match the herbal formula to the treatment principles we are working with in your acupuncture appointment, so taking herbs is like getting a treatment every day.
What are the most important things a woman can do to nourish her fertility?
Eat cooked foods – this is fundamental for boosting your hormones, regulating your cycle and creating a nourishing environment that can sustain life.
Tune in to what you might be holding onto emotionally and explore what you can let go of. During one’s fertility journey, this often includes grief, perfectionism and being judgmental of oneself. For some women, anxiety or stress may be predominant. No matter what your particular emotional state, this can be a transformative time for getting to know yourself better, becoming more in touch with your own vulnerability and innate worth, and becoming more gentle with yourself. This healing will then create ripples out into the lives of your loved ones and your world.
Connect with your partner. TTC can become a job. Take a break from the strain of it and get back to the fundamentals of why you want to bring a little one into your family. Go out for dinner, to a movie or the beach. Hold hands, flirt, kiss, appreciate one another. Pique that little spirit’s interest and give him or her a reason to join your family.
Infuse creativity into your life. Having a child is a tremendous act of creativity. Give a nod to this impulse in whatever way you can. Garden, cook, make art, journal, dance, build something. Doing so will help you relax and appreciate the beauty of life – all good things for your wellbeing!
Acupuncture or whatever holistic modality feels best to you! Bring vitality to your reproductive system, balance your hormones and give your parasympathetic nervous system a chance to kick in.