Infertility
At the Natural Healing & Acupuncture Clinic we help create a healthy and supportive environment for pregnancy. Click here to learn about our Pregnancy Preparedness Program.
We use acupuncture, nutrition, herbal medicine and specific lifestyle recommendations in combination with modern nutritional supplementation to prepare a woman to be pregnant whether trying on their own or in concert with modern assisted reproductive technologies.
Female Fertility
How Does Acupuncture Support Fertility?
Can Acupuncture Improve In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Outcomes?
Will You Do Acupuncture at My IVF Transfer?
What Other Methods Besides Acupuncture Are Used to Increase Fertility?
When Do I Start Treatment?
What is the Importance of Measuring Basal Body Temperature?
We Can Help with the Following Conditions that Impede Fertility
Lifestyle and Support
Herbal Medicine for Fertility
Nutritional Supplements for Fertility
Aromatherapy
Fertility CD’s
Additional Fertility Information
Questions About Acupuncture
Testimonials
Tell Us Your Fertility Story
Fertility Intake Forms
How Does Acupuncture Support Fertility?
Effects Hormones
Acupuncture can influence many hormones including those that effect fertility. Studies have shown many of the effects of acupuncture are mediated by endorphins - naturally occurring opiates in the central nervous system that effect pain perception, neuro-transmitters and have neuro-modulatory functions.
The endorphins influence the control of a wide variety hormones through the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Ovarian axis. See study. Chang R, Chung PH, Rosenwaks Z. Role of acupuncture in the treatment of female infertility. Fertil Steril. 2002 Dec;78(6):1149-53.
Reduces Stress
The stimulation of endorphins through acupuncture also helps to decrease the physiological stress response. That is why people feel relaxed after an acupuncture treatment. While one can exercise to get a “runners high” to effect endorphins specific acupuncture points have been shown through MRI research to effect specific organs and glands. See study. Lewith GT, White PJ, Pariente J. Investigating acupuncture using brain imaging techniques: the current state of play. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2005 Sep;2(3):315-9. Epub 2005 Aug. 10.
Improves Endometrial Lining
Studies have shown acupuncture improves blood flow to the uterus which may increase the success of embryo implantation by improving the quality of the endometrium.
See study Stener-Victorin E, Waldenstrom U, Andersson SA, Wikland M. Reduction of blood flow impedance in the uterine arteries of infertile women with electro-acupuncture. Hum Reprod. 1996 Jun;11(6):1314-7.
Q. Can Acupuncture Improve In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF)?
A. Yes. A 2002 German study published in FertiIity and Sterility on 160 women undergoing IVF found that 42.5 percent of those who had acupuncture before and after embryo transfer became pregnant versus 26.3% in a control group, a nearly 50% improvement.
Paulus WE, Zhang M, Strehler E, El-Danasouri I, Sterzik K. Influence of acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in patients who undergo assisted reproduction therapy. Fertil Steril. 2002 Apr;77(4):721-4.
Q. Will You Do Acupuncture at My IVF Transfer?
A. Yes, every attempt will be made to come to your transfer. Please call our office to set this up.
Q. What Other Methods Are Used Besides Acupuncture?
A. Everyone has an individualized plan that may include, nutrition guidelines, herbal medicine, relaxation therapies, lifestyle recommendations and acupressure massage.
Q. When Do I Start Treatment?
A. Every woman is different. If using acupuncture and herbs alone, it can take 3 to 6 months to normalize the menstrual cycle. If you are undergoing assisted reproductive treatments it is ideal to begin acupuncture once that decision has been made.
Q. What is the Importance of Measuring Basal Body Temperature (BBT)?
A. For Chinese medicine practitioners the measurement of BBT from day one (start of period) and throughout the cycle helps to diagnose patterns of imbalance and the precise use of herbal formulas to balance the hormonal system. Download Basal Body temperature Chart.
How to Record Basal Body Temperature
Record your basal body temperature with a digital thermometer every morning when you first wake up. Do not get up or do anything else until you take it. Day one is the first day of your period.
Record changes in vaginal mucus during the month. The normal basal body temperature graph is biphasic. Record any other symptoms you might feel during the month. You can even record the days you try and conceive. Some people will also use an ovulation kit along with the basal body temperature to note the LH surge.
We Can Help with the Following Conditions that Impede Fertility:
Hormonal imbalances
• Anovulation
• Luteal phase defect
• Amenorrhea
• Unexplained infertility
Endometriosis
PCOS
Uterine fibroids and cysts
Irregular menstrual cycle
Recurrent miscarriage
Unexplained or undiagnosed causes
* When embarking on fertility it is important to get a thorough evaluation from an OB-Gyn. The marriage between western diagnosis and eastern medicine can make many happy babies.
Herbal Medicine for Fertility
We provide custom herbal formulas to correct the menstrual cycle, balance hormones and maximize fertility. There are usually 2-3 formulas given throughout the cycle to balance the follicular and luteal phases.
Nutritional Supplements for Fertility
The following are some of the nutritional products we recommend. It is very important to have a consultation to see if some of these products are appropriate for you.
Antioxidants
Help prevent oxidative damage to ova due to aging and environment. Examples are Co Q10, grape seed extract, and pycnogenolsGreen Drinks
Contain blue green algae, spirulina, chlorella and cereal grasses, e.g. wheat grass, and are a source of concentrated vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients in a highly digestible form. Due to their high chlorophyll content they are also cleansing to the liver and blood.Pre-Natal Multi-Vitamin and Mineral Complex
Contains additional folic acid specific for the reduction of birth defects in children and choline for brain health.Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are extremely beneficial because they provide fluidity to cell membranes and improve communication between brain cells. They Improve blood flow to all tissues including the uterus and reduce clotting. Omega-3 fats, often referred to as “Healthy fats”, are generally deficient in most Americans due to the high consumption of vegetable oils relative to Omega-3’s. Two very important omega-3 fatty acids are eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA). DHA is essential to fetal brain development. Fish oil is a common example of an omega-3 fat.
Fertility CD
A guided meditation to help focus and relax the mind and body through the process of fertility treatments.
Aromatherapy
Certain essential oils can be very helpful.
Lifestyle and Support
Anyone struggling to have a child knows that the process can be emotionally draining. Women will go to great lengths to have a baby: Endless ovulation predictors, waiting and more waiting, repeated hormone shots, being poked and prodded, IVF and IUI attempts, and bed rest. Life’s plans often are put on hold, stress levels can go sky high, and relationships can suffer. Frequently women don’t want to tell many people what they are going through.
At the Natural Healing & Acupuncture clinic we help empower women on their journeys and provide a supportive and caring environment for healing to take place.
"I cannot find the words to describe my experience with Denise. There are few people that are able to come into your life and make such a wonderful and beneficial difference in it. Denise Wiesner is one of those people. She is a wonderful acupuncturist. I went to her specifically for fertility. For what was a very stressful time in my life, Denise always had a way of making the whole journey through infertility bearable, each and every visit. Her positive outlook and attention to detail was amazing and I would recommend her to anyone experiencing any infertility issues, or anything else that may ail you. Thank you Denise and I love you!"
— L. Zidell
"I started seeing Dr.Wiesner after going through thyroid cancer. I'd had surgery, and radioactive iodine treatment. I was a mess. I was very emaciated, extremely weak, and totally exhausted. Dr. Wiesner¹s treatment made me feel one thousand times better.
What she did for me next was even more exciting. Before my cancer diagnosis my husband and I had done an in vitro fertilization cycle which ended in a chemical pregnancy. After many months of working with Dr. Wiesner, my husband and I decided to try IVF one last time.
I am currently pregnant! I strongly believe that Dr.Wiesner¹s treatment was instrumental in our success. Dr. Wiesner treats the whole person, mind, body and spirit. The emotional support she gave me was invaluable. She was able to keep me relaxed and positive. She was there at my embryo transfer, and it was a completely different experience than my first one. Her expertise, combined with her warmth and compassion, make her an incredible practitioner. I have never been ³new agey² nor am I prone to hyperbole, but I truly believe that there is something ³other worldly² about Dr. Wiesner¹s treatment. She is a wonderful healer and I am so grateful to have found her."
—J.LO
"Dense is one of the rare medical practitioners who hasn't forgotten her patients. But above and beyond Denise's expertise as an acupuncturist, Denise is an amazingly warm, loving, supportive and intelligent person who creates a nurturing and relaxing environment. Moreover, she becomes your confident, your sounding board and your sister and your knowledgeable medical advisor. Denise's support is incredible. She's always available when I have questions or concerns and I trust her for her input when dealing with some tough medical decisions."
— E.B. Cohen
“If Acupuncture has no side-effects and potential to improve my fertility outcome, why wouldn’t I try it? “
— C. F.
Tell Us Your Fertility Story!
If you would like to share your story so that others may benefit from it, please click here to send us an email. These stories may be compiled, with permission, as part of a book or posted on a website.
Women's Fertility Forms
Fertility History (PDF)
Basal Body Temperature Chart (PDF)
Basal Body Temperature Chart (Excel file)
To have a consultation and pregnancy preparation program created for you,
call 310-473-7474.