Is acupuncture recommended for surrogates? Yes! The results say it all! Couples encounter many fertility options, and surrogacy is a wonderful choice. Several studies indicate acupuncture produces a 40–60% improvement rate, increasing the success of take home babies even more. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) includes acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine.
It has successfully treated infertility, gynecological problems, male factors, as well as many other illnesses and health problems for over 5,000 years. Western medicine, by comparison, is just over 200 years old. Now is the time for the integration of Western and Eastern thought to enhance patient care.
So how does it work?
TCM treats you holistically, balancing, nourishing, and supporting your blood and organ systems. A balanced body system is necessary to make good follicles, good eggs, a sufficient uterine lining, and to help prevent miscarriage. TCM stabilizes our systems. Your body is like a “circuit board connecting with your brain”.
Life is busy and stressful for most of us, so it is easy for our bodies to “shut down” and be unbalanced. It is as if some of the switches on our “circuit board” have been turned off, creating blockages that cause physical or emotional imbalances. TCM restores balance and blood flow and opens up our “circuit boards” so that the body functions better without stress or duress.
The body and endocrine system feel safe and are in better working order to conceive, implant, carry, and deliver! The stress on the couple and the surrogate is overwhelming at times. “Any protocol that can reduce that stress is beneficial to the couple, the surrogate, and, of course, the baby! Luckily, everyone has the same goals in mind, and that is to deliver a healthy baby.” My experience is that acupuncture has a significant, positive impact on the mental and physical state of the surrogate…and yes, the couple (many come for treatment) as well!”
TCM allows your body to function more efficiently and optimally and can:
- improve and support the immune system.
- Reduce stress, anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, and worry.
- Promote blood flow to the uterus and ovaries.
- Improve ovarian function, which includes follicle and egg quantity and quality.
- Reduce uterine contractions after IVF-assisted implantation.
- Reduce miscarriage and recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL).
- Treat pregnancy related disorders.
- Assist in thickening the uterine lining.
- Create calmness and a more “grounded” feeling.
- Reduce the toxic effects of medications.
- Regulate the menstrual cycle.
- Help normalize reproductive hormones.
- Improve sperm count, motility, and morphology.
Does it hurt?
No, acupuncture is a very gentle and relaxing protocol! The needles are very thin—hairline. You may feel a tiny pinch or nothing at all. It is safe, with little or no side effects. In fact, I treat children. Women are treated all the way through pregnancy in high-risk cases or to counter the effects of morning sickness, fatigue, headaches, edema, back pain, etc. during pregnancy. If there is less stress and fatigue on the mom’s body, the mom and baby benefit.
What can I expect at my first visit?
Your TCM practitioner discusses your medical history, current symptoms, and goals. Tongue and pulse diagnosis are part of the consultation. Nutrition, diet, and lifestyle are also important parts of becoming pregnant and maintaining pregnancy, as discussed. TCM practitioners explain an appropriate treatment plan that is right for you, and they work closely with fertility specialists, therapists, and surrogacy centers.
They are an important part of IUI or IVF cycles. So, we know that pregnancy and delivery are journeys, and TCM is here to help each and every one of you succeed. Bridging the gap between Western and Eastern medicine makes sense and improves take home baby rates. PS: Many insurance companies now cover acupuncture! Your first wealth is your health!
