Fertility treatment with Acupuncture

Andreas Feyler B.App.Sc. TCM

Registered Acupuncturist and Traditional Chinese Herbalist


My name is Andreas Feyler, and I am an Acupuncturist and Chinese Herbal Medicine practitioner with over 12 years experience and specializing in all aspects of female and male fertility. I am a registered member of the British Acupuncture Council, the Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine, and the Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine. I am a member of a acupuncture for childbirth North-West steering group (ACT NW) which is a specialised group of acupuncturists who have an interest in fertility and childbirth issues along with being a Zita West affiliated practitioner for infertility.

Ziat West affliated practitioner

......taken from the Zita West clinic website...

'As a first and important step in extending the "Zita West approach" for fertility, pregnancy and post-natal care, beyond the geographical limitations of our London clinic, we are delighted to announce the launch, from 19th December 2008, of a new national network of Zita West affiliated acupuncturists across England, Wales and Scotland. This talented team of acupuncturists will be joined, shortly, by other affiliated medical and complementary health professionals with established practices in the field of reproductive health, with the aim of creating an integrated network of like-minded specialists offering, together, the same comprehensive range of care and support as is offered by our London clinic - the largest and most successful integrated reproductive health practice in the UK - backed up by training and advice from ourselves.'

 

Over the last few years there has been increasing evidence to show the benefit of using acupuncture and Chinese Medicine during fertility/infertility treatment. A British Medical Acupuncture Society study concluded that three out of four Randomised Controlled Trials reveal significantly higher pregnancy rates in the acupuncture than control groups. see this: BMJ article proving acupuncture imrpoves success rates for infertility. Please also look at this article written in the Guardian about infertility.

I believe that it is really important that our patients feel physically and emotionally supported through their fertility treatment.

For couples wishing to enhance their chances of natural conception, I offer a three month package aimed to improve physical and emotional well-being in preparation for conception, whether natural or otherwise.

Tips for natural conception

For those women undergoing IUI or IVF treatment, I offer a package which comprises a set of treatments that provide support at crucial times during the process. Also for those men and women between IVF cycles, and for the people who experience minor side effects of medication, acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine can help them.

Male and Female Preparatory Program

Preparing for IVF

Female Program

This program is for women who plan to conceive naturally or are scheduled to undergo fertility treatment and who would like to prepare their mind and body for the procedure, or use the break between an unsuccessful procedure and the next cycle to improve their general health.

I will take a comprehensive medical history, examining the patient’s tongue and pulse, and will use all of this information to make a Chinese medical diagnosis. In general it is best if the patient’s partner also attends this first consultation where prognosis and treatment goals will be discussed.

Patients will be supported to make any lifestyle changes which are appropriate to improving their health as well as being given the emotional support to help them through what can, for some women, be a difficult time.

Male Program

This programme is designed for men who have been diagnosed with sub optimal sperm. I offer sessions over the three months it takes for sperm to develop and mature. We encourage patients to bring with them the results of a sperm test done a few weeks prior to the consultation. I will use the results of this test to tailor my treatments according to whether sperm count, motility or morphology is affected.

Regardless of the specific treatment aim of improving sperm quality, my male fertility patients equally enjoy the emotional support that the relaxed atmosphere at our clinic has to offer. Often by addressing other underlying health issue, fertility is greatly improved in both male and female patients.

Male Fertility

egg & sperm

IVF Support Programme

This programme is for patients who would like to use acupuncture and Chinese Medicine to support themselves and their bodies through an IVF procedure.

foods for fertility

Session 1 – Initial Treatment
In this session, a personalised consultation is followed by a treatment. This treatment is done after the monitoring scan which can occur between days 8 – 10. This scan assesses follicle growth and endometrial thickness and the results of this scan and the Chinese Medical diagnosis will be taken into consideration during the acupuncture treatment. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) advocates using acupuncture at this point in the IVF treatment to support the ‘Qi’ (energy) of the body in order to optimise the follicle growth and/or endometrial thickness as well as relax the patient so that the egg collection is as easy as possible.

Session 2 – Post Egg Collection
This treatment will take place just after egg collection. This treatment will aim to aid post-operative recuperation and reduce internal swelling and abdominal bloating. TCM theory states that at this point the Qi of the body is devoted to repairing itself. We aim to aid this healing process in order that there is more Qi available to implant the embryo when the time comes.

Session 3 – Post Embryo Transfer
This treatment occurs after transfer of the embryo back into the uterus. This session is designed primarily to relax the patient and from a TCM point of view, encourage the embryo to secure itself inside the body by using acupuncture points which ensure that the Qi of the body flows in an upward direction. The points used in this treatment also lift the spirits of the patient.

Session 4 – Implantation Treatment
This treatment is done 4 – 7 days after transfer, around the time that an embryo would naturally implant in the uterus. Our treatment encourages the uterus to perfuse with blood and therefore be as thick as possible, and enhances the ‘Yang’ energy of the body which, when strong, supports implantation and subsequent pregnancy. At this point, some patients are beginning to feel nervous and excited about the outcome of the procedure so this time is also used to relax and support the patient emotionally.

Pregnancy
Additional acupuncture treatments to support pregnancy and tackle symptoms such as morning sickness, fatigue or anxiety are also available.

Early Pregnancy

Acupuncture is recommended by many midwives and offers women drug free relief from the multitude of problems that can arise during pregnancy (morning sickness, nausea, carpal tunnel syndrome, pregnancy-induced hypertension, oedema, lower back pain, pain of the symphysis pubis).

Prebirth, acupuncture can enhance the prospects of an efficient labour (by helping relax and soften the ligaments, aiding cervical dilation) and acupressure points can be taught to the birthing partner.

Key Nutrients in pregnancy

Moxa treatment can also assist with the correction of a breech presentation.

Acupuncture can be used effectively to help induce labour in consultation with your midwife.

Miscarriages are a sad and too frequent occurrence (12-25% chance of miscarrying, depending on the maternal age *1). Acupuncture, complementary dietary and lifestyle advice can all help to reduce the risk of miscarriages.

*1 Lyttleton, J.(2004). "Treatment of Infertility with Chinese Medicine." Churchill Livingstone, London.

 

For Further Information & Advice

Please contact the practice on 01704 500905. Appointments are available on Fridays 9am - 6pm. Email andreas