Kansas City Acupuncture Clinic and Frozen Embryo Transfer Pregnancy Success Story

When a woman is dealing with infertility it can be a long difficult emotional rollercoaster.    Recently our office received the good news that a patient is pregnant after her FET (Frozen Embryo Transfer) with a local Reproductive Endocrinologist.   We have been taking care of this patient for the past year using Acupuncture to help balance her body and increase her chances of a successful transfer.   It was her second transfer of last year that she chose to combine with Acupuncture treatments.  The first transfer did result in pregnancy but for some unknown reason the mom miscarried around 8 weeks.    

So how could Acupuncture improve a woman's fertility?

Acupuncture is a system of balancing the body via meridians or energy pathways that course through your body.  There are 12 main Acupuncture meridians where most patients' health issues will appear.  We use a tool called Acugraph to measure the 12 main Acupuncture meridians to get a real time picture of where each patient's body is out of balance.  For example the Spleen meridian has a lot to do with hormone balance and regulating menstrual cycles.  The Kidney meridian is associated with fear, anxiety, adrenal health, and sex drive.  The Heart meridian is associated with emotional stress and fatigue/energy levels.  The Triple Heater or Triple Energizer meridian has to do with the three fires or parts of your metabolism: respiration, digestion, and genito-urinary function.  It also has a lot of correlation with thyroid function.   All of these factors play a role in anyone's fertility.  This is why I use Acugraph so that I can get a picture of what your body looks like and where your meridians are out of balance before each treatment.   

How many treatments does it take to make a difference?

Every woman is different.  There is not a one size fits all approach.  Some women call a week before their IVF or FET transfer, other women call several months in advance.  Regardless of whether you are doing IUI, FET, IVF or ICSI the sooner you can prep your body the better.  If you are using your own eggs, ideally 3 months in advance of the start of a cycle is a great time to begin weekly Acupuncture treatments.   This takes advantage of the 90 day window to improve the follicular cycle.  If you only have a week or two to prepare it is not too late to get started with Acupuncture.  You may be one of those fortunate women that just needs a little boost.

Does Acupuncture interfere with any of the medications or treatments that my OB/GYN or RE (Reproductive Endocrinologist) is prescribing for me?

Acupuncture is designed to support and balance the body.  We do not recommend or offer any herbs or other supplements that may interfere with a medicated cycle.  Acupuncture is a great complement to any ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) procedure.  In fact, we have Reproductive Endocrinologists in Kansas City that refer their patients to us for Acupuncture.  Nearly every woman that chooses to include Acupuncture in her treatment plan for getting pregnant tells me that she feels so much more relaxed and at peace after her treatment.  In some cases, patients have reported that their hormone levels and follicle production were significantly higher than their RE expected when they added Acupuncture into their treatment regimen.

Do you accommodate special schedules for before and after IVF or FET transfers?

Yes.  We try our best to see you immediately before and after your transfers if that is what you desire.  Some women choose to come in an hour or two before their transfer and then go home and rest for a couple days before getting a second Acupuncture treatment.  Other women would prefer treatment immediately before and immediately after.  

Please feel free to call us if you have any questions.

Better health is only a phone call away.

Dr. Kristine Baker, FIAMA

Fellow International Academy of Medical Acupuncture