other Struggling with fertility can be deeply distressing and overwhelming and you can feel unable to effect change, hopeless and frustrated. Paloma offers a holistic and integrative approach using both Traditional East Asian Medicine and 'Western' medicine, to understand the factors that may be contributing to this situation, to improve your fertility, offer a space where you can be heard, provide knowledge and actionable steps to support and empower you.

Paloma works with women, men and couples to support fertility in both natural and assisted conception. You may have been trying to conceive without success, or have received a diagnosis of 'unexplained infertility', conditions such as endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), tubal dysfunction, recurrent ectopic pregnancy or recurrent miscarriage. Or you may feel that something is out of balance and wonder if you have one of these conditions.

Acupuncture is understood to optimise reproductive health by supporting hormonal balance, calming inflammation, reducing stress and anxiety, supporting oxygen and nutrient delivery to the ovaries.

 

Male infertility

When working with fertility it is always important to include the male partner’s fertility status. Problems may or may not be visible on a semen analysis. Male factor may not be sufficiently investigated by IVF clinics.

It takes around 11 weeks for days for sperm to be replaced. This means that semen quality is more easily to impact than ovarian reserve and lifestyle factors can be critical in effecting change. Paloma offers an 'MOT' appointment and acupuncture can also be an effective support.

 

Recurrent Miscarriage

In the very distressing situation of recurrent miscarriage, acupuncture is aimed to supporting emotional balance, facilitating moving through grief and allowing the body to restore, and then at addressing any underlying imbalances. Paloma has completed advanced training in investigating this area, in supporting clients who have experienced recurrent pregnancy loss and optimising reproductive health.

 

IVF and other ART techniques

Traditional acupuncture is increasingly sought by women and couples as a support to IVF and other assisted reproductive techniques (ART) such as ovarian-stimulation, IVF, IUI, ICSI, or donor egg / sperm cycles. Several studies have shown an increase in successful outcomes using acupuncture around embryo transfer. You can view the abstract of the most well-known of these, which found a 16% increase in pregnancies to term, here.

During an IVF cycle the focus of treatment will adjust according to the phase of the cycle. For example during the stimulation phase treatment goals would include increasing blood flow to the uterus and ovaries and encouraging building of the endometrium, whereas around the trigger injection and egg collection treatment goals would include supporting the growth and maturation of the follicles and relieving abdominal distention and any other side effects.