Fertility |
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My Approach I spent 5 very traumatic years trying to conceive my own child, born in 2003. During that time I experienced treatment both conventional and unconventional. My own approach to fertility treatment is both informed and guided by those experiences. When treating headache or mood, it is not difficult to track from week to week how treatment is progressing. You can feel you've less pain, or count the number of pain killers you're taking. With pregnancy, you either are, or are not pregnant and the monthly wait to find out whether you are or not can be very stressful. I feel it is therefore very important to find measures to gauge progress other than a positive test - although that remains the principle goal! I encourage most fertility patients to use a basal body temperature chart. To see an example of a BBT chart click here. It helps us to see whether or not you are ovulating, and may show up subtle anomalies that are important for a Chinese Medical diagnosis. You should be able to see your chart improve with passing cycles. Meanwhile, depending on need and circumstance, I will offer nutritional advice, and often recommend supplements. I will frequently refer to a herbalist who I find can be a valuable complement to acupuncture. I encourage early ovarian reserve testing (FSH, AMH, antral follicle count), and to this end may encourage you to have blood tests through your GP, or perhaps have a monitored cycle where the quality of your cycle at various stages is assessed via ultrasound. I use Clinical Diagnostic Services for monitored cycle assessment. In all of the above I will be guided by what you are comfortable with. In general I like to take a multidisciplinary approach, and tackle the problem from as many avenues as possible. I will, with your permission, keep in touch with any other practitioners or physicians who may be looking after you. |
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Research In 2008 the British Medical Journal published a meta-analysis of trials looking at whether acupuncture had any effect on IVF success rates. A meta-analysis pools the results of all available trials. It gives a much better picture and is thought to get closer to the truth than looking at the results of one trial on its own. The BMJ piece showed that acupuncture significantly raised live birth rates of patients undergoing IVF. |
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"I came to see Selina following a miscarriage. It was a stressful time and she put me completely at ease. She was very sympathetic and caring, yet professional and I knew I was in safe hands. The course of acupuncture (and advice on diet and nutritional supplements) Selina gave me enabled me to get pregnant within a couple of months and she supported me throughout early pregnancy. I continued to see her until after my 13 week scan." N, 33, Solicitor
“Selina's own experience of conception difficulties was the reason I chose to go to her for acupuncture when I wasn't getting pregnant as quickly as I'd hoped. On top of being an excellent acupuncturist, she's a fantastic role model, a calm sounding board and her thorough background knowledge is very reassuring and helpful. The complete package! I can't recommend her highly enough.” Bec, 34, editor and illustrator, baby born 2009
“I came to see Selina in a stressful time and just entering her house made me feel better every time. She has the lovely rare balance between being professional and warm and caring. She was also extremely accommodating with fitting the appointment times around my other commitments. I saw her to get support before and during IVF treatment, and acupuncture helped me to get pregnant very quickly. She was also extremely supportive with overcoming early pregnancy problems and inducing labour. My daughter is now happy and healthy two years old and I am looking forwards to coming back for more!” J, 38, baby born 2007
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