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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

Acupuncture for Fertility - anyone tried it?

26 replies

LondonSuperTrooper · 01/08/2013 10:40

Hi,

I?ve been TTC #2 for 10 months and I?m at my wits ends! The fertility clinic that I?m thinking of having IVF with has recommended acupuncture for fertility? Has anyone tried it with successful results? And would you recommend it?

TIA

OP posts:
eurochick · 01/08/2013 18:02

I've tried it. It did seem to make my cycles very regular and more "textbook" than they were before, but it hasn't got me pregnant. I do find it relaxing though and feel I "unload" to my acu lady, so I treat it as a form of light therapy.

Iwaswatchingthat · 01/08/2013 18:08

A friend of mine had reflexology to conceive. The person doing it told her there was a blockage in the reproduction part of her foot...sorry I know that sounds ridiculous.

But anyway the upshot of it was that two months later and after three years of trying - she conceived and now has a love healthy baby boy.

So I would say anything is worth a shot. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Grin good luck

EeyoreIsh · 01/08/2013 18:10

I had it after a miscarriage and two years of ttc. I had several months worth, and I did get pregnant.

I can't say for sure if acupuncture helped. I certainly enjoyed the weekly hourly relax!

Original poster
LondonSuperTrooper · 02/08/2013 07:43

Thanks for the replies. I think that I'll give it a shot. My periods are very regular anyway but I guess the relaxing part of it will help.

I did think about reflexology but the consultant seemed pro acupuncture even though they had different holistic treatments at his clinic.

OP posts:
OrangeLily · 02/08/2013 07:47

I'm considering this too at the moment so its good to hear jest hand accounts of it.

Original poster
LondonSuperTrooper · 02/08/2013 09:25

Orange, whereabouts in the UK are you? It'd be great to compare notes. I'm not starting it till September though. How about you?

OP posts:
hermioneweasley · 02/08/2013 09:31

Our consultant was pro acupuncture too. caitlin Allen specialises in this area, but she's based in Leeds.

PurplePlaidTweed · 02/08/2013 09:50

I did acupuncture for fertility. I am not sure if it really helped but I did it thought ttc and during my whole pregnancy. But I am quite sure that seeing a Bowen therapist a few times helped me get pregnant with dc1 and dc2.

Original poster
LondonSuperTrooper · 02/08/2013 09:55

Purple, what is a Bowen consultant?

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RaRaZ · 02/08/2013 10:30

I'm having it now. She's doing things to get my whole body healthier and remove energy blockages etc, which sounds good to me. She's also said that once I'm pg, she can do treatments to calm the foetus and strengthen my womb (I've MC-ed before).

hollyisalovelyname · 02/08/2013 14:32

Go for it and reflexology. Anything that helps

ginpig · 02/08/2013 14:44

I'm gong to watch this with interest.

I have also been ttc #2 for 10 months now and finding it hard going. It took a long time to get pregnant first time round- about 9/10 months but that ended in mmc. When we started trying again I conceived in about 2 months.

I had thought that using the Clear Blue fertility monitor was what allowed us to conceive- but have been using it religously from the start this time and still no joy.

I have my first acupuncture session next week. I am very sceptical that it will do anything. There is some evidence to suggest that it may have a beneficial effet for people undergoing IVF- but nothing that high profile. Still, if it gives me a chance to wind down and off load about life (and this is what has the effect) than I'm willing to give it a go, the placebo effect is incredibly powerful.

Still haven't worked up the courage to tell DH though- he'll think I'm being daft....

Plentyofcats · 02/08/2013 14:51

I had accupuncture for a couple of months prior to falling pregnant in May. Previously I'd been on cerazette with no MPs and I'm pretty certain accupuncture brought them back and made them regular enough for me to conceive. I also appreciated the relaxation and the counselling aspect of treatment. My accunpuncturist used the Zita West programme which has shown good results for people undergoing fertility treatment. I'm not usually into alternative treatments but I think it was fantastic and there were lots of other benefits, e.g. skin improved, slept better, felt much more emotionally free. Worth a shot!

Original poster
LondonSuperTrooper · 05/08/2013 07:29

Thanks for your responses. I wrote a long reply yesterday only to find out now that I didn't actually post it!

The lady that I will be seeing is also following the Zita West method. What confuses me is that she told me several times that the treatment will regularise my period. My periods are regular and I'm ovulating regularly ...... So, is there any benefit in acupuncture? She did say that the treatment is very beneficial for those having IVF (which I'm trying to save up for but it'll be at least another year before we can start treatments).

Just out if interest, how much have you been quoted for the acupuncture? My first session will be £75 and then £55 for the weekly sessions.

OP posts:
Original poster
LondonSuperTrooper · 05/08/2013 07:31

And congratulations to those who got their BFP following on from acupuncture :)

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RaRaZ · 05/08/2013 09:04

Jesus, sounds VERY expensive to me! I paid £45 for first session (1.5hour consultation, which was extremely detailed and included my first treatment) and now I'm paying £35 per 1-hour session. Yours might be expensive because of the Zita West connection? I don't know much about her, but I gather she's quite famous. Or it could be an area thing - are you in/near London?

Original poster
LondonSuperTrooper · 05/08/2013 09:43

Raraz I thought that it was as well. I'm based in Surrey. The prices for the lady that I've chosen to carry out the acupuncture is around £5 more than what I've been quoted by others.... But it is expensive especially as we've also got to save up for the IVF :(

OP posts:
RaRaZ · 05/08/2013 10:16

And I'm up in the north. It's a stereotype, but it does seem to be true that everything is more expensive in the south. If it's only a fiver higher than the norm, I suppose that's not that bad... Hmm - but why did you choose this lady in particular?

I think the problem is that people like accupuncturists can charge pretty much what they want as they're always going to get customers from people who are absolutely desperate for help.

Original poster
LondonSuperTrooper · 05/08/2013 10:32

I chose this lady because she is based at the clinic that we are considering for IVF. She only offers acupuncture for fertility both natural and IVF. She's got the relevant training with Zita West.
Other acupuncturist offer general acupuncture and only mentions the fertility aspects as an afterthought - or so it seems to me.
I guess my next question is, do they have to fertility acupuncturist or will a general one be ok for fertility?

OP posts:
RaRaZ · 05/08/2013 11:05

Fairy nuff.

I don't honestly know the answer to that. I chose mine after googling 'accupuncture for fertility [place where I live]' and then speaking to a couple on the phone, choosing mine cos she looked friendly in her photo on the website and was nice on the phone! I liked her at the initial meeting and she was very thorough. Both she and her business partner, who I've seen too, do fertility accupuncture, but I'm not sure it would make that much difference if they were 'just' general - a lot of it seems to be about general health and improving energy flow around the body anyway. They are planning to try and strengthen my ovulation this month, so if that's something you need, mebbies you could call a general one and see if that's something they could do?

Original poster
LondonSuperTrooper · 05/08/2013 11:16

Hi, thanks for sharing. Maybe I ought to research this before commit

OP posts:
Original poster
LondonSuperTrooper · 05/08/2013 11:18

Oh blooming phone!

I think I need to research this more. My worry is that I have pretty regular cycle and docs can't find anything wiring and so have diagnosed secondary infertility :( hence my desperation in considering anything whilst saving up for IVF.

OP posts:
RubySlippers77 · 06/08/2013 21:11

Hi everyone, this is really interesting; I've considered reflexology before as I'm quite a stress-y kind of person, am wondering now whether it would help with the TTC as well! I've had the basic tests at my GP with no problems found, we don't get anything else on the NHS till after Christmas so I'm thinking a bit of de-stressing would probably help in general. It would have to be reflexology though as I hate needles so even the idea of acupuncture would stress me out more!!

OrangeLily · 06/08/2013 22:30

Sorry London, I didn't see your question. I'm in Edinburgh area. I have an appointment with gynae next week after waiting since May for an appointment about my crazy cycles after coming off implanon a year ago. Has been between 80 and 35 days so far.

However..... The irony of it is... My cycles appear to be regulating since I've been on the waiting list for gynae. Grin A 37 day followed by a 36 day! Still not great though.

Anyway, I'm going to speak to gynae first then hopefully start soon after that. I may even make enquiries this week incase the fertility place have a waiting list too!

How often are you thinking for acupuncture?

ginpig · 22/08/2013 18:57

Hi London - last time I was here I was just about to embark on some acupuncture, so thought you might find a little update useful.

Had an initial hour long consultation (£50) - like you have reasonably regular cycles, about 31/32 days- usually ovulate around day 16.
Had my first appointment on day 13, got a positive OPK the next day. So far so good.

Can't say I noticed too much change in feeling etc over the course of the three weeks I've had treatment (once weekly, 45 mins) but as I was 14 DPO today I took a test and got a BFP.

Can't say whether it was really down to the acupuncture or not- but I've had a very positive experience. Now going to seem him every three weeks for general treatment (help me with anxiety/ stress) and for maintaining a healthy pregnancy