Acupuncture in Women's Health
Acupuncture can help with a wide variety of women's health problems such as:
- Period Problems
- irregular/short/long cycles, light/heavy/painful periods
- endometriosis/PCOS/myomas
- PMS symptoms eg. bloating, cramping, fluid retention, irritability, mood swings, headaches/migraines, breast tenderness, back pain
- Infertility
- Unexplained or associated with any of the above conditions
- IVF assistance
- During/After Pregnancy
- heartburn, indigestion
- fatigue
- insomnia
- morning sickness
- pregnancy related complaints eg. back/neck pain, constipation, fluid retention
- overdue pregnancy/labour induction
- breech/posterior presentation
- post-natal depression
- mastitis
- post-partum recovery
- pre-birth Acupuncture*
- Menopausal Symptoms
- hot flushes/night sweats
- moodiness, irritability
- weight gain
*Pre-birth Acupuncture is a series of 3-4 weekly treatments in the lead up to your due date which aims to prepare your body for labour by relaxing the ligaments and opening the cervix. This increases the chances of a natural onset of labour & natural delivery with less likelihood of needing medical intervention. It should ideally start around 36 weeks.
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IVF Assistance
The use of IVF to assist pregnancy is growing by up to 15% a year in Australia, and up to 15% of couples worldwide need medical help to get pregnant. However, the average chance of pregnancy per IVF cycle is 25% in those under 30 years of age, less than 10% in those over 40. But in early 2008, the British Medical Journal reported that Acupuncture with IVF increased the chance of pregnancy by 65%*.Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine has treated infertility for over 2000 years. It Assists IVF by:
- improving ovarian function, allowing development of better quality eggs and strong, healthy embryos
- regulating oestrogen and progesterone levels, therefore thickening the lining of the uterus
- increasing blood flow to the uterus, promoting follicular development and implantation of the embryo
- strengthening the immune system
- reducing stress and side effects of drugs
- improving quality and quantity of sperm, increasing motility and decreasing abnormal morphology, therefore improving the health of the embryo and decreasing the risk of miscarriage**
*Horstman, M. (Presenter). (2008), April 3). Improving the Odds of IVF [Television series episode]. In M. Horstman (Producer), Catalyst, Sydney: ABC-TV.
**Liang, L. (2003). Acupuncture & IVF. Boulder: Blue Poppy Press.
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Acupuncture in Pregnancy
A question I am often asked is, “Is Acupuncture safe during pregnancy?”. The answer is a resounding YES. It is perfectly safe for both mother and baby as it is natural and doesn’t introduce any foreign substances into the body. Also, no points on the abdomen are used after 12 weeks. As long as your practitioner is a Chinese Medicine Acupuncturist (and not a different physician/therapist who practises “dry needling”) then they will know which points are safe to use during pregnancy.During pregnancy there is a huge shift in your body’s energy and blood flow as it nurtures your growing baby. This change in energy flow causes a whole host of conditions that can range from mildly annoying to completely debilitating. Acupuncture is a natural and gentle way of correcting your body’s energy flow so that it functions the way it should. See above for a list of some of the conditions Acupuncture can help you with.
Pregnancy is a wonderful and normal human process, and it should feel that way too! Acupuncture can help you to feel stronger, healthier and happier, which can guide you towards a natural birth and prepare you for the challenges of motherhood to come.
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