Fertility Frequently Asked Questions

What is natural fertility enhancement?
Natural fertility enhancement is pre-conception wellness care with a fertility focus. By promoting overall health and vitality using nutrition, herbs and acupuncture, we ensure the body’s natural systems of hormone production, utilization, and elimination is functioning at optimal levels. Menstrual cycles become more regular and predictable. Male factors can show significant improvement, and with more energy and less stress, intimacy improves.

What is the Fertile Soul Method?
The Fertile Soul is an Eastern medicine and fertility institute which specializes in assisting couples diagnosed as "infertile" with a comprehensive therapeutic program rooted in traditional Chinese medicine that supports their reproductive journey. These practices reconnect us with our natural roots, identify and gently correct physical imbalances, limiting beliefs and habits, and encourage the unobstructed flow of the life force through us. This method has had uncommon success helping thousands of couples, many of which conceived and delivered healthy babies after Western medical doctors had told them that they likely would never do so.

What is the Clinical Excellence in Fertility Program (CEFP)?
CEFP is a professional community of highly skilled traditional Chinese medicine practitioners who follow the Fertile Soul program in their own lives and healing, and in their approach to patient care. This group excels in Chinese medical diagnosis and prescription of dietary and nutritional therapy, Qi gong, meditation, reproductive massage, acupuncture and herbal medicine to support deep inner healing, enhance fertility and overcome reproductive and related dysfunction.

Once I am pregnant can I still get Acupuncture?
Once Pregnancy occurs, it is recommended that treatment continue throughout the first trimester to protect early pregnancy and prevent miscarriage. Treatment should be scheduled on a weekly basis through week 12 to 14 of pregnancy. For all women, including women with a history of recurrent miscarriage, Chinese medicine offers natural treatment options to help maintain a healthy, thriving pregnancy. During the first trimester a focus is placed on supporting the mother’s body in maintaining pregnancy and monitoring than treating any patterns of imbalance that may arise.

Once your pregnancy has successfully entered the 14th week the treatment plan shifts to a pre-natal principle where frequency of treatments lessen and your are being supported through gentle balancing of the body and mind from possible discomforts that may occur to promote a joyful pregnancy, a positive childbirth experience and most importantly, a healthy baby.

Are there side effects to acupuncture?
Acupuncture is safe and effective, free from adverse or addictive side effects. Quite often, a sense of relaxation and calm occurs during and after treatments. While undergoing therapy for one ailment, other problems may resolve concurrently. This is a common side benefit that again demonstrates the value of balancing the quality and quantity of “vital energy” within the entire person.

Will you work with my Doctor?
Acupuncture can help people who have not been successfully treated using conventional Western medicine. With your consent; I will share information regarding your care with your doctor or health professionals.

My Reproductive Endocrinologist does not want me taking herbs during my cycle, is that okay?
Many reproductive clinics are hesitant to allow herbs concurrent with their treatment because complex herbal prescriptions that contain many individual herbs to address underlying imbalances do not fit well into double-blinded placebo-controlled studies. Thus, many Western doctors do not understand how herbs work and feel it is safer if you avoid them altogether.

Because we do not wish for this to create a conflict for you, we recommend you do not take herbs during your stimulated cycle if your Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE) is not comfortable with your doing so. You may take a custom-prescribed herbal formulation in the months preceding your stimulated cycle, then go off the herbs when you start your stimulation.

If I take herbs during my cycle, what does that mean?
If your reproductive clinic does allow you to take herbs throughout the cycle, herbal formulas will be prescribed that address your imbalances and support your reproductive procedure, while ensuring that no herbs are used which:
have hormonal effects that could potentially interfere with reproductive drugs
have energetic effects that could potentially interfere with anesthesia
invigorate the blood and increase bleeding time that could potentially interfere with the retrieval process

Are there side effects to using Chinese herbal medicine?
Herbal formulas are carefully designed to meet your specific needs and realign your individual imbalances. Side effects from the herbal remedies are rare as each body part receives a particular and desired effect through gentle influences on the body systems. The most common side effect from using herbal therapy is stomach upset, which is easily remedied by taking the herbal formula with meals or reducing the dosage for a short period of time until the body has had time to adapt to the formula.