|
Fertility, IVF and Pregnancy
Acupuncture can play an important role in your journey towards starting a family
SERVICES
Louise Collyer is an experienced acupuncturist based in Newcastle upon Tyne. Louise practices traditional style acupuncture and is experienced in working with most conditions, specialising in most women’s health conditions including:
- Fertility / IVF
- Pregnancy and Pre-Birth Treatments
- Fibroids, PCOS and Endometriosis
- Amenorrhoea, Dysmenorrhoea, PMS
- Peri-menopausal Syndrome and Menopause
About Louise Collyer
Louise Collyer studied at the Northern College of Acupuncture for three years for a Postgraduate Diploma in Acupuncture. Since graduating she has gained extensive experience working with fertility, IVF and pregnancy and in 2014 set up the Jesmond Natural Health and Fertility clinic along with Laura Bicker.
In addition to fertility, she also regularly works with patients suffering with pain and injuries, headaches and migraines, gastrointestinal dysfunctions, sleep problems and psycho emotional conditions.
Her interest in Eastern medicines arose whilst living in Japan for two years and exploring the Japanese approach to health. Having seen the benefits of a culture using acupuncture, herbs and shiatsu for health preservation led to her pursuing a career in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Louise is a fully licensed practitioner and member of the British Acupuncture Council. The BAcC is the largest body of professional acupuncturists in the UK and guarantees excellence in training standards, safe practice and ethical behaviour.
“Louise was recommended to me by a friend when I started my first cycle of IVF. She was open, friendly and had a very good understanding of the hormone treatment I was receiving. Her practice complimented each stage of the treatment by enhancing the effect of the drugs but minimising the side effects. In particular I enjoyed having time each week to focus on myself and to relax. I believe that the combination of these factors helped me to conceive first time. I now have a lovely two month old boy who is sleeping in my arms as I write this.” Alice Treated for IVF
Is acupuncture for you?
Acupuncture can successfully treat a wide variety of medical conditions:
Acne
Allergic rhinitis
Anxiety
Arrhytmias and heart failure
Asthma
Back pain
Bell’s palsy
Cancer care
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Childbirth
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic pain
Colds and flu
COPD
Coronary Heart Disease
Cystitis
Dentistry | Depression
Diabetes (Type 2)
Dementia
Dysmenorrhoea
Eczema and Psoriasis
Endometriosis
Facial Pain
Female infertility
Fibromyalgia
Frozen shoulder
Gastrointestinal tract disorders
Gout
Headaches
Herpes
HIV Infection
Hypertension
Infertility and ART | Insomnia
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Male Infertility
Menopausal symptoms
Migraines
Multiple Sclerosis
Nausea and vomiting
Neck pain
Neuropathic pain
Obesity
Obstetrics
Osteoarthritis
Palliative care
Parkinson’s Disease
PCOS
Post-operative pain | Post-traumatic stress
Premenstrual Syndrome
Puerperium
Raynaud’s
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Sciatica
Sinusitis
Sports injuries
Stress
Stroke
Substance abuse
Tennis Elbow
Thyroid Disease
Tinnitus
Urinary incontinence
Vertigo |
Fertility, IVF, ICSI and Pregnancy
Acupuncture can play an important role in your journey towards starting a family, including increasing fertility in both males and females, supporting IVF and ICSI treatments and during pregnancy.
Fertility
Many couples now use acupuncture to help support them on their fertility journey.
The British Acupuncture Council have reviewed research on acupuncture and infertility and suggest that acupuncture may work by:
- Regulating fertility hormones – stress and other factors can disrupt the function of the hypothalamic pituitary-ovarian axis (HPOA). Acupuncture promotes the release of beta-endorphin in the brain, which regulates gonadotrophin releasing hormone from the hypothalamus, follicle stimulating hormone from the pituitary gland, and oestrogen and progesterone levels from the ovary.
- Increasing egg production and improving oocyte quality, which could increase the chance of fertilisation.
- Increasing blood flow to the reproductive organs, which can improve the thickness of the endometrial lining, so increasing the chances of embryo implantation.
- Enhancing luteal function.
- Regulating follicle stimulation hormone-receptor expression.
- Normalising cortisol and prolactin levels on IVF medication days.
- Reducing stress.
- Promoting embryo implantation.
“I came to see Louise for a second time when I was having difficulty conceiving our second child. After suffering a miscarriage, a bout of post natal depression and trying with no success to fall pregnant for over a year, I was feeling pretty low. The great thing about acupuncture is that it takes the whole person into account, not just the presenting condition. Louise spends so much time finding out about all aspects of your life which might be causing a problem. She has such a caring and attentive attitude and the sessions often felt like therapy which I emerged from feeling exhilarated and refreshed. She helped me to consider some lifestyle changes I could make to help improve my fertility and was always so positive and reassuring. I came for acupuncture sessions twice a month for seven months, all the while charting my ovulation dates and fertile times under Louise’s guidance and now I am ten weeks pregnant with my second child. I can’t thank Louise enough, she is a miracle worker!” Helen 39 Treated for Fertility
IVF& ICSI
Louise offers treatment to help increase the chances of success for couples undergoing an IVF/ICSI/IUI cycle.
IVF can be a highly stressful experience, particularly if the couple have already experienced a failed round.
Some of the potential benefits of using acupuncture during IVF include:
- Alleviates the side effects of the medical treatments and improves response to hormonal stimulation.
- Helps to reduce the stress and tension faced by patients going through the different procedures.
- Improve blood flow to the pelvic organs improving chances for successful implantation.
If you have undergone a failed round of IVF or you are about to embark on your first round, the following is recommend:
3 months before start of IVF
Ideally treatment will start three months before you start your round of IVF. Here I will do a fertility review, make a TCM diagnosis and plan a course of treatment in the lead up to the start of IVF. In some cases it can help increase the chances of conception before starting IVF.
Down Regulation
Weekly sessions to encourage the thinning of the endometrial lining and to help reduce side effects of the drugs.
Stimming/Up Cycle/Egg Collection
Weekly sessions to support follicle growth and improve circulation and to relax the body for egg collection.
Egg Transfer
On the day of transfer two sessions of acupuncture are recommended:
- Pre-transfer to improve blood flow to the uterus, relax the cervix and prepare the body to receive embryos.
- Post-transfer to encourage circulation, relax the uterus and aid implantation.
Two week wait
An optional session of acupuncture can be used in this period to support implantation and relax the body and mind.
IUI
As with IVF, we recommend beginning treatment three months before the planned date of the IUI round. Here we will do a fertility review, make a TCM diagnosis and plan a course of treatment in the lead up to the day of insemination. Acupuncture is then recommended 6-8 days post insemination.
Louise was a tremendous help with our journey to have a family. She supported my husband and I through two rounds of IVF. When the first round was not successful she was so supportive in helping us refocus our energies, build on the positives and prepare for the the next round which was successful! Overall I found with both rounds my body had far less difficulty with the IVF drugs than other women I talked too going through the same treatment and despite my advanced age I was very receptive to the IVF process overall and I truly believe this is due to working so closely with Louise during the whole process. Her treatment of us was professional, respectful, compassionate and deeply supportive. I truly believe that our IVF journey would not have been as positive and successful without Louise’s assistance and I would strongly recommend her to anyone going through the IVF process. Gerri Treated for IVF
Pregnancy
Acupuncture can be used as a safe and effective method of treatment throughout pregnancy. Many women choose to use acupuncture to support their wellbeing and reduce some of the negative side affects of pregnancy. Women commonly visit the clinic with nausea, PSD, Breach Presentation, miscarriage, pre birth preparation and induction.
Suggested schedule of treatment during pregnancy
Weeks 0-12
During the first trimester we recommend weekly or fortnightly sessions of acupuncture, depending on the patient history. Acupuncture in the first 12 weeks can be used to help prevent miscarriage, reduce feelings of fatigue and nausea and help to reduce anxiety and worry.
Weeks 12-36
After the 12 week scan acupuncture can then be reduced to monthly sessions.
Weeks 36-40
In the final weeks of pregnancy a series of treatments are offered to prepare the body for childbirth and help build energy reserves to prepare the mother-to-be for the post-natal period.
Weeks 40-42
Induction Acupuncture is often recommended as a safe and natural way to establish labour.
To find out how acupuncture can help you,
get in touch for a free, no obligation consultation.
Service Categories
Acupuncture, Natural Fertility Management
|
|
 |
