A look into the benefits of Acupuncture
Are you curious about the benefits acupuncture has to offer? As women, attempting pregnancy can be the first time we really tune into how our bodies function, and different modalities we can use to achieve and maintain a healthy pregnancy.
In this exclusive interview, we sit down with Boston Acupuncturist Katie Lee, Lic. Ac, owner of Balanced Acupuncture in Dorchester, Massachusetts. We talked all about the benefits acupuncture can offer women who are trying to conceive.
As a patient of Katie’s I am a strong believer in the benefits acupuncture can provide to all patients, but especially in balancing hormones and regulating our stress response, both of which are so important to achieve a healthy pregnancy. So grab your coffee (or herbal tea!) and get ready to hear from Katie how acupuncture can help support your fertility.
How did you get into acupuncture, and how long have you been practicing?
I have been an acupuncturist for 12 years. I began my higher education journey in healthcare, and knew I wanted to work in that field in some capacity. After several potential pathways in Exercise and Health Science, I realized it was not quite what I was looking for, but then I saw an advertisement for an acupuncture program at New England School of Acupuncture. I soon realized that acupuncture, like exercise, works with your body to promote long term health and wellness. I applied soon after, was accepted, and the rest is history!
What can patients typically expect during an acupuncture session with you?
In Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture there exists the concept that one disease has many patterns, and many diseases share one pattern. Every patient is different, and as an acupuncturist, my main job is to try and find the root cause of each ailment. At an initial appointment, I explore people's health histories, from how they sleep to how they digest their food and everything in between. It can be a personal line of questions, but the answers reveal a lot about how each person's body is functioning. Once the intake is complete, I use the answers to help determine which acupuncture points are the best for each individual and we head to the treatment room. During a session, each person is set up comfortably on a treatment table in a private space, needles are inserted and then you get to relax for the remainder of the time.
What benefits have you observed in patients who are trying to conceive?
Those seeking acupuncture to assist with fertility are one of my largest patient populations. I will see women trying to conceive naturally, and those using assisted fertility services like IVF. For both populations, acupuncture is able to provide a form of relaxation and stress relief, which we know immensely improves women’s chances of conceiving. I have also seen how acupuncture can regulate a woman's cycles and therefore her hormones to optimize ovulation windows and give some cycle predictability. There has also been a great deal of research demonstrating acupuncture’s role in improving the outcomes of IVF cycles, particularly the transfer cycle, and this is a trend I have seen confirmed in my clinic.
Is acupuncture safe during the conception period?
It is perfectly safe in all phases of pregnancy! For my female patients that are in the ovulation to luteal phase of their cycle or in IVF treatment after an egg transfer, I consider all patients pregnant until proven otherwise. During that time I remove a handful of acupuncture points that are considered contraindicated during pregnancy. There is always a way to practice safely, so be sure to mention this to your provider.
Stay tuned for a part two with Katie where we discuss the benefits of acupuncture while pregnant!
You can work with Katie by visiting her website here and be sure to follow her on Instagram here!
Be sure to follow my blog where I’ll be providing more posts like this to help women navigate conception, pregnancy, and life post partum.
