Liz Richards, L.Ac. and Lori Reising, LMT of Blossom Clinic are interviewed on pages 18-20 of the May 2013 NW Kids Magazine
Click here to read “Fertility Help, the Natural Way”, an article by Jenny Duvander in NW Kids May 2013 issue (page 18 & 20). She discusses the importance of acupuncture, nutrition, massage and relaxation for those trying to conceive. If you have been diagnosed with infertility or will be getting your body ready for pregnancy, this is a great resource.
Just What we needed!!!. My wife and I had been trying for some time to get pregnant to no avail. We decided to look into the Acupuncture route for increased fertility, At a friends suggestion (who had enjoyed success using their service ) we went to Blossom. Today we heard our soon to be babies heartbeat for the first time!! Our experience at Blossom was professional , pleasant and informative , and most important of all SUCESSFUL!! Big Thanks to all the staff at Blossom! CM Continue reading
Dr. Elise has started a new fertility program which takes a naturopathic approach to achieving conception by personalizing each program to the patient’s particular health needs.
Recent pregnancy research has seen success rates for previously failed IVF couples increase from 17% to 81% after proper nutrition counseling. Another compelling survey, Continue reading
Ever wonder why you get bloating, cramps or irritability before your period? Foggy thinking, hot flashes and weight gain getting you down? OR are you suffering with unwanted hair growth and irregular periods. These familiar symptoms are all signs of hormone imbalance.
To find out more about how to solve YOUR hormone imbalance symptoms, join us at the Blossom Clinic Tuesday October 4th at 7 PM Continue reading
“Nurturing Yourself in the Midst of Infertility”
Women’s Support Group at Blossom Clinic
The MediClear Cleanse is user friendly. In this cleanse, you eliminate foods that are commonly allergenic or inflammatory for 15 days. Continue reading
Please join Liz Richards, acupuncturist and owner of Blossom Clinic, on Thursday July 8th, 2010 for a teleseminar discussion on Chinese Medicine and Fertility. This informal teleseminar will be a great opportunity to ask questions and is open to anyone in the USA.The letter below is from a friend of ours and the book she is writing is unrelated to Blossom Clinic.
Hi:
My name is Rebecca Matthews and I am an embryologist at Oregon Reproductive Medicine in Portland Oregon. I’ve been an embryologist for 11 years and also have a PhD in fertility. I would like to use my experience to help others by writing a book about IVF and answering the questions and concerns I commonly hear.
I would like one of the chapters in my book to be personal stories from people who have been through the process. I would love to hear from you regardless of which clinic you went to and whatever the outcome was.
All of this will be in the strictest confidence and you name will never be published. If interested, please email me:
Rebmatthews2002@hotmail.com
Yours gratefully,
Rebecca
photo by Nick Richards
Just this morning I came upon the results of a recent study from University California Berkeley which postulates how stress and anxiety affect fertility in humans. Basically, stress may inhibit the release of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) which is needed for ovulation, production of sex hormones, and increased sex drive. Stress may also cause the release of gonadotropin-inhibiting type hormones which have a similar effect of supressing the production of these important reproductive hormones. To read the article, please click here.
To read how acupuncture can help with fertility related stress, click here.
I have been attending embryo transfers as an acupuncturist since 2002 and I think it is an honor to be there on such an important day. The protocol that I use is based on a study published in Fertility and Sterility in 2002 and again in 2006 and 2007, which reported that acupuncture given on the day of the IVF embryo transfer increased the rate of pregnancy by 50%. The protocol for the day of embryo transfer actually consists of two treatments, one before the embryo transfer and one after the embryo transfer.
On the day of embryo transfer, I will meet my patient about 45 minutes before their scheduled embryo transfer time. The fertility clinics I work with here in Portland, Oregon, are very familiar with the protocol and welcome acupuncturists on the day of the embryo transfer. Sometimes when I attend a transfer, I will see one to two other acupuncturists there. It is no secret that having extra support there on that day makes a difference in your mind and body. The day of the embryo transfer during your IVF cycle is so important. It is the culmination of so much and people are usually experiencing a mix of excitement and anxiety. Sometimes women will experience a little bit of fear that day if they have had a negative experience with a prior IVF cycle. I do my best to be present with them and provide the best care on that day.
For new IVF patients that I take on, I make a commitment to being there with them on the day of their embryo transfer. If there is a reasons that I cannot be there, which happens rarely these days, I will find an excellent replacement from Blossom Clinic or from another acupuncture clinic that specializes in fertility in Portland. Most of the time I have an established relationship with the person whose embryo transfer I am attending. My patients will have had between 7 and 12 appointments with me before that day. Occasionally I will meet someone for the first time that day, if they are from out of town doing a donor cycle or another acupuncturist in town needs coverage because they cannot be there with their patient for some reason.
If you had an acupuncturist there at your embryo transfer, I would love to hear about your experience. If you have any questions, please feel free to call me, 503.287.0886.
All of my best,