Pregnancy Acupuncture Gold Coast Acupuncture – Fertility, IVF, Induction of Labour and Pregnancy Concerns
Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine and Chinese herbs can be used to help support womens health during pregnancy. Our fully qualified Acupuncturists are familiar with all aspects of womens health.
Providing Support for:
- Infertility and Fertility problems.
- Family Planning.
- Support before, during and after In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF). This also includes other fertility methods such as IUI.
- Pregnancy problems such as morning sickness and pain.
- Induction of labour.
- General well being during pregnancy.
- Post birth support.
Pregnancy Acupuncture Gold Coast
All Womens Health Acupuncture treatments are the same price as normal Acupuncture. Pricing is explained on the right hand side of this page. Pregnancy concerns include Acupuncture for morning sickness, insomnia, back pain, shoulder pain and digestion issues.
Acupuncture for Induction of Labour
If you are are past your due date or wish to commence daily Acupuncture induction treatment please choose the Acupuncture (Induction of Labour) option.
Many studies have been conducted to test the efficacy of Acupuncture. An early study claimed that ‘the average time from Acupuncture induction until delivery was 13.1 hours and the success rate of Acupuncture to induce overdue labour to be between 68-83%’ (Tsuei 1974) [1].
Further research shows that Acupuncture successfully initiates the onset of labour and can prepare the uterus and cervix for labour, reduce pain of contractions, shorten the average time of labour, reduce recovery time and significantly decrease the need for medical intervention (Smith 2004, Betts 2006) [2].
For more detailed information regarding induction of labour please see our Acupuncture for Induction of Labour during Pregnancy page.
Acupuncture for Infertility
Female infertility results from an abnormal reproductive endocrine function [3]. Many diseases lead to female infertility, hindering the process of pregnancy from various nodes. Because Acupuncture has the function of adjusting the neuroendocrine system [4], its application in the field of reproduction has attracted extensive attention. Acupuncture can act on multiple parts of the female reproductive system to improve its function through the action of neuroendocrine signaling molecules, to improve female fertility.
The therapeutic effect of acupuncture on female infertility is mainly aimed at the following three aspects: reproductive endocrine, follicular development, and embryo implantation. [5]
Acupuncture for IVF Support
Acupuncture is frequently recommended as an additional treatment for patients going through their IVF cycle to promote follicular development and the thickening of the endometrial lining. It aims to decrease stress levels, enhance blood flow to the uterus, improve the chances of successful implantation, and ultimately increase the rates of clinical pregnancy and live births.
According to a systematic review and meta-analysis conducted by Professor Caroline Smith et al. in 2019, it is recommended to undergo acupuncture before and after IVF transfer. The study revealed that acupuncture performed around the time of embryo transfer led to a 50% increase in the clinical pregnancy rate when patients received over three treatment sessions.
Interestingly, the analysis also demonstrated that acupuncture had a greater positive impact on patients who had previously been poor responders to IVF compared to those undergoing their first IVF cycle. Moreover, it was found that an increased number of acupuncture treatments resulted in higher clinical pregnancy rates. Specifically, having 12 acupuncture sessions showed improved outcomes for live birth rates when compared to IVF embryo transfer alone or embryo transfer with acupuncture on the day of the procedure.
Acupuncture has been shown to be beneficial in IVF/ICSI for improving the clinical pregnancy, implantation, and live birth outcomes. These effects were shown in a 2018 Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis entitled “Effects of acupuncture during in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis”.[6]
If you are planning an egg retrieval or transfer in the coming months or if you are considering using IVF then it is best to plan your Fertility Acupuncture treatments now. The development and maturation of both eggs and sperm require approximately three months.
Chinese Herbs and Chinese Herbal Medicine for Fertility
A study by researchers at Adelaide University (Australia) titled “Efficacy of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine in the management of female infertility: A systematic review” concluded that using TCM methods improved pregnancy rates as much as 2-fold in just a 4-month period in comparison with Western Medical fertility enhancement drug therapies [7].
The research, funded by the Australian government, involved reviewing 30 previously conducted studies that included more than 1,800 women with fertility challenges. The likelihood of achieving pregnancy with Chinese herbal medicine was double according to the study authors, “Our meta-analyses suggest Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine to be more effective in the treatment of female infertility achieving on average a 60% pregnancy rate over 4 months compared with 30% achieved with standard western drug treatment, or IVF over 12 months” [7].
The Australian study also concluded that the use of specific herbal treatments tailored to treat the individual’s reproductive systems and particular fertility challenges played a crucial role in the success of the treatment. Unlike Western fertility treatments such as IVF (in vitro fertilization), which attempt to increase the chance of pregnancy through implantation, herbal treatments and TCM methods such as acupuncture, aim to balance and heal the body so that it may conceive naturally, without the use of costly and aggressive drugs or implantation [6].
The above research suggests that Chinese Herbs may provide beneficial outcomes however other papers did not have the same findings so the evidence is regarded as mixed.
Appointment Preparation
Bookings are strictly by appointment only. We do not offer walk in appointments under any circumstances.
Please make sure you book in advance and to arrive 10 minutes early for your initial consultation/treatment. Bring any relevant paperwork with regards to any other appointments/results.
Our Practitioners
Dr. Peter Gospos
Senior Practitioner and Clinic Founder, Registered Acupuncturist – BHSc (Acu)
Peter Gospos has been practicing Acupuncture for 20 years. He is passionate about achieving optimal health for all of his clients.
Peter offers an innovative approach to treatment with Neoclassical Acupuncture. Neoclassical Acupuncture is a palpatory style of Acupuncture that provides immediate feedback with each needle placed. The goal is to create a “domino effect” of clearing the root cause and sub-sequentially the symptoms from your body.
Peter prefers to use Ultra-Smooth Japanese style needles to ensure complete patient comfort. He also prefers to use a minimal amount of needles during your treatment.
Peter has a special interest in both acute and chronic musculo-skeletal pain. This includes low back pain, shoulder pain and knee pain. He also provides support for a wide range of general conditions such as headaches, migraines and digestive problems. He also supports clients to achieve mental well-being through the reduction of stress and anxiety.
Peter also offers support for women’s health (menstrual and menopausal issues, pregnancy health, induction of labour, fertility and IVF).
Peter has been registered with the Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association (AACMA) since 2004. He is also government registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
Private Health Fund Rebates
We are able to provide you with a health fund rebate using our HICAPS / Healthpoint system. Some of the health funds that are claimable through our HICAPS (Healthpoint) machine for Acupuncture are as follows.
Pregnancy Acupuncture Gold Coast Location
The Gold Coast Acupuncture Clinic is located in the Albert Centre at 5/18 Ferry Street, Nerang.
This is also a great location for our customers in the surrounding suburbs of Nerang including Gilston, Highland Park, Mount Nathan, Carrara, Ashmore, Gaven, Molendinar, Worongary, Helensvale, Coomera, Hope Island, Oxenford, Upper Coomera, Pimpama, Ormeau, Maudsland, Willowvale and Tamborine Mountain.
Book your appointment
Call our Clinic
You may call us at our Nerang clinic directly.
Phone: (07) 5573 6601
Book Online 24/7
You may book an appointment online by clicking here.
References
[1] Tsuei JT, L. Y. (1974), Induction of labour by acupuncture and electrical stimulation. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 43(3), 337-342.
[2] Smith CA, C. C. (2004), Acupuncture for induction of labour, The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (1).
[3] Inhorn M. C., Patrizio P. Infertility around the globe: new thinking on gender, reproductive technologies and global movements in the 21st century. Human Reproduction Update . 2015;21(4):411–426. doi: 10.1093/humupd/dmv016.
[4] Wang J. X., Yang Y., Song Y., Ma L. X. Positive effect of acupuncture and cupping in infertility treatment. Medical Acupuncture . 2018;30(2):96–99. doi: 10.1089/acu.2017.1265.
[5] Jing-yu Xu, An-lan Zhao, Ping Xin, Jun-ze Geng, Bao-juan Wang and Tian Xia. Acupuncture for Female Infertility: Discussion on Action Mechanism and Application. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2022; 2022: 3854117. Published online 2022 Jul 4. doi: 10.1155/2022/3854117
[6] Xian Zhang, Myeong Soo Lee, Caroline A.Smith, Nicola Robinson, Yong Zhou, Yan Wu, Ying-Ying Mao, Fan Qua. Effects of acupuncture during in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis (2018)
[7] Ried K, Stuart K., Efficacy of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine in the management of female infertility: a systematic review, 2011, Discipline of General Practice, School of Population Health & Clinical Practice, The University of Adelaide, South Australia.