Jessica Crist was like most of us: a skeptic about medicine not considered “conventional.”
After giving it a shot at the recommendation of her fertility specialist, Dr. Melissa Esposito, Jessica found that not only was acupuncture helping her through yet another cycle of IVF, it was having a surprisingly positive impact on her overall health.
“Probably one of the most significant benefits derived from acupuncture is that it reduces anxiety, and certainly that is a benefit to all patients undergoing any medical treatment,” said Dr. Esposito.
“I always felt ten times better when I left the acupuncture session,” Jessica recalls about her opinion-changing experience. “I could go to a session just mentally and physically exhausted, like when I had a horrible cold, and come out feeling so much more energy and better about myself.”
Now, at age 32 and with a two-month-old son from that last IVF treatment, Jessica is sold on the blending of Western and Eastern medicine in the form of what are often now referred to as “holistic” therapies.
Veering off the beaten path
Her story started like many others — a number of events in her younger years had resulted in decreased fertility when she and her husband were ready to build their family. When she was only 20, Jessica underwent surgery to remove adhesions, scar tissue, and cysts.
An ectopic pregnancy in her 20’s left Jessica with one fallopian tube. So when she and her husband first came to Shady Grove Fertility, Dr. Esposito thoroughly examined the young woman’s remaining tube and eventually removed it also because of its deteriorated condition.
“In certain cases of infertility, the cause is due to one or both tubes that are blocked and filled with fluid. It’s called a hydrosalpinx,” Dr. Esposito explains. “This fluid can leak into the endometrial cavity at the time of implantation and decrease pregnancy and implantation rates by 50 percent. So, many fertility centers will either occlude (tie off) or remove these tubes prior to performing the IVF cycle.”
After a brief recovery period following surgery for the hydrosalpinx, the couple attempted IVF twice, unsuccessfully. That’s when Dr. Esposito suggested that Jessica might consider acupuncture. Some of her previous patients had combined the ancient Eastern therapy with IVF and been successful.
“There is no hard and fast data as to whether acupuncture will help in your pregnancy success rates with fertility treatment,” explained Dr. Esposito. “However, there are some preliminary studies to suggest that it may improve pelvic blood flow. One German study did show a significantly higher pregnancy rate in patients who had acupuncture around the time of transfer as compared to patients who did not.”
“I had never done holistic medicine,” Jessica remembers, “and didn’t know anyone who had. At that point, though, I was willing to try anything if it would help.”
Jessica recalled her first acupuncture session as “more than just sticking me with needles,” she explains, “He used something that resembled a tuning fork or magnetic rods for the first couple of sessions.”
The practitioner described the methods and reasons for each as the treatment moved along. Jessica said that she “became very educated and learned a lot. I now have a much better understanding about how my body works.”
She does admit to being a bit on edge in the first couple sessions, unsure of what she was supposed to feel. Then she experienced a breakthrough.
“About the third session, my whole body became cool. He explained that he’d cooled my liver down. That was when I physically felt the results of what he’d done. It’s hard to explain how you feel, but I felt like I was in tune, something was happening within my body without the practitioner even touching me.”
Jessica continued with her weekly appointments prior to and during her third IVF treatment. The practitioner explained that the acupuncture needles he was placing in her body were reducing inflammation, even in her brain around the glands that produce reproductive hormones. She found the sessions relaxing and was hopeful that the effects would impact the condition of her new embryos and result in successful pregnancy.
“Then came along her usual “winter cold.”
“I’d have to drive quite a bit from work to the acupuncture appointment,” she explained. “I was tired and just about to cancel, but I changed my mind at the last minute. I went and I can remember clearly that I left there feeling so much more energy and the ability to breathe out of my nose! I’m not going to say that my cold was completely gone, but I felt so much better without taking any medicine.”
“Jessica says that another unexpected side effect of holistic treatment was that her family noticed how much more positive she had become. “After all the challenges we’d been through, the treatments helped me keep a clear mind and stay in focus.”
Paths converged to the best end
For their third IVF cycle, Jessica used the same medications as during their first attempt. She didn’t lose any weight or make any other lifestyle changes. The only thing she did differently was the addition of holistic treatment.
She reflects, “Between faith and acupuncture, I think our pregnancy was a little miracle.”
Like most couples who’ve been successful with IVF, Jessica and her husband are already talking about another baby. This time, she says, acupuncture will be part of the plan from the beginning.
“Absolutely, probably the month before we even start trying,” says the new mom with a new attitude. “We’ll be including acupuncture in our future.”
SGFC embraces complementary medicine
Shady Grove Fertility Center welcomes Pulling Down the Moon as its onsite complementary medicine partner. Opening at the end of September, Pulling Down the Moon will offer its Integrative Care for Fertility (ICF) ™ at SGFC’s Rockville location. ICF is a holistic approach to increasing a woman’s fertility, through acupuncture, yoga, therapeutic massage, nutrition counseling, spirituality classes and other complementary therapies. PDtM’s treatments are designed to enhance a couple’s odds of conception.
Acupuncture services are available six days a week from 7 am to 7 pm. To schedule an appointment for acupuncture or other holistic services, click here or call (301) 610-7755.
