Fertility Clinic using Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine

Amanda Hughes has been treating women with gynaecology and fertility issues with Chinese Herbal Medicine since 1999.

Chinese medicine is safe and natural. Amanda uses Chinese medicine modalities of Acupuncture, Chinese herbs and Chinese food therapy to treat gynaecology and fertility issues. Chinese medicine treatment can improve chances of conception, increase the lining of the uterus, increase sperm count in males, increase the basal body temperature, regulate hormones, prevent miscarriage, bring on ovulation & much more.

At the Gynaecology & Fertility Clinic Amanda treats simple hormonal imbalances, to more debilitating kinds of gynaecological problems which may prevent women from conceiving. She treats couples wanting to enter an IVF programme as well as couples who want to conceive naturally. She is experienced in treating both female and female infertility.

While many people in Ireland associate acupuncture as the main form of alternative therapy for fertility treatments, in china the majority of fertility cases are treated with Chinese herbal medicine. In Amanda’s experience, getting treatments in Acupuncture and herbs is extremely beneficial. Acupuncture is very relaxing and effective at treating stress (see unexplained infertility) while she has found the herbs extremely effective at regulating cycles, correcting underlying pathologies by balancing the body’s energies.

Many women prefer to use Chinese herbs only, especially if a busy work schedule or distance makes attending weekly acupuncture appointments difficult.

An important part of Amanda’s treatment protocol is diet. She bases her dietary advice on Chinese Food Therapy.

Fertility Clinic Treatment Details 

Gynaecology & Fertility Clinic Details

Initial Consultation: Before your first visit, you can download, complete and return the detailed questionnaire to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (see forms)  

As part of the initial consultation Amanda will go through this questionnaire with you. She will also start your treatments in Acupuncture, from experience, Amanda feels that her patients have benefited in the past from receiving Acupuncture at the initial consultation.  By using the appropriate Acupuncture points for where you are in your cycle you start your fertility and gynaecological programme from day 1.

You will be asked to fill out a six day food diary which she will discuss with you at your second visit.

Second Consultation: Chinese Food Therapy forms an important part of traditional Chinese medicine.  How and what you eat are important for gynaecological health. Amanda will go over your food diary and advise on any necessary adjustments to create an effective nutritional eating plan.

During this visit she will also go over the diagnosis based on you case history and your personalised treatment plan. The treatment plan is based over a 3 month period as it takes at least 3 cycles to restore hormonal balance and establish regularity. She will treat you with Acupuncture, Chinese herbs or both based on your treatment plan.

Subsequent Treatments: At the start of the subsequent treatments, Amanda will have a brief consultation with you. She will also take your pulse and look at your tongue. She monitors any changes in the body each week and prescribes different herbs or Acupuncture points each week. The selection of Acupuncture points used is based on the individual. Points that are effective in treating you may not be effective for someone else. Constitutional differences and how you are feeling on the day of treatment is taken into account at each treatment

Patients may choose to be attend the Community Fertility Clinic for some or all of the subsequent treatments or they may opt to have the more traditional hour long treatments.

Community Fertility Clinics

This is a multiple treatment clinic which is ideal for patients who find that ½ hour treatments during the day are more convenient.

Discretion and privacy are a priority in Community Fertility Clinic, screens separate the treatment couches.

Duration of treatment and fees: 

Initial Consultation (includes Acupuncture treatment & Chinese Herbal Consultation): €65 (Duration 1 hour)

Follow up (and Acupuncture treatment): €65  (Duration 1 hour)

Subsequent Treatments: €65 (Duration 1 hour)

Community Fertility Clinic: €40 (Duration 30 minutes)

Initial Chinese Herbal Consultation: €50 (Duration 1 hour)

Subsequent (monthly) Chinese Herbal Consultations: €30

Herbs: herbal formula prices can vary according to the cost of individual herbs and the quantity of herbs in the formula.

Pre and Post IVF Transfer Treatment: 

• Either before or after transfer: One treatment: €65
• Both before and after transfer: Two treatments: €100

Fees can be claimed from the health insurance provider. Contact your insurance company for more details. 

Treatment Times:

Monday: 8 - 12

Tuesday : 3 - 7

Wednesday: 3 - 7

Thursday : 3 - 7

Saturday: 8 - 12

Community Fertility Clinic:

Tuesday: 1 - 3

Thursday:  2 - 4

Female Fertility:

Acupuncture can help improve the following fertility risk factors when they have been identified:

• Endometriosis
• Elevated FSH
• Poor Lining
• Prior IVF failure
• PCOS
• Adhesion's
• Fibroid's

PRE-CONCEPTION ACUPUNCTURE

Being Relaxed, fit and healthy maximizes your chances of conceiving. It is best to prepare for pregnancy, as by the time you have missed your period you will already be two weeks pregnant!

Having a course of  acupuncture as part of your pre conception health programme will not only improve your physical health health but also help with stress levels The overall aim of a course of acupuncture is to stimulate the blood flow, direct energy to the uterus nourish, strengthen the internal organs and relieve stress. The effect of acupuncture on blood circulation throughout the body helps to oxygenate the tissues and rid the body of excess levels of cortisol Acupuncture will makes you feel both energized and with a sense of being at peace with the world!

Unexplained Infertility

Because Traditional Chinese medicine looks at the reproductive functioning of the body differently to Western medicine it may be able to determine what is interfering with conception. Unexplained fertility in Western Medicine may be the result of an imbalance according to Traditional Chinese Medicine. By using the diagnostic tools of TCM, an imbalance will become apparent.

Stress is probably the biggest contributing factor to unexplained infertility. High levels of stress, or ironically just the continued frustration of not being able to conceive, can impede the free flow of energy or qi (pronounced “chee”) in the body

There are many aspects of our body’s functioning that may be deficient by TCM standards and which may be interfering with conception, yet not measurable by western tests. Body temperature, pulse quality and tongue picture are all used to help find the underlying imbalance...

Pre-Conception IVF/ICSI Treatment

Many of my patients opt to come for regular acupuncture treatments in preparation for an IVF or IUI cycle as well as during the stimulation phase of the cycle.

Many women who would like to ensure that they are in optimal condition before trying IVF use acupuncture.

This entails weekly acupuncture treatments for 3 months prior to egg retrieval. If your time frame is less than 3 months, Amanda will discuss where you are in your IVF journey and advise on treatment and support during your IVF programme.

This program is also an option for women who have been unsuccessful with IVF and would like to try a natural fertility alternative or for women who would like to ensure they are in optimal condition to conceive before trying IVF again.

1. Male Fertility
This is an excellent opportunity for men as it addresses common male factors associated with infertility. The treatments we employ have the ability to increase the parameters of sperm motility, morphology and count, thus aiding fertilization of eggs and leading to viable embryos. This entails weekly acupuncture treatment for the 8 weeks leading up to IVF/ICSI.

2. Pre and Post IVF Transfer Treatment
This involves Acupuncture treatment before and after your transfer. The treatment before transfer takes about 40 minutes and the treatment after transfer takes about 30 minutes...

“Acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer significantly improves the reproductive outcome of IVF, compared with no acupuncture”

(Westergaard L et al, Fertility and Sterility April 2006 Vol 85, pp. 1341-1346 http://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282%2806%2900212-3/abstract ).

German researchers have found Acupuncture increased conception rates in pre IVF transfer by almost 50% (Fertility & Sterility, April 2002 issue).

FERTILITY NUTRITION

Eating healthily is not only about eating good food...

Diet and nutrition form an important basis for good health, and have been proven to have a positive effect on fertility (see links). However we all have different lifestyle demands which effect our ability to maintain a good diet and healthy eating habits.  Eating healthily is not only about eating good food. Based on your food diary, Amanda will help you to develop a nutritional programme that will suit your work and lifestyle

Pregnancy Acupuncture

Acupuncture for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy is an effective way to support foetal growth and to keep you feeling strong and healthy. It can also be used to help you if you are suffering from morning sickness, constipation, sciatica, back pain, exhaustion and it is a very effective way to treat those conditions for which you can no longer take medication such as coughs colds headaches.

A study in 2010 of women aged from 18-40 noted that those with high stress levels had reduced conception probabilities across the fertility window.
Am.Soc.for Reproductive Medicine 30/010/2010 (Louis Buck et al) (epub.)