TCM Fertility Acupuncture in Singapore
If you are receiving fertility treatments or concerned about your ability to get pregnant in Singapore, consider including a natural, complementary practice thousands of years old: TCM fertility acupuncture.
And, you have landed up in the correct place.
Because our primary focus is in TCM Fertility Acupuncture Treatment.
In Singapore.
We all know about the overwhelming anguish and sense of loss experienced by women struggling with infertility issues is driving many to seek other treatment options to overcoming infertility. From home remedies, fertility drugs, and even surgery, to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and donor eggs and embryos, modern healthcare has vastly expanded the array of options available for couples struggling to conceive.
But not all can afford the financial costs of infertility which can range from hundreds of dollars spent on drugs to tens of thousands spent on advanced procedures. Therefore alternative and holistic treatments are gaining wider appeal among the general public.
Acupuncture in particular has rapidly grown in acceptance by the general public and practice among therapists today. Not only is acupuncture valued for stress-relieving and relaxing benefits, but also as a component of fertility treatments.
Before we go further, let’s listen to what the reviews say..
Reviews about us
Fertility & TCM Acupuncture in Singapore
Infertility is considered an inability to conceive in a sexually active couple who are trying to get pregnant for one year. About 8-12% of the couples in the world are facing problems with infertility, and in this modern times the per cent is getting bigger, and 20% of the cases are due to both male and female factor. If you are facing fertility issues of your own, Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) and acupuncture can be used to optimise your fertility health naturally. EMW Physiotherapy & TCM uses evidence-based approach to help you realise your dreams of starting a family.
The philosophy in TCM is that you are able to treat infertility issues and conceive naturally when you are more balanced physically, mentally and emotionally. Using TCM, EMW Physiotherapy & TCM physicians guide our patients to achieve in their overall well-being rather than focusing on infertility definitions or tiny details of implantation.
An interesting finding by Tel Aviv University researchers discovered that a combination of TCM and intrauterine insemination (IUI) is a winning solution for women who are having difficulty conceiving. They have also found a positive link between acupuncture and fertility.
"When combining IUI with TCM treatments, 65.5% of the test group was able to conceive, compared with 39.4% of the control group, which received no acupuncture or herbal therapy."
How does TCM acupuncture help with fertility in Singapore?
Acupuncture is an ancient Asian medicinal art based on ‘meridian theory’ devised 5,000 years ago that involves the use of thin, cylindrical needles that are inserted into specific portions of the body called acupuncture points.
From the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the numerous functional— and, in the course of time, occasionally also substantial—disorders are disturbances in the area of circulation and the production of Qi and blood. By maintaining the flow of Qi and blood in the meridians, disorders can be managed and treated. Each of the acupuncture points act as a gate—sending energetic information electromagnetically via the fascia deep into the body.
Three main mechanisms have been suggested to explain the effect of acupuncture on subfertility:
- by regulating the hypothalamic–pituitary–ovarian axis thus affecting ovulation and the menstrual cycle [1],
- by affecting blood flow to the uterus [2] and
- by affecting endorphin production and secretion, thus inhibiting the central nervous system and reducing stress [3,4].
Acupuncture proponents have recommended it for a variety of medical conditions that affect fertility. These include polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), fibroids, endometriosis, and issues with ovarian reserve and sperm quality. It may also help relieve some of the side effects associated with fertility drugs (such as bloating and nausea). Acupuncture has been shown to promote relaxation.
Success stories!
#endometriosis #IVF
K came into clinic on Sept 2020, seeking acupuncture help together with her transfer cycle. Diagnosed before with endometriosis, she hoped to improve her lining and overall body condition with the help of TCM. After a cycle of acupuncture, TCM dietary changes and reducing of cold drinks and sugary snacks, she proceeded with her transfer cycle and dang, she got a big fat positive on her first cycle!
She had nausea and morning sickness by week 7 but subsided soon thereafter, while continuing acupuncture till the end of trimester. Fastforward to Aug 2021, she got her first blessing!
#miscarriage #IVF
T visited EMW on the back of a failed transfer. In 2019, she had a stillbirth at week 38 due to thrombosis – a big blow to her mentally and physically. She tried naturally in 2020 without any success and decided to on IVF in 2021. She did an egg retrieval and got 9 blastocysts(excellent and good quality) and did her 1st transfer. With excellent quality, she expected things to go smoothly. Unfortunately there wasn’t any implantation, which accordingly to her due to many medicine and steroids nursing her back pain at that time. This was when she found us.
This time she was determined to made her 2nd transfer work. We did acupuncture and changed her diet and lifestyle habits. After 1 cycle, she got her hcg+ and we continue to perform acupuncture on her till she got out of first trimester. And on May 2021, she gave birth to a cute little girl.
#unexplained
A came into clinic after trying naturally unsuccessfully for 2 years.Her cycle was rather regular with 26 days, but had bad headache, backache, sore breast and soft stools during menses. We did a detailed TCM fertility assessment on our first visit and we discussed in depth lifestyle and dietary changes.
We also did acupuncture and herbs for 2 cycles, before seeing a big fat positive on our 3rd cycle together. We continue our treatment until the end of first trimester as she has some pregnancy symptoms. Apr 2022, she received her first blessing!
How can TCM fertility acupuncture in Singapore help you?
A study published in the journal Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, involved 24 PCOS patients between the ages of 24 and 40 whose menstrual periods were absent or irregular. The women were treated for 30 minutes twice a week for two weeks, then once a week, for a total of 10-14 treatments.
After repeated acupuncture treatments, it was found that it induced regular ovulations in more than one third of the women with PCOS. The group of women with good effect had a less androgenic hormonal profile before treatment and a less pronounced metabolic disturbance compared with the group with no effect. For this selected group, acupuncture offers an alternative to pharmacological ovulation induction.
Success stories!
#miscarriage #fibroid
S’s journey to motherhood was not an easy one. After experiencing two miscarriages in a span of less than a year, she began to lose hope of ever having a successful pregnancy. She came to me in September 2021, at the age of 34.
During her first consultation, S shared that she experienced heavy menstrual flow with clots, and fatigue during menses. An ultrasound also revealed that she had uterine fibroids. After 4 cycles of taking TCM herbal medications and regular acupuncture sessions, S tested positive for pregnancy in January 2022. However, her first ultrasound scan at week 5 of pregnancy showed a relatively low implantation, which could potentially lead to another miscarriage. Additionally, she had spotting at week 7 of pregnancy, which further heightened her anxiety.
Despite these challenges, S remained committed to her TCM treatments. She continued taking TCM herbs and doing acupuncture regularly to support her pregnancy. Her dedication paid off, and she successfully gave birth to her healthy baby in September 2022.
#PCOS
A, 26 years old, has been trying to conceive for the past 6 months. She was diagnosed with PCOS. She came to me on 20th Nov 2020 for regular reproductive health optimization while trying to conceive naturally. Her menstrual cycle was regular – usually about 35 days each cycle, but she experienced lower abdominal cramps and occasional clots during menses.
During her acupuncture treatment with me, she had been advised to monitor her BBT and cervical mucus so that she would be clear of her fertile window phase and the optimal time for intercourse to increase the chances of conceiving naturally. She had been diligent in following the dietary and lifestyle advice given at the same time. Throughout her acupuncture and Chinese herbs treatment with us, she managed to conceive naturally in June 21 and gave birth to her son in February 2022.
#hypothyroidism
H came to our clinic on the back of 4 IUIs, 1 fresh cycle, 3 transfer cycles. Sadly, none implanted. She also has a history of hypothyroidism.
Her cycle was 28-42 days and she has severe menstrual cramps (simflex bid D1-2), breast tenderness before menses, backache, fatigue, watery stools during menses, bloatedness to name a few. After a detailed fertility assessment, we clear up her diet and fixed some of her lifestyle habits. We also started on acupuncture and herbs. After continuing for 5 cycles, she finally got pregnant on her 6th cycle! We were elated definitely, and even more so when we met up with her last year.
How can TCM fertility acupuncture complement IVF in Singapore?
1. Stress reduction
Acupuncture is effective for relieving stress and relaxing the sympathetic nervous system through the release of endorphins in the body. This can increase the body’s ability to produce and respond to changes in hormonal signals and increase overall blood flow throughout the body. In addition to using acupuncture in fertility treatments in Singapore, Traditional Chinese Herbs are also used to support the growth of a healthy endometrium lining in EMW Clinic.
2. Improve IVF outcomes
The results of a review suggests that acupuncture has a positive effect of pregnancy rates when given with IVF. The researchers conclude that acupuncture given with embryo transfer, improves rates of pregnancy and live birth in women who are undergoing in vitro fertilisation. [5] Fertility acupuncture in Singapore usually follows this research’s protocol.
3. Improve uterine blood flow
A study showed that blood flow to the uterine arteries was significantly increased not only during the time of treatments, but for up to 14 days after! [2] This study shows that acupuncture can be particularly useful to women that have known blood flow issues to the uterus and ovaries, but it can help all women going through IVF.
4. Improve implantation rates
The most immediate possible effect is that acupuncture served to “relax” the uterus around the time of the transfer. Several studies have shown that the uterus has contractions and that these contractions could cause expulsion of the transferred IVF embryos. If the contractions were reduced by acupuncture then that could be a mechanism for an improvement in IVF pregnancy rate.
What the research says..
Paulus et al. evaluated the effect of acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in ART (IVF) by comparing a group of patients who underwent acupuncture treatment shortly before and after embryo transfer with a control group that did not have acupuncture [6]. Clinical pregnancies were documented in 34 of 80 patients (42.5%) in the acupuncture group, whereas pregnancy rate was only 26.3% (21 out of 80 patients) in the control group.Those authors’ conclusions were that acupuncture seemed to be a useful tool for improving pregnancy rates after IVF.
More recent randomized controlled studies evaluated the effect of acupuncture on reproductive outcome in patients treated with IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) [7,8]. Again, both studies showed that acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer significantly improved the reproductive outcome of IVF/ICSI compared with no acupuncture.
A recently published systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials suggested that acupuncture given concomitantly with embryo transfer improves the rates of pregnancy and of live births among women undergoing IVF [9] and a research team from Hong Kong further validated this claim [10].
Success stories!
#unicornuate uterus #IVF
B, 35 years old, had been trying to conceive for the past 5 years. She was diagnosed with a unicornuate uterus condition. She came to me on 30th April 2021 just after her IVF-ER cycle on March 21. She was looking to optimize her body constitution and reproductive health before her upcoming FET on May 21. Her menstrual cycle was usually regular, but she would experience sharp pain around her right lower abdomen as her right ovary is dominant during ovulation.
She was comfortable and positive with acupuncture treatment as it helped her to be calm and less anxious with better night rest. While she was receiving acupuncture treatment at EMW, she had conceived naturally on May 21 to her pleasant surprise and continued to receive treatment up till the end of the first trimester. She successfully delivered her baby girl on Jan22.
#endometriosis #PCOS #IVF #miscarriage
A had been trying to conceive for 5 and a half years. She was diagnosed with endometriosis, PCOS and hypothyroidism. She came to me when she was 35 (Dec 2021) with a history of 2 miscarriages, a failed IUI and 2 failed IVFs. Her menstrual cycle was regular, but she had severe menstrual cramps, as well as lower backache and fatigue during menses. She was also found to be having a ‘cold womb’ on her first visit here.
She did a cycle of acupuncture and moxibustion before trying for another round of frozen embryo transfer in Jan 2022, and it came back positive. She continued doing acupuncture until the end of her first trimester and successfully gave birth to her baby in Oct 2022.
#fibroid #IVF
C had a history of 4 fibroids, and also have been trying naturally for quite some time. She decided to try IVF and she approached EMW to help her optimise her chances for IVF. We started acupuncture 2 cycles before the IVF cycle, and we worked on her body constitution to reduce stress and also to improve blood flow to her reproductive organs.
We continued acupuncture during her egg retrieval cycle and transfer cycle. She had 3 blastocysts in total and she transferred 2 blasts during the transfer cycle.
Guess what? Both got implanted and boom! Twins were out healthily and well kicking(and fighting!) when we went to visit them.
When should you get TCM fertility acupuncture in Singapore?
Generally speaking, the most important times to have acupuncture are:
- During the follicular phase – day 4 – 10 of your menstrual cycle (day 1 being the first day of heavy flow)
- The day before, day of or day after ovulation (as indicated by your LH surge)
- During implantation time (6 – 10 days after ovulation).
This works out to be approximately once or twice a week except when you are menstruating.
In an ideal world, we would like to begin seeing you 3 – 6 months prior to conception/transfer so that we can help with egg quality, work on any cycle or lining irregularities, address any nutritional concerns, and help reduce stress. If you are going through IVF or FET, we are also working to prepare you for your transfer.
For couples undergoing IVF/IUI treatments, you can opt for our TCM-IVF Enhancement Programme. We are one of the few TCM clinics that focuses on fertility acupuncture treatment in Singapore.
EMW Physiotherapy & TCM develops a customised TCM course for you during your IVF fresh or frozen cycle. During your cycle, only acupuncture will be administered. However, if you are able to start your treatment prior to your IVF cycle, we recommend starting TCM herbal medications and acupuncture at least 3-6 months prior to your cycle to improve your reproductive health.
If supplementation or herbs are warranted, they take time to work, so beginning earlier is best. Even if you decide to wait to start acupuncture, don’t wait to start supplementation. It takes 4 – 5 months for an egg to mature. If you can get started on a good quality preconception formula 3 – 6 months prior to conception/transfer, your eggs are going to have the opportunity to grow and mature in a nutrient rich environment. Our experience is that women who supplement their diets with appropriate amounts of vitamins and antioxidants typically have embryos with less fragmentation.
How many sessions of TCM acupuncture do you need for fertility?
As mentioned, we will tailor treatments to your condition but will generally recommend a treatment 1–2 times a week. Each session after the first one may last up to an hour—first a discussion period to update your TCM physician followed by a 20–40-minute session of fertility acupuncture usually practiced in Singapore.
Success stories!
#unexplained #IVF
D had been trying to conceive for a year and a half, did a round of IUI, 3 rounds of egg retrieval and a round of frozen embryo transfer prior to seeing me. She came to me when she was 39 (Nov 2021). Her menstrual cycle was regular, ultrasound scans and blood tests showed no abnormalities.
We helped her make changes to her diet and lifestyle habits and began incorporating acupuncture into her treatment plan. She did a cycle of acupuncture before trying for another round of IVF in Jan 2022, and it came back positive. She continued doing acupuncture until the end of her first trimester and successfully gave birth to her baby in Sep 2022.
#unexplained #IVF
C, 36 years old, had not been successful with her IVF-FET journey. She came to me on 13th July 2021 to optimise her reproductive health prior to her FET on 26 July 21. She had a weak constitution with chronic eczema, cold extremities and feeling fatigue most of the time.
She received acupuncture treatment twice a week prior to her FET while being disciplined with dietary and lifestyle advice given to her. We did an acupuncture session after her FET procedure on that day and followed throughout till the end of the first trimester, mostly to manage her discomforts in early trimester and her skin issue. Her FET was successful, and she gave birth to her baby boy in May 2022.
#unexplained
M has been trying for a baby for close to 3 years and also did 3x IUI in 2020 without any success. She came to EMW and we did a detailed fertility assessment. We realised her cycle ranges from 28-35 days and each cycle was met with backache, fatigue,watery stools during menses, bloatedness. She was particularly stressful as she comes from a teaching background and she took 2-3 cups of coffee each day.
We changed and cleaned up her diet and lifestyle habits and started on Chinese herbs and acupuncture. We did close to 4 cycles of acupuncture before I told her that her body condition was much better and they could proceed on to try on their own. Without surprise, she got pregnant soon after and the rest of history.
Will the needles hurt?
The sensations vary from completely unnoticed to a small pinch followed by a sensation of tingling, numbness, a dull ache, the movement of a warm fluid, or heaviness. Usually patients will go into deep relaxation during treatment. Let us know if you are taking aspirin or other anticoagulants (blood thinners). As a clinic that deals primarily with fertility acupuncture treatment in Singapore, we use disposable needles therefore the risk for infection is very, very low.
Our TCM Physicians
Principal Physician
Edmund Pang
Senior TCM Physician
Jasmine Xie
Lau Ee Wen
Make An Appointment
References
[1] Ferin M, Vande Wiele R. Endogenous opioid peptides and the control of the menstrual cycle. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 1984;18:365–73.
[2] Stener-Victorin E, Waldenström U, Andersson SA, Wikland M. Reduction of blood flow impedance in the uterine arteries of infertile women with electro-acupuncture. Hum Reprod 1996;11:1314–7.
[3] Ku YH, Chang YZ. Beta-endorphin- and GABA-mediated depressor effect of specific electroacupuncture surpasses pressor response of emotional circuit. Peptides 2001;22:1465–70.
[4] Kim JH, Nam D, Park MK, Lee ES, Kim SH. Randomized control trial
of hand acupuncture for female stress urinary incontinence. Acupunct
Electrother Res 2008;33:179–92.
[5] Manheimer E, Zhang G, Udoff L, Haramati A, Langenberg P, Berman BM, Bouter LM. Effects of acupuncture on rates of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in vitro fertilisation: systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ. 2008 Mar 8;336(7643):545-9. doi: 10.1136/bmj.39471.430451.BE. Epub 2008 Feb 7.
[6] Paulus WE, Zhang M, Strehler E, El-Danasouri I, Sterzik K. Influence of acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in patients who undergo assisted reproduction therapy. Fertil Steril 2002;77:721–4.
[7] Westergaard LG, Mao Q, Krogslund M, Sandrini S, Lenz S, Grinsted J. Acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer significantly improves the reproductive outcome in infertile women: a prospective randomized trail. Fertil Steril 2006;85:1341–6.
[8] Dieterle S, Ying G, Hatzmann W, Neuer A. Effect of acupuncture on the outcome of in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection: a randomized, prospective, controlled clinical study. Fertil Steril 2006;85:1347–51.
[9] Manheimer E, Zhang G, Udoff L, Haramati A, Langenberg P, Berman BM, et al. Effects of acupuncture on rates of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in vitro fertilisation: systematic review and meta-analysis. Br Med J 2008;336:545–9.
[10] Ng EH, So WS, Gao J, Wong YY, Ho PC. The role of acupuncture in the management of subfertility. Fertil Steril 2008;90:1–13.
Would like to increase chance of conception by traditional TCM methods.
Hi Lydia, may we have your contact details so we can answer your queries via text? Alternatively, you may text us at 9728 0455. Thank you and we look forward to hearing you soon.