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As more couples are starting families later in life, challenged fertility has become a more common health issue. While Western Medical techniques have made incredible strides over the last two decades, they remain quite expensive (an in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure can cost between $5,000 - $10,000) and have relatively low chances of success (IVF success rates* are about 25% per cycle).

Chinese Medicine provides both a complement or alternative to Western Medicines. As with all health disorders, the traditional Chinese understanding of health believes that challenged fertility is a manifestation of an imbalance in the body. Chinese medicine strives to bring the body back into balance through acupuncture, herbal medicine, dietary and lifestyle adjustments, and manual therapies.

Seeing infertility patients in our clinic, John Kang has a 60% success rate* after six menstrual cycles**. About two-thirds of his patients undergoing IVF procedures have delivered healthy babies. As a relatively new father, he takes great interest in helping couples share the joy of parenthood and is constantly learning about both Western and Eastern treatment methods.

In addition to learning from Chinese Medical Gynecologist Dr. Hua-Ling Xu, John has also received advanced clinical training in the TCM Gynecology department of the Sino-Japanese Friendship Hospital, the teaching hospital of the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. He has also interned under Dr. Randine Lewis, the author of The Infertility Cure.

If you decide to explore Chinese Medicine as a means of treatment, John would be more than happy to discuss it with you. Before calling, be sure to have BBT charts, blood tests, and menstrual history information on hand! Treatment can never be one-sided, with practitioner doing all the work; it is a partnership which depends on the patient also making lifestyle changes and complying to recommendations.

What You Can Do On Your Own
Regardless of whether or not you decide to consult us for your fertility issues, we highly recommend:

• Stop Smoking if you smoke!
• Stop or decrease alcohol intake
• Avoid caffeinated drinks, especially coffee
• Cut out refined sugars and processed foods from your diet
• Find ways to relieve stress in your life
• Take up Yoga, Taiji, or Qigong practice
• Take pre-natal vitamins
• Remember that lovemaking is more than about making babies

Recognizing that pregnancy is much more than conception, We also provide our patients with free pregnancy-related information such as:

• choosing an OB
• finding Doula and Midwife services
• Local International Cesearean Awareness Network contacts
• Traditional Recipes, health measures and Exercises for Post-Partum recovery

and we treat pregnancy-related health issues such as:

• Morning Sickness
• Threatenned and recurring miscarriage
• Flipping breech babies
• Labor induction

References are available on request.

* Success is defined as a live birth.
** The six-month rate is based on continuous treatment

What are your success rates?
Overall, 67%. After three cycles, 30% of our patients have become pregnant naturally. After six cycles, 60%. For complementary treatment with IVF, 67% of patients starting treatment for at least three months before the IVF procedure have become pregnant and delivered healthy babies.

Is age a factor?
Our oldest patient becoming pregnant thus far is 45. Average age of successfully treated patients is 34. However, beyond statistics are individuals, so we recommend discussing your unique situation before deciding for or against Chinese medicine.

How often should I come?
The frequency of acupuncture treatments depends on your specific imbalance. The average is three times a cycle.

Do I have to take herbal medicine?
Herbal medicine significantly increases your chances. Out of our successes, 75% of patients taking boiled formulas become pregnant within three cycles.

Will Chinese Medicine help with IVF if I do not start treatment early?
Studies have shown that acupuncture just during the IVF procedure (from ovarian supression to detection of a heartbeat on an ultrasound) can almost double the rate of success. However, we still recommended spending at least three cycles preparing with Chinese medicine.