The number of couples experiencing infertility in Canada has almost doubled since 1984 to about 15%. This increases to 50% by the time a woman is 40 years old. (Bushnik T, Cook JL, Yuzpe AA, et al. "Estimating the Prevalence of Infertility in Canada." Human Reproduction 2012; 27: 738-46). Dr. Jason Hitkari, a reproductive endocrinologist and co-director at Olive Fertility Centre, and Lorne Brown, a doctor of TCM and clinical director and founder of Acubalance Wellness Centre, will be speaking on Tuesday, March 12, 2015 at Olive Fertility Centre on how an integrated approach can improve the chance of a healthy pregnancy. The information seminar is free of charge.
Infertility can be both psychologically and financially devastating. Increasingly fertility clinics are finding that integrative fertility care -- combining high tech fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) with natural therapies such as acupuncture, diet, and mind-body techniques like yoga -- may give couples struggling with infertility the best chance of getting pregnant and having a healthy baby. (IVF involves removing a woman’s eggs, fertilizing them in a lab with her partner’s sperm, and then placing the embryo back in the woman’s uterus).
A breakthrough new fertility technology called Comprehensive Chromosome Screening (CCS -- a procedure that involves screening the embryos for any chromosomal abnormalities and then choosing the chromosomally-normal embryos to put back into the mother’s uterus) is allowing fertility specialists to determine with much greater accuracy which embryos in IVF are the most likely to result in a successful pregnancy.
“We are very excited about the results we are seeing with CCS in women who are over 38 or high risk women who have had repeated miscarriages or failed IVF cycles,” says Dr Hitkari. “The main cause of miscarriage and IVF failure is due to chromosomally abnormal embryos. Using CCS to screen for this can allow us to achieve a pregnancy rate of 75%, even in high risk patients.”
But a chromosomally-normal embryo is not the whole story, according to Dr Hitkari. "Addressing the couple's overall health and their emotional well-being is also part of our commitment to patient centred care. Increasingly, medical science is looking at the role lifestyle plays in fertility. There are a growing number of studies showing how factors such as age, weight (BMI), diet, and stress levels can affect the success rate of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and the health of the child.” http://www.endocrineweb.com/professional/endoscan/201405/abstract/increasing-bmi-lowers-likelihood-successful-vitro-fertilizatio
This is where acupuncture, diet, and mind-body treatments can help women and couples optimize their fertility and get in to the best physical and mental shape for having a baby.
The combination of acupuncture, lifestyle changes, and IVF proved to be the winning formula for Andrea, who at 41 had been struggling for over six years to get pregnant. After two miscarriages Andrea decided she had to do everything she could to maximize her chance of getting pregnant. Her fertility doctor at Olive suggested she go to Acubalance Wellness Centre — a Chinese and natural medicine clinic focused on fertility.
“Dr. Brown at Acubalance showed me how to get my body back into balance through acupuncture, diet, stress management, exercise, and sleep. I lost some weight and noticed that my menstrual cycle became more regular. That, along with the medical care I received at Olive, really brought together the best of both worlds. Going into IVF with optimal health, I got pregnant on my first cycle. I didn’t feel a lot of side effects from the fertility drugs before getting pregnant, and I have been feeling really great throughout my pregnancy.”
Acubalance provides acupuncture before and after IVF transfer on-site at Olive Fertility. Just a few years ago, this kind of integration between Western and Eastern medicine would have been unheard of. Dr. Hitkari explains the sea change. “Western medicine is beginning to understand the mind-body connection better and anything that can boost women’s overall health, reduce stress, and improve the experience of their fertility journey is something we support.”
Women and couples can find out more about how to increase their chances of getting pregnant at an information seminar without any charges:
TRYING TO CONCIEVE? Your Path to Pregnancy
FREE INFORMATION SEMINAR Tuesday March 12th, 6pm–7:30pm
AT OLIVE FERTILITY CENTRE / 4th Floor
400 East Tower, 555 West 12th Avenue
Join Fertility Experts DR JASON HITKARI MD and DR LORNE BROWN DR TCM
Learn how to maximize your chance of conceiving naturally and with IVF.
Discover how advances in IVF technology are achieving a 75% pregnancy rate.
Seminar is without any cost but space is limited. You must register to reserve your seat. Contact acubalance.ca, 604-678-8600 or clinic@acubalance.ca for details
