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After two ectopic pregnancies in one year, my doctor suggested my husband and I try IVF. I tried to stay positive, but it became increasingly difficult the more time we spent at the fertility clinic.
I became more
depressed and felt terribly alone; I started to think that I was
just one of those people not meant to have children. The IVF
process was sterile and the staff at the clinic was less than
empathetic. I thought that, of all places, this would be somewhere
that people would be understanding and supportive. Instead, I was
rushed through the entire process and was made to feel inadequate.
I felt like more of a statistic than a human being.
Never one to put all my trust in anyone, especially medical professionals, I started doing my own research. The statistics of improved success with IVF when combined with acupuncture were everywhere. I read many stories of women who had become pregnant with the help of Eastern medicine. I was surprised no one at the fertility clinic had told me anything about this so I called them for referrals. One name on the list was Anca's.
I looked at this very same site and read the stories like the one I am writing now. They gave me hope when I needed it the most and I called Anca the next morning on my way to work. I was halfway through the IVF process when I had my first appointment with her.
The first
meeting lasted two hours. Anca conducted a review of my health and
medical history that was more thorough and accurate than any doctor
I have ever met with. She asked questions that let me know not only
that she knew what she was doing, but that she cared. She was
professional and nurturing; she put me at ease immediately.
In the end, the
IVF failed and the process left me feeling broken. After only one
attempt, the doctor actually suggested I look into egg donors or
adoption. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Anca, on the
other hand, was optimistic. She asked that I wait three cycles
before I try anything else because she believed that with her
combination of acupuncture and personalized herbal therapies, she
could help me achieve a viable pregnancy naturally despite my
history.
I went to Anca
once a week, took the herbs she prescribed and started recording my
basal temperature. It was amazing how she could look at my
temperature chart or feel my pulses and diagnose so many problems.
Each week, I felt more encouraged and more in control of my
fertility. I looked forward to my appointments; I left each one
feeling relaxed, rejuvenated and positive. Over the course of
treatment, Anca became a confidant, ally and friend.
Ultimately, it
took only two cycles. I found out I was pregnant and immediately
called Anca. I continued to see her throughout my pregnancy and she
told me early on that I was having a girl. She was correct—my
daughter was born in February 2006.
My husband and I
swear by acupuncture. We have turned numerous friends onto it, all
of whom have gone on to become pregnant. We are so grateful to Anca
for all of her help and support. She gave us the most precious gift
in the world: our beautiful daughter.
Penny
My husband and I
considered trying to get pregnant when I was 31 but we decided to
wait because we wanted to further our careers, establish our
finances and travel. I suffered with endometriosis since I was 19
but had 2 surgeries to ‘correct’ it before. After achieving our
‘goals’, we decided to actively try when I was 33 (still young in my
mind). We tried naturally with no success for 1 year. I had yet
another laparoscopic surgery performed, only to be told I had Stage
IV endometriosis once again & needed further surgery to remove it
and then should consider going for infertility services. I bypassed
the surgery and when right to a fertility specialist. It was then
we were told we should consider adoption as my fsh level was 17.9.
I didn’t even know what FSH was! No doctor ever warned me about the
consequences of surgery. Had I known that my egg supply would
diminish with each ovarian surgery, I would have never had them!
Fast forward to
2005. I had seen many Reproductive Endocrinologists that turned me
away (some even laughing at me) due to my FSH level (It had gone
down since that initial testing but once you test high, you’re
always considered high). Each one of them pushed their Donor Egg
program. I finally found an RE to work with me but they were not
equipped to handle ‘problem’ cases, their protocol did not work for
me. I only had 2 eggs at retrieval, 1 fertilized and was
implanted. I got pregnant but miscarried at 9weeks due to Down’s
syndrome. We were distraught.
It was then
that I decided to do a lot of research. I came across Anca’s
website and was intrigued. I met her in New York and was so
comforted by our meeting. I felt better immediately. I just knew
she could help me. She directed me to an acupuncturist in my area
who was very knowledgeable in infertility. I sent Anca my IVF
calendar detailing all the drugs I needed to take and when & she
custom-blended herbs for me to use during this cycle (I found
another doctor who was very experienced in dealing with high fsh).
She instructed me as to what vitamins/minerals to take during the
cycle as well. She guided me every step of the way during this
cycle. Even though she was on one coast & I was on the other, I
still felt very comforted by her knowledge!
Well the cycle
worked! I had 7 eggs retrieved, 3 left at transfer. We put all 3
back in and one took! Anca once again directed me as to what
vitamins I needed to take to help ensure a healthy pregnancy. My
little girl was born 10/25/06 and she’s just perfect!!!
I am eternally
grateful to Anca. I know without her guidance, support and
knowledge my little girl would not be here!
Sincerely,
Kimberle,
Anthony and baby Sarah
I heard about
Anca Sira through word of mouth. Having had two miscarriages, I
needed to take steps to improve the odds and I knew she had helped
many women in the same situation. She impressed me immediately with
her professional yet personal approach.
Unlike most
conventional physicians, Anca started by taking a thorough history
of my general health. It turned out I had a spleen imbalance which
might affect my hormones. She recommended a hormone-balancing diet
as well as herbs that I was to take three times per day. I saw her
for treatments once a week and came to look forward to these
sessions with her. It was like having a spa treatment and a therapy
session at the same time, and after a while I felt better just
entering her office. After six months of treatment I got pregnant,
and continued seeing Anca throughout the pregnancy. In June 2006, I
gave birth to a healthy baby girl.
I’m convinced
that Anca helped me get and stay pregnant. In addition to the actual
acupuncture treatment; she cared about me and made me feel good
about my situation. I remember many times hearing her say: “Monica,
honey, you’ll get pregnant; it’s just a matter of time”. In my
experience, the treatment helped my body get in shape and prepare it
for a healthy pregnancy, and during the nine months of pregnancy,
Anca stood by my side with emotional support and good advice. I had
a very easy pregnancy, and attribute this to a combination of good
eating habits, yoga and Anca!
One other plus
about Anca is that she is well connected in the community. I needed
a new OB/Gyn, and she gave me a recommendation that was very
satisfying. She is also familiar with local doula services and other
great resources for healthy pregnancy and birth.
Over time, I
came to view Anca as a friend, and felt that she shared our joy as I
got pregnant and had our baby.
My husband and I
are so glad we found her!
Monica
At age 31 my
husband and I decided to start trying to have a child. We soon
found ourselves pregnant. At almost 10 weeks I had a natural
miscarriage. This was a devastating experience for us. When I
asked my ob/gyn if she would run tests on me or watch me more
carefully she stated she would only do that if I had a second
miscarriage. With that said I knew I needed to take care of myself
and find an alternative path for my care. Needless to say the whole
experience of the miscarriage was heartbreaking. I couldn’t snap
out of the feeling of what was wrong with me after several more
months of trying. I decided that I wanted to look into acupuncture
for fertility and I Googled just that on the internet and found
Anca! This truly began my life changing experience. I
immediately called Anca and explained our situation and she
comforted me from the very beginning. I met with her weekly and we
immediately worked on my cycle and my diet. She would customize
herbs to my cycle as well. Within almost four months I was
pregnant! Anca informed me that I could continue to see her through
my first trimester and then I could be on my own. The care and
friendship I received from Anca allowed me to get through my entire
pregnancy. It wasn’t just the acupuncture and the herbs it was
having someone to discuss my fears with that I was receiving as
well. Every time I saw Anca I always felt better when I left.
Needless to say I continued to see her through my entire pregnancy.
From the beginning she thought I was having a girl and sure enough I
did! She also told me I would go into labor on a Friday evening and
deliver on a Saturday and I sure did! I can’t express in words what
a wonderful person Anca is and how much the whole process helped
me! We now have a beautiful baby girl. She was born at 39 ½ weeks
6lbs 14oz and 20.9 inches long and a full head of hair! I continue
to see Anca for post partum care and general well being. It has
been an incredible experience. She helped make something possible
that I thought might not ever be. Thank you Anca<
Keri
After 3 years of
marriage filled with extensive traveling and making the most of our
life without children, my husband and I decided we were ready to have
a family. My being 30 years old at the time, we thought it
would happen fairly quickly and easily. After 6 months of
trying, we were pregnant. Everything was going great, until
about 10 weeks along when I started bleeding. My husband and I
went in for an ultrasound and to our shock we had lost the baby.
We were devastated. How could this happen?
After 6 months of grief and sorrow, we were pregnant again!
This time we were much more guarded and not nearly as naïve –
miscarriages were much more common than we had realized. Again,
about 8 weeks into the pregnancy I started bleeding. We went in
for an ultrasound and were thrilled to see a heartbeat!
Everything was okay – or so we thought. One week later I
started bleeding again. We went in for another ultrasound and
were told the baby had not grown and there was no longer a heartbeat.
We cannot explain in words the pain we felt. How could two
young, healthy people keep losing babies? The doctor told us to
not give up and to keep trying. “It was just bad odds.”
As much as we wanted a child how could we continue to go through such
heartache. We felt we had to do something. A friend
suggested I call Anca. One week after my second miscarriage I
had my first appointment. I was thoroughly impressed and
immediately felt a burden lift from my shoulders. Anca made me
feel confident I was in good hands, and that she could help. I
could tell she truly cared. She was very detailed in the
questions she asked during my first visit and along with acupuncture;
put me on a diet filled with added protein and the appropriate
vitamins, minerals, and herbs to help support the growth of a healthy
baby.
Along with addressing our miscarriage issues, I also visited Anca to
improve and maintain my general health and wellbeing. I
immediately saw and felt beneficial changes. After years of
having cold hands and feet, with Anca’s help my circulation had
improved greatly and I was no longer cold anymore. If I were
getting sick I would schedule an appointment and would leave feeling
good as new.
After 6 months of seeing Anca every two weeks, I was pregnant again!!
This time, from the beginning it just felt right. I continued
to see Anca once a week for the first 14 weeks at which point she
said that I did not have to see her anymore. She had been such
an integral part of helping me hold the baby and had provided such
positive emotional support, that I continued to see her throughout
the entire pregnancy. If we had any questions or concerns after
doctor’s appointments or in general, Anca was always available and
happy to lend her knowledge and support to ease our minds.
On
January 18, 2006
, our dreams came true when our beautiful baby boy was born. We
truly believe that he arrived healthy and safe due to Anca’s
treatment and expertise. We cannot thank her enough for
everything she has done for our family.
Michelle and Matt
I was 36 and had
been trying to get pregnant for almost a year and 1/2 when a friend
suggested I see an acupuncturist. She had heard of Anca and
suggested I call her. I am sure glad I did!
When I first met
Anca, I immediately knew I was in good hands. She is so easy and
enjoyable to talk to. I was convinced I couldn't get pregnant. I
had tried Clomid without success and basically was committed to
starting drug therapy or whatever it took in a few months. I figured
that was as long as I could take waiting any longer. After our
lengthy first conversation going over all of my history, Anca
convincingly and reassuringly told me to give her three months.
She was sure she could help me get pregnant--and she did!
I spent the
next three months going to see Anca about every other weekend. In
addition to the acupuncture treatments, she put me on a special
fertility diet and supplemented it with various herbs. Although at
first the diet was difficult to follow, I soon felt so good and had
so much energy, people I knew kept asking me about it and wanting to
copy it! I really looked forward to our visits. She was so
knowledgeable, encouraging and just great to talk with. We would
talk about everything that had been happening fertility-wise and
just about anything else that had been going on in life as well. In
fact, Anca's diet, advice and general know-how became such a big
part of my life and by default that of my husband's and close
friends, they would often say to me when we questioned something,
"what would Anca say?" She became and continues to be a dear
friend to me.
After two
months, I began getting nervous again but Anca reassured me that
things were going well and to hang in there. Our last official
--trying to get pregnant --visit I will never forget. I went to see
Anca on a Saturday and I was really discouraged thinking that I
would never get pregnant. She felt my pulse and said to me that she
of course didn't want to get my hopes up but, just maybe my wish may
have been realized and that I was pregnant with a boy. I didn't
think much of it--or didn't want to anyway, not wanting to go
through another month of being let down. However, on Christmas eve,
I felt my first serious pang of nausea. I was elated!
Anca was
right. Three months and there it was-- a positive pregnancy test.
I don't think words can describe how happy I was at that very
moment. My pregnancy went perfectly fine, I'm convinced thanks to
how well prepared my body was to support my growing baby. This
Christmas we shared with our beautiful 4 month old baby boy. I will
forever be grateful to Anca and what joy she has helped me
realize--being a mommy is a wonderful thing!
Christina
Christina gave
birth to a healthy baby boy
I was
38 when my husband and I began trying for a baby. After
about 4 months with no success we began traditional
treatment, where I was diagnosed with "diminished
ovarian reserve," which supposedly meant my eggs weren't
plentiful or healthy.
The clinic doctors recommended I
go through their fertility program, beginning with Clomid and progressing to IVF, with two doctors
suggesting that IVF would give me the best chances,
but no guaranteed success. My husband and I found that
the rollercoaster ride was too emotional for me, and
that the drugs (Clomid and HCG) were making me crazy,
such that the next step, injectables (a precursor to IVF),
would be too much for our relationship. We both felt
also that the intrauterine insemination that
followed was just too impersonal. I also felt that
the
doctors did not really understand the emotional
component of the process and that their insistence on
diagnosing me put a real strain on me physically and
emotionally, inhibiting my chances.
I
also decided to try acupuncture, going to someone who
had been recommended to me by a friend. After five
months of weekly acupuncture appointments, which also
coincided with the fertility treatments, I decided to
stop both acupuncture and the treatments - my hopes were
diminished, and I didn't feel my acupuncturist was
tuning in - that her treatments were haphazard and based
on guesswork.
The
first month after we stopped treatments, I became
pregnant, but lost the baby after about 7 weeks. We
decided to take a break and as a last resort that I
would try acupuncture again - if that didn't work, we
would consider adoption.
My sister found Anca's
website, and I was very hopeful just reading the
testimonials. I emailed Anca, and she called me soon
after, where I was instantly comforted by her manner and
hopefulness. After 3 months of Anca's treatments (and a
month after I turned 40) I became pregnant, and am
now over 7 months pregnant! The baby is healthy, the
pregnancy is normal, and I'm sure that Anca's treatment
(including her fantastic bedside manner, her emotional
support, and her availability - she always returned my
calls immediately) was a necessary and wonderful part of
this new journey my husband and I have embarked upon.
Jenny
Jenny gave
birth to a healthy baby girl
My journey to
conception has been a long one that has spanned 9 years. At age 21 I
was diagnosed with ovarian failure and told that my options were
basically adoption. This was a hard pill to swallow given that I'd
always thought I would have my own biological children and
pregnancies to enjoy. It was a rite of passage for me to be pregnant
and go through labor, so hearing this news was very hard for me. I
had helped so many family members through labor that it was
something I was comfortable with and wanted to experience first
hand. So in 1995 my husband and I embarked on the journey to
conception with the aid of IVF.
I made peace with using donor eggs
and my husband’s sperm and looked forward to being pregnant and
becoming a mother. At that time IVF technology had little to offer
in terms of treating immune system issues and treatments consisted
of heparin and aspirin as I tested positive for high NK cells. I
went through 10 unsuccessful IVF’s with the 11th resulting in a
positive pregnancy finally! By the time we came to IVF number eleven
Enbrel and IVIG were being used to treat high NK assays. So not only
were we finally pregnant but I was pregnant with quadruplets. We
were ecstatic and terrified. At 16 weeks I was hospitalized with a
high fever and delirium. I had a raging infection that took the
lives of my babies one by one. Had I been given antibiotics they
would have survived. Depressed and devastated to say the least we
went home and decided to think about what we wanted to do next, this
was 1998. In the course of 3 years we had been through 11 IVF
cycles.
We decided to adopt a beautiful little girl from my native country
and for the next six years we raised her and were a happy family of
three. My desire have another child brought us to IVF number 12.
This time my RE recommended that I get acupuncture to help with my
immune system and referred me to Anca. When I met her I immediately
knew that I was in good hands. I felt immediately comfortable with
Anca and trusted that she could help me. I chose not to take herbs
as I was on so many medications and saw Anca weekly. I came to find
my sessions with her very relaxing and in a short while began to
notice that my allergies were no longer bothering me. I saw this as
my immune system calming down. Anca had my husband on some
supplements as his sperm count needed a little help. When it came
time for our transfer everything looked great, my lining was perfect
and my husband's sperm count was high and we transferred 3 perfect
embryos. My hCG test came back positive and we were elated.
I continued to see Anca until I was 16 weeks pregnant and then saw
her monthly for tune-ups. In the beginning I had a lot of morning
sickness and Anca’s treatments would alleviate this and a funny
thing was that my husband asked that she not treat this as it was an
identifiable symptom that the pregnancy was going well. I still
needed to do IVIG but I attribute the acupuncture to this successful
pregnancy. I am now 28 weeks along and plan to see Anca until I
deliver our son. My husband, daughter and I are ecstatic and can't
wait to welcome our new son into the family.
I feel that Anca was key in preparing my body and helping me to
maintain this pregnancy. I would recommend her to anyone looking to
get pregnant and stay pregnant.
M.G.
M.G.
gave birth to a healthy baby boy
I had my first child at 35 with no difficulties and thought that having a second would be just as easy. I’d been trying to conceive for three years and within that time I had two miscarriages and one pregnancy terminated due to chromosomal abnormalities discovered by a CVS test. Since then I have had many fertility tests with varying results and I began consulting with a Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE) that resulted in more tests and was then told that clotting might be a problem as well as having ovarian depletion with poor quality eggs. I was also told that if I tried to conceive naturally, my success rate would be 10%. I was told my best chances of conception were via IVF and with that procedure the success rate with my own eggs would be about 15%. I was given a Clomid challenge test, which I failed, and then conversation turned to the donor egg option as the best chance of conception. It was then that friends and my RE referred me to Anca.
I called Anca at a time when I was feeling very discouraged and confused by everything and what next steps I should take. I was certainly open to assistance with Eastern medicine since I had never done this before. After calling Anca and speaking about my situation with my diagnosis and tests, she encouraged me to wait to do IVF because she felt she could address my problems and that I had a good possibility of conceiving naturally. I scheduled an appointment and brought all my medical documents and test results to it. I was so struck by how she conducted the consultation because she was so thorough in terms of questions asked about my history and how much attention she paid to me as an individual. She viewed me as a whole person and not body parts. It was the most thorough intake I’ve had to date in my whole medical career.
I began weekly treatments of acupuncture and herbs. I was still contemplating IVF so I went in to see my RE for a mock transfer. During this procedure, he remarked that my follicle count had doubled to 12 and my lining thickened since it had thinned by the Clomid. He said a funny thing at that visit, on a scale of 1-10, 1 being the worst—I was a 6 or 7, so now my prognosis had completely changed. My gut feeling at the time was that the IVF would not be successful having been through three prior difficult situations and that if I did IVF I should do donor egg.
After discussing my fears with Anca, we decided to wait three more months and try conception on our own since things looked so promising. I continued with the weekly acupuncture sessions and herbs she prescribed.
Within this time period I celebrated my 39th birthday. After about three months of treatment, Anca said I was pregnant based upon my pulses. Of course I was elated but didn’t want to get my hopes up in case she was wrong. The following week I came in and had already taken a home pregnancy test although I didn’t tell Anca the results. She again checked my pulses and said I was still pregnant. The HPT test was faulty and had given me a strange reading that I had interpreted as negative and here was Anca insisting that I was pregnant. I went home and retested the next day and lo and behold it came out positive! I was so overjoyed yet so worried about this pregnancy given my prior history.
I continued to see Anca weekly for the first 14 weeks and never had a cramp or spotting. She kept assuring me that this pregnancy was a keeper and I started to feel more confident as each test came back normal. The CVS was normal and my recent 19-week scan was normal. I’m
six and a half months now and continue to see her monthly. Our son is due in April and I’m so thankful to have found Anca, as she is not only my doctor and coach but my friend as well. I refer her to anyone who is looking for a compassionate and capable acupuncturist and healer.
Anne
Anne gave birth to a healthy baby boy
I am so thankful for Anca!
About 9 months ago, I was feeling quite distressed as I was struggling to become pregnant. I had miscarried a year earlier with my first pregnancy and was starting to worry that I was never going to be able to get pregnant again. My husband and I were diligent, using an ovulation kit every month, yet month after month, I continued getting my period. I knew that after a year of trying without success, I needed to see my doctor to explore possible fertility issues, especially because I was 36 years old and knew time was not on my side. However, because I really wanted to become pregnant naturally and avoid any type of fertility drug treatments, I decided to look into acupuncture first.
I had no prior experience with acupuncture, but was very open to the idea. I searched for acupuncturists for fertility issues online and found a center in San Francisco well known for their success at treating fertility. It sounded promising, however after learning more about the recommended treatments and costs (which were quickly adding up to thousands of dollars for just a few months of treatment), I felt discouraged and skeptical, wondering if the majority of acupuncturists were just about making money. However, I kept looking and came across Anca Sira’s name. When I spoke with her, I was immediately struck with my feelings of ease and her sense of humor. She asked great questions and described a much less intensive treatment (instead of 3 treatments a week, she suggested one or two a month). I got the sense that she was truly interested in helping me, so I immediately made an appointment with her.
At our first meeting, she took a long, thorough history and at the end, told me that she felt confident that I would become pregnant within 3 months. This was music to my ears, however I remained cautiously optimistic, as I did not want to get my hopes up. She prescribed some herbs for me to take and requested that I make some changes to my diet. At the beginning, she focused treatment on my painful periods, which may have been symptomatic of other problems. I soon found that during my next two menstrual cycles, I had less bloating and much less discomfort. Thus, I knew the treatments were working and that changes were happening in my body. Then during my 3rd ovulation cycle, I got pregnant… just as she predicted. I immediately called Anca to share the news and the next time I saw her (at about 6-7 weeks), she felt my pulse and said, “Yes, you are definitely pregnant. And it’s a girl!” I asked how in the world she knew that! She explained that there is a quality to the pulse that indicates not only pregnancy, but also reveals the baby’s gender. I was fascinated and could not wait to find out if she was right. At our 20-week ultrasound, we got confirmation that we are indeed having a girl. Amazing!
I am now 35-weeks along, due in January and am very excited to meet our baby girl. My husband and I feel so blessed that we have this child coming into our world, and I am thankful to Anca for her help in creating this miracle.
One of the best parts about working with Anca is not only is she skilled and knowledgeable about Eastern medicine, she is also a wonderful person. I feel like I’m going in to see a good friend whenever I have an appointment. She is compassionate, gentle, honest, and I think she truly wants to help people. An example of this: during one appointment, she prescribed a new bottle of herbs. She retrieved a bottle and explained that because a previous client had purchased the bottle but then brought it back to her unopened (the client had apparently gotten pregnant before needing the herbs), she was giving them to me for free. Anca could have easily charged me for the unopened bottle, but she didn’t. I really appreciated her integrity and honesty, and it only reinforced my trust in her.
I recommend that anyone with any fertility issues (or pregnancy related complaints) go and visit my friend Anca!
Amy
Amy gave birth to a healthy baby girl
We had been
trying to conceive for about 18 months, and I was pretty discouraged
about the whole process when I met Anca. I had been receiving
acupuncture treatments for over a year at a large clinic in San
Francisco. It was very cold and impersonal and felt like an
assembly line, which was not helping my mindset at all. We had
already completed two IUI cycles and were getting ready to move to
IVF when I first contacted Anca. She was terrific from
the beginning – she asked lots of questions beyond just medical
issues, exploring all aspects of our lives that might affect
fertility. She took a very holistic approach, which I found
encouraging. For the first time in a long time I actually felt
there might be a chance for us.
I worked with
Anca for six months before we were ready for IVF. In the end
we decided to use an egg donor because the results from our IUIs
made it clear my body didn’t want to get pregnant with my own
eggs. Anca was terrific as we worked through many of the
emotional issues attached with the decision. In addition to
acupuncture during the IVF cycle, I had a treatment immediately
before and after the egg transfer. We are now very excited to
be expecting twins! I have worked with Anca throughout my
pregnancy to ensure everything continues to go well.
I feel Anca
has played a huge role in getting us to this point. Her skill
and knowledge about acupuncture and herbs have been invaluable, but
I also feel that her caring and understanding of the whole process
has made a profound difference. I feel like she has been a
partner and friend throughout this emotional yet exciting period,
and I highly recommend her to anyone going through the whole
fertility “nightmare.” Fingers crossed, she’s helping us
reach a very happy ending.
JoAnn
JoAnn gave birth to two healthy boys
I was referred to Anca after considering acupuncture with whom many
consider the guru of infertility acupuncture. This other
practitioner I found to be quite rigid in her practice guidelines
and not someone who would work with my needs in seeking pregnancy.
Prior to
considering acupuncture to achieve pregnancy, my husband and I tried
for about 9 months with no success. I sensed something was
wrong, as my cycles had become quite irregular and I was having
erratic PMS symptoms. I finally had my hormone levels checked
and discovered I was not ovulating. I was also told by two
different infertility specialists that I would not get pregnant on
my own and that I might not even be eligible to begin with Clomid.
At the advice of my friend who is an OB/GYN nurse practitioner, I
began a diet higher in protein and lower in carbs. By month
two I was ovulating again and my cycles were becoming regular, but
no pregnancy. Month three I got pregnant and then miscarried at
6 weeks. Then I decided to begin acupuncture after reading
many promising medical reports (I am a western medical provider)
supporting the benefits on acupuncture in women seeking pregnancy.
Even my alma mater, Stanford School of Medicine, uses acupuncture in
their IVF clinic to increase the implantation rates.
I knew I
made the right decision as soon as I met Anca. She was
straightforward, approachable, warm, and funny. She was
optimistic about my likelihood of getting pregnant, and most of all,
she worked with my comfort level regarding acupuncture. I chose
not to incorporate herbs. Anca was supportive of this decision
and adjusted my acupuncture schedule to accommodate this decision.
During each session, she stayed with me in the room (this is
unusual, as I later found out from people who saw other oriental
practitioners). Part of the time she spent using tuning forks
to enhance the effect and part of the time she would simply sit and
talk with me. It was always a pleasure. I got pregnant
the first month of acupuncture and am now about to deliver our first
child. My first trimester was typical with twenty-four hour
nausea. I saw Anca during this time, too, to help alleviate
this. She would always return my desperate phone calls
promptly and tried to work me in quickly. Acupuncture certainly
worked better than ginger, small meals, and every other trick I
tried.
I am so
glad that I chose to try Acupuncture first when trying to get
pregnant. It felt safe and non-invasive, compared with the
alternative of infertility treatments. I know I am lucky that
I responded well and that many women need the assistance of
infertility medications. I would encourage those women to also
incorporate acupuncture into their regimen. I also highly
recommend Anca as a skilled and compassionate clinician in oriental
medicine with a strong foundation in infertility issues.
Stephanie
Stephanie gave
birth to a healthy baby girl.
My husband and I started seeing Anca in November 2002. My Fertility Specialist recommended her after a failed In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) cycle. My husband and I were struggling with infertility mainly caused by low sperm function (motility and morphology). After the failed IVF attempt I came to realize I had an egg production issue where my ovaries don’t want to respond to stimulation medication.
Immediately upon meeting Anca, I knew I was in good hands. Not only is she knowledgeable in just about everything that has to do with fertility, but her natural ability to care for people shows through in everything she does. I never felt like I was a number or some experiment. She really took the time to listen about everything to do with our infertility problems – both medical and emotional.
Anca put both my husband and I on a new diet, herb supplementation, and acupuncture treatments. The new diet made me feel great. In a way, I felt like I was cleansing my system. The herbs were easy to take – most of them being in capsule form, and the treatments were wonderful. They were a great chance to relax and focus on our goal of having a baby.
In February 2003, we went through our second IVF cycle. My egg production numbers went up from one egg produced the first cycle to five produced the second. And, we found out that my husband’s sperm function improved significantly in those three short months. In fact, we were even told that with those numbers we should be able to conceive on our own!
I am happy to say that we are now two months pregnant. I continue to see Anca for treatments during my pregnancy, and plan to make her acupuncture a part of my health care for years to come. When we are ready to try for our second child, we will seek Anca’s help to maximize our potential of natural conception.
Barbara and Scott
Barbara gave
birth to a healthy baby boy. Recently she called to tell me that
whatever I had done to Scott worked as they were now 9 weeks
pregnant with number two naturally.
Anca's support and sense of humor helped tremendously during our very
difficult time of "infertility". I believe that the treatment she
provided helped me to prepare my body for pregnancy. The herbs that
she prescribed for my husband boosted his sperm count, eventually helping us to conceive. We are now expecting our first child in July!
Susan
Susan gave
birth to a healthy baby boy
My husband and I had been trying to get pregnant for about a year and a half with no luck. We used the ovulation kits and had even been to a fertility doctor but still couldn't get pregnant. Finally, a friend suggested that I consider acupuncture and recommended that I go see Anca. I didn't know much about acupuncture but thought I would give it a try. I went to see Anca and she was wonderful. She gave me a treatment and put me on some herbs. We also talked about me tracking my temperature on a daily basis. I went back a couple of weeks later and had another treatment done. A few weeks later I was shocked and elated to find out that I was pregnant. My husband and I truly believe that Anca was our angel in helping us get pregnant. We would highly recommend anyone experiencing infertility problems to go and see Anca.
Jennifer
Jennifer gave birth to a healthy baby girl.
After two years and three reproductive endocrinologists, I found Anca – who combined the best virtues of a doctor, coach and acupuncturist. This was my second attempt at pregnancy. I conceived, four years ago, with the help of
Clomid. But the second time around, after six months of seeing
Clomid, I still wasn’t pregnant.
My husband and I were tested and all our “levels” were good -- if not great. I had an FSH of 5.6, at the age of 39! So, I decided it was time to seek help from an acupuncturist who specialized in fertility challenges. I adhered to an extremely restrictive diet, took more herbs than I can count and religiously had acupuncture treatments once a week for almost a year. Still nothing.
That’s when we decided to try a more traditional, more aggressive Western approach, in conjunction with acupuncture and herbs. But after a few IUIs, more acupuncture, and more herbs – still nothing. My endocrinologist suddenly moved. So I found another, and then another. More tests, more drugs, more herbs. No luck.
Then I found Anca.
Her approach was supportive and nurturing. This was something I wasn’t getting elsewhere, which I knew I needed. I was attempting one of life’s most emotional endeavors – to create another life. I’d spent almost two years being poked, prodded, starved, herbed, and injected. But I hadn’t been nurtured.
Anca took the time to ask me about my history and my life, as well as my medical rap sheet. She called me immediately when something occurred to her and didn’t wait till my next appointment. Anca’s interest in my desire to conceive was as natural as it was exceptional. She was attentive and understanding. She was my coach, my doctor and my friend.
I am now entering my sixth month of pregnancy. I feel great and still seek Anca’s treatment and advice. I recommend her often to people I know, and even to some that I’ve just met!
Lori
Lori gave birth to a healthy baby girl.
I want to send you a picture of our baby boy, Ari. He's 11 weeks old now! After 3 years of trying with 2 miscarriages, conceived with the help of acupuncture, I found you. And after a few months, I had a viable pregnancy and had a beautiful baby boy at 44 with no fertility drugs!
I just celebrated my first mother's day...
Thanks so much,
Cheryl
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