Choosing an IVF clinic can be a difficult decision and myclients often tell me they feel like just another number to the clinic, with a one size fits all treatment approach. Finding the right clinic for you can make a difference in the outcome of your treatment. Also, depending on your age and own fertility needs, the right clinic can vary.
I’m often asked in our fertility acupuncture clinic – What makes a good IVF clinic? This is because the only things that clients have to go on are the clinics online stats and live birth rates.
However, stats can often be misleading as to have a live birth you need to have had a transfer. Often a clinic will not include in these statistics any data on how many patients did not get to the embryo transfer stage. This is a very important static which will help you get an idea of the overall performance of the clinic. Look for a clinic that is open and transparent with their statics when you ask.
Having frequent scans and your hormone levels measured during treatment means clinics can make important changes during your treatment where needed. The closer your clinic monitor you throughout your cycle the better, this way any changes in dosage can be done.
Questions to ask your chose IVF clinic
How many patients come for treatment but don’t get to embryo transfer stage?
How often with you scan me?
Will you take my hormone levels throughout my cycle?
Will you check my progesterone levels before I have mytransfer?
Do you add medication into my cycle to keep me in line with the clinic opening times etc or will you see me for scans and treatment that are dictated by how I am responding to treatment?
At our fertility acupuncture clinic, At Source Acupuncture, we can help you to prepare for your IVF treatment. If you would like to find out more about how we can do this, then please book a discovery call here.
All throughout my fertility journey I’ve really not had much support from professionals, until I met Anna, now I genuinely don’t know where I would be without her. Finally I feel seen, I feel heard and genuinely feel understood. After my first appointment I felt like a huge weight had been lifted and I could finally breathe again, I went away with a plan and next steps. Getting to the bottom of my symptoms has been so eye opening but also not surprising, everything Anna discovered just made so much sense. I have been following Anna’s advice for just 2 months now and already I feel soooo much healthier. I know that I still have a long way to go on my journey, but I am excited for the months ahead and feel so much more positive than I did before meeting Anna. Infertility is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to go through, but knowing I have Anna’s support and knowledge makes it a lot easier! I cannot recommend and thank Anna enough!
I first met Anna after 2 years of trying to conceive. I'd been diagnosed with "unexplained infertility" and left feeling defeated, believing my only option was IVF. Anna was a fountain of knowledge from the start and has access to advanced hormones tests. She was the one and only person who got to the root of my problems, leaving no stone unturned. Anna has always been very empowering and helped me to get a diagnosis for a longstanding underlying health condition, when I was previously dismissed by other health care professionals. Anna has been a wonderful ongoing support in an otherwise emotionally draining and very isolating journey. She is not only professional but very kind and empathetic. After working with Anna to treat my underlying health condition which was affecting my fertility, and improve my hormones, I conceived naturally very quickly! I am over the moon to be expecting a baby boy in 4 months. I will be forever grateful to Anna for her valuable knowledge and support. I don't believe I would have been able to achieve a pregnancy without her, or get a diagnosis for my health condition. I can't recommend Anna enough, thank you!
I cannot recommend Anna highly enough. Her treatment put me in excellent physical shape both before and during my cycle and she also provided fantastic emotional support and advice throughout. I was able to achieve a better than average outcome for my age and health profile in my IVF treatment and I put this down to Anna's treatment and support.
Thank you Anna for being such a vital part of our fertility journey. Reflecting back, now I truly believe your acupuncture skills, unique knowledge, attentive listening, and exploring different test to find the root cause truly made a difference in helping me to become pregnant. After several years of struggles and failed IVF attempts, now I can happily say I am only few weeks away to meeting my little one. I highly and honestly recommend Anna for all the womens struggling in their fertility journey.
Where would I be without meeting Anna? Not pregnant that is certain! After googling fertility acupuncturist after 2 years of trying with no success, meeting Anna was literally the best thing that could have happened on our fertility journey. We conducted many tests, went through much treatment and eventually we took Anna’s advice and ventured into the world of IVF. She supported me all the way through not only medically but emotionally too - Anna is always on hand for any questions and advise and boy does she know her stuff. I could recommend At Source enough - Anna’s knowledge and patience is second to none and I could not be more pleased that I found her. I was At a total loss when we met - about to give up and I’m currently now 19 weeks pregnancy with a healthy baby boy at 43 years old. Honestly blown away - I can’t thank you enough Anna - you are an absolute gem ❤️
Anna has been wonderful, as a longer term client with complex issues that the NHS have been unable to get to the bottom of for over 15 years, she has helped me understand and navigate through the findings and treat/recommend steps forward and they are really helping me with my day-to-day life.
Anna has been a great support in our fertility journey and pregnancy. From our first appointment she was a fountain of knowledge, she listened intently to our needs and concerns and was able to create a personal tailored program that suited our lifestyle, and it worked!! After only a few acupuncture sessions and once I had started on the supplements Anna recommended I fell pregnant and am currently 5 months into a happy and healthy pregnancy. I cannot recommend Anna enough if you are looking on starting your fertility journey, struggling with the process, are pregnant or have any hormone imbalance concerns!
I started seeing Anna half way through my IVF journey after two miscarriages. She offered guidance of how I could improve my health and ways to relieve stress. I saw her weekly and she structured a plan that fitted my lifestyle. I honestly believe the treatment helped balance my hormones and aided in a successful pregnancy. I have 5 month old twin girls which is truly a blessing and I will forever be grateful for her knowledge and recommendations. I continued treatment for the first trimester which I feel helped with the early symptoms. I didn't have any sickness, which is crazy since I had double the hormones carrying twins. I recommend Anna for anyone that is struggling with their fertility journey. Thank you.
From promising myself I’d address my all-over-the-place hormones in 2025 to seeing the benefits of Anna’s advice and acupuncture has really been a quality of life changer for me. I love her approach of testing, seeing the cold hard facts of your hormones for example, to adding things in before you reduce something else. I also like that Anna said I won’t see her forever but to finally see the benefits of regulated periods, energy levels returning, permission to relax, much improved nutrition and rather a lot of supplements I would never have stumbled across myself, she is really worth the investment and I’m so grateful she was recommended to me as she’s genuinely changed my life.
After years of debilitating period pains and taking a week off work every month, I can finally survive my period now, thank you so much, it's changed everything
Please complete the following questions to find out which further investigations we would recommend to support your fertility.
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From the answers you have submitted, we believe taking a Vaginal microbiome test could aid your fertility. By looking at your vaginal microbiome we can assess if you have an overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria which could be impacting your fertility. To arrange a test please contact Anna
Inside the vagina is a host of diverse bacteria known collectively as the vaginal microbiome. The dominance of different bacteria is influenced by where you are in your cycle, your diet, use of tampons, sexual intercourse and lifestyle.
The Bacteria found in the vagina is there to protect and influence the delicate balance in the vaginal tract. Pathogenic bacteria and Bacterial infections such as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), bacterial vaginosis (BV) and urinary tract infections (UTIs) can affect fertility and pregnancy outcomes.
Research now suggests that an overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria known as dysbiosis could result in problematic bacteria entering the womb causing issues with embryo implantation, and pregnancy complications.
This overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria can also have a negative impact on sperm, by coating the sperm that enters the vagina in toxins, making is less likely it will fertilise an egg.
The vaginal microbiome should be made up of a variety of Lactobacillus bacteria. Research has shown that the more good bacteria you have present the less chance of pathogenic bacterial growth, and an ideal vaginal PH will be maintained. A vaginal PH of between 3.8-4.5 is crucial for helping sperm survive the journey through the vagina to fertilise an egg and prevent the growth of unwanted bacteria.
A healthy vaginal microbiome not only increases the chances of pregnancy, and decreases the chance of miscarriage, It also impacts a babies immune system and health during birth.
From the answers you have submitted, we believe taking a Gastrointestinal microbiome test could support your fertility. The health of our gut plays an important role in fertility. To arrange a test contact Anna.
The gut does far more than just break down the foods we eat and absorb nutrients, especially when it comes to fertility. Poor gut health can cause an estrogen imbalance, which may lead to infertility issues including endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome.
Bacteria inside our gut plays an important role in our immune system. When our gut is unhappy it can lead to problems with our immune function causing chronic inflammation, which in turn can result in recurrent pregnancy loss. Chronic inflammation may also cause decreased progesterone levels leading to implantation failure.
From the answers you have submitted an oral test would be required. Our oral health can have an impact on fertility and pregnancy outcomes.
The Oral Microbiome and fertility
Periodontal disease (or periodontitis) is a prevalent oral health condition which has been estimated to affect 20-50% of the global population and is regarded as one of the greatest threats to oral health it is characterised by chronic inflammation of the periodontium (the tissues which surround and support the teeth) Early signs and symptoms to be aware of include swollen gums which bleed easily and halitosis (bad breath)
Periodontal disease it is linked with fertility issues, as inflammation in the gums can be spread throughout the whole body, which in turn can go on to prevent ovulation through the inhibition of hormone signalling that is required to trigger ovulation. Research has also shown the link with negative pregnancy outcomes such as miscarriage, preterm birth, and low birth weight. This may partly be driven by translocation of oral bacteria and/or their by- products into maternal circulation, which may then cross the placenta, reach the foetus, and stimulate an inflammatory response in the foetus. In turn, this may increase the risk of miscarriage or premature birth.
The Oral Microbiome and Male Reproductive Health
Periodontal disease has also been shown to negatively impact male reproductive health
•Sperm health: men with periodontal disease have been shown to have poor sperm quality, including sperm with poor motility. The intimate relationship between oral health and male reproductive health has been further elucidated by identification of oral pathogenic bacteria in the semen of men with fertility issues
• Erectile function: men with periodontal disease have been shown to be 2.85 times more likely to experience erectile dysfunction. An erection is caused by an increased flow of blood to the penis following sexual arousal, facilitated by increased production of nitric oxide (NO) in the local blood vessels which allows them to dilate, increasing blood flow. Chronic inflammation, which can be derived from the oral cavity as in the case of periodontal disease, may inhibit NO signalling and thus, drive erectile dysfunction.
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