Treating recurrent pregnancy loss with acupuncture

Recurrent miscarriage and TTC

Recurrent miscarriage loss is defined at having three or more miscarriages prior to 20 weeks gestation. However, even having one miscarriage takes an emotional toll. Someone once said to me "once you've been pregnant and lost that pregnancy, you will never be pregnant the same again." So, for very good reason, the thought of getting pregnant again because you have had one or more pregnancies in the past can be scary. Even terrifying. According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine about 25% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage. And that's just the one's known, plenty more are "missed". Miscarriage, also known as "spontaneous abortion" can happen at any time during a pregnancy, but is most common during the first trimester. Unfortunately we see a lot of patients suffering with recurrent pregnancy loss. They are usually confused, lost as to what to do next, or where to look for help. Many patients are confused as to why they would even need a fertility specialist's help at this stage since they know they can get pregnant. Well that is a very wrong assumption. Because, miscarriage and pregnancy loss are actually workable BEFORE pregnancy. We keep talking about fertility and GETTING pregnant, but not so much about how to STAY pregnant. This post is going to focus all about ways to maintain a healthy, viable pregnancy. To start with, let's start with the positive. You ARE able to get pregnant. This shows your body knows what to do. Now we need to work on holding that pregnancy to full term. I can help you with that

What causes miscarriage

Pregnancy loss and miscarriage is a common issue that needs to be dealt with and is something I often see in patients. The causes are multifaceted: there are chromosomal abnormalities, endocrine imbalances, male factors, autoimmune disorders, environmental factors and anatomical abnormalities that can cause a pregnancy to terminate. Many of these causes can be subtle and may not be picked up via routine testing. Other possible causes include:

• Uterine or cervical abnormalities
• Chronic illness
• Hormonal imbalances
• Infections
• Fever
• Blood incompatibility
• Age
• Folate insufficiency
• Smoking
• Alcohol use
• Use of certain medications and/or illicit drug use
• Trauma
• Stress

Ways to prevent miscarriage

We highly recommend women achieve a healthy lifestyle BEFORE becoming pregnant. But even if that hasn't happened here are some tips to achieve a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy

• Eat a healthy, well balanced diet rich in vitamins, nutrients and minerals
• Exercise regularly, under your physician's supervision avoiding excessively strenuous exercise
• Maintain a healthy weight before and during pregnancy
• Manage stress
• Take a prenatal vitamin with folate (not folic acid)
• Stop smoking/avoid alcohol
• Caffeine limitation
• Avoid environmental hazards (x-rays, radiation, etc..)
• Get enough sleep: your body is VERY busy during pregnancy and it needs extra rest

Next steps

When dealing  with recurrent pregnancy loss we highly suggest seeking a specialist to rule out chromosomal, hormonal, immunological, physiological factors before attempting conception again. Once those are ruled out we also highly suggest adding a series of acupuncture treatments prior to pregnancy to allow your body to get into the best fertility shape possible! Alongside self-care prevention measures listed above, particular treatments and therapies can increase your chances of maintaining a healthy and successful pregnancy. Acupuncture and herbs can be very useful in miscarriage prevention, especially when it is not provoked by chromosomal abnormalities

How can acupuncture help?

During the first trimester, acupuncture is used to help prevent miscarriage and provide a stabilizing effect on the pregnancy, and regulate hormones. Acupuncture helps to minimize nausea, morning sickness, fatigue, migraines, bleeding, and spotting. At Health Pointe Jacksonville we consider ourselves partners in your health, and when it comes to our fertility patients we are 100% along for the ride. We treat women of all stages of fertility, from preconception, trying to conceive, pregnancy, to post partum and beyond. Our approach starts with a careful evaluation to uncover any underlying factors that may be preventing you from conceiving or maintaining a pregnancy. We also help you navigate your pregnancy. Read more on the top12 reasons to get acupuncture during pregnancy here Along with the highest of highs that one of our beloved patients is pregnant, comes the lowest of lows in learning another has lost a pregnancy. Miscarriage is such a tough topic for so many women but the reality is that is not so uncommon, and it's something we have years of experience helping women navigate both mentally and physically after such a devastating loss. We use acupuncture and herbs to help the body physically heal and regain hormone balance and at the same time we work to help heal our patients from the trauma and grief that often accompany a loss  like this. When we work with mamas-to-be we who have experienced previous pregnancy loss, we are well aware of the anxiety that often accompanies a new pregnancy and work hard to stay ahead of it. All this to say, you are not alone and we are here to help!   To learn more about how acupuncture can safely and effectively be incorporated into care to help maintain a healthy pregnancy please call  (904) 448-0046 for a consultation today.