Getting pregnant is not sufficient. At ECCM we define a success, not by pregnancy, but by having a healthy baby and a healthy mom. So in order to have a healthy baby, we need to first make sure we maintain a pregnancy.

The highest chance for pregnancy loss is before a fetal heart beat is detected. After that, chances are pretty good that you will carry to term. However, there are many issues besides fetal loss that need to be considered. The first trimester is a crucial time where all of your baby's organs and body aprts are first being formed. DNA expression and replication are happening at an astounding rate. Genetic problems can occur, not just from carrying a "bad" gene, but also from replication problems. And while there is never any guarantees and we can't change the actual genes themselves, we CAN ensure that the body has everything it needs to turn off genes it doesn't want and to maximize the chances of healthy replication.

Acupuncture, nutrition and exercise are some of the best ways for us to maximize our chances of having a health pregnancy and a healthy baby. It is not enough to simply take a prenatal (which many prenatals are woefully inadequate and some contain harmful substances). Even if you have a good prenatal, you still have to be able to digest and absorb it. It has to get into the blood stream, and the blood flow has to be adequate for delivery to the fetus.

Acupuncture has been demonstrated in clinical trials to significantly improve blood flow to the fetus. It has also been shown to improve digestive function and there are acupuncture points that are traditionally used to stabalize a pregnancy and even to help stop miscarriages (note that this only works where there are not chromosomal abnormalities causing the miscarriage).

In most cases we recommend specific acupuncture treatments during the first trimester on a weekly basis. After the first trimester, pregnancies tend to be much more stable and we generally follow up once a month, or as-needed if there are any discomforts during the pregnancy.

At ECCM we have a wealth of experience treating women during their pregnancies to help  optimize their bodies and maximize the chances of a healthy mother and child.