Alyssa D.

When I first came to the Texas Center for Reproductive Acupuncture last August, I had experienced nearly three years of infertility followed by a difficult In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) cycle resulting in a devastating miscarriage. Once we decided to try IVF again, I wanted to do things differently to ensure that we would have a better outcome – so I began seeing Dave and Kirsten for acupuncture.

I started going twice a week about three months before my second IVF cycle. I loved the treatments and greatly looked forward to each and every visit. The acupuncture totally relaxed me and helped reduce much of the stress and anxiety associated with IVF. In addition, they gave me really helpful tips on diet, exercise and stress-relief that I followed religiously in order to maximize my chances of becoming pregnant. When it was time for my egg retrieval and embryo transfer in late November, I felt that my body and spirit were in the best possible shape for conception – largely due to my time spent at TCRA. My transfer was done on the Friday after Thanksgiving, and I will always be very grateful to Dave and Kirsten for so graciously making themselves available to us on that day (especially at the early hour of 6 a.m.!) when they could have been enjoying their holiday with family and friends.

We were ecstatic to find out that the cycle was successful and we were pregnant, and one of my first phone calls to share the news was to Dave and Kirsten. Those early days of the pregnancy were difficult as we wanted to get past the point when we had miscarried before, so I continued acupuncture throughout my first trimester. We made it through those initial uncertain weeks, after which I proceeded to have a very easy, healthy and enjoyable pregnancy.

Our daughter Madeline was born on August 11, 2006. She is our little miracle and a dream come true. I believe that she would not be with us today if I had not had acupuncture in association with this IVF cycle and early pregnancy – I believe that it made all the difference in the world from the first cycle. I am ever-appreciative of Dave and Kirsten for their kindness and care, and I will, without a doubt, consult with them again when we think about trying for a second child.

Alyssa D. 22 September 2006

Update: Alyssa has just had a second successful round IVF with acupuncture and is pregnant with her second child.