Natural Pregnancy After 3 Miscarriages

by Shaye
(North Kingstown, RI)

My experience with Amelia Hirota has been exceptional, and truly life-changing. I began receiving treatment from Amelia in August 2008 after our third consecutive and unexplained miscarriage in one year (one at 5 weeks, one at 6 weeks and one at 9 weeks). I was referred to Amelia by our reproductive endocrinologist (RE), who explained that acupuncture has been beneficial, both as a means to achieving successful pregnancy and coping with emotional distress, to many of her patients in situations similar to ours. I had no previous experience with acupuncture, but was eager to try just about anything at that point!

During my first treatment, Amelia thoroughly reviewed my entire medical history and listened patiently and compassionately as I explained the circumstances surrounding the three miscarriages. Also, Amelia educated me on the benefits of acupuncture, not only for fertility but for general health. We decided that the first steps to be taken for my treatment were to start charting my cycle and taking personalized herbs and fish oil.

During subsequent weekly treatments, Amelia continued to educate me on fertility issues as well as healthier lifestyle choices. During this time, I was also going through testing with the RE to determine the reason for the miscarriages. Test after test came back with no answers, and Amelia was so helpful in further analyzing the test results and giving me the courage to be my own advocate and press for additional tests that were not originally conducted.

A couple of months of charting my cycle showed that I had a luteal phase defect (8 days), and Amelia promptly refined my personalized herbs and treatment to address the issue. Additionally, my husband starting taking various supplements (folic acid, L-carnitine and arginine), as well as fish oil, after a not so great semen analysis.

After six months of treatments, and having implemented the lifestyle changes recommended by Amelia (i.e. eating organic and whole foods, exercising more and going to bed by 10pm), the physical results were evident: heavy, clotted periods which previously lasted longer than a week changed to lighter periods that lasted no more than 4-5 days, and my luteal phase increased from 8 to 11. Also, my basal body temperatures became more steady and consistent. But equally as important to me were the emotional and spiritual changes. Anyone dealing with fertility issues understands the toll it takes on your spirit, and Amelia helped me to understand the importance of balance between body, mind and soul, and discover the power of spiritual healing.

After nine months of acupuncture treatments, my husband and I started trying to conceive again. Now, I will admit that it took a lot of patience and effort to stick with this natural approach to conceiving. I never did receive any definitive answers from the RE regarding our fertility issues, but was offered a round of Clomid and potential IUI or IVF nonetheless. Continuing with acupuncture and a healthier lifestyle just felt like the right thing to do for my body, and I never received any treatment from the RE besides the testing.

It took us another nine months to conceive, during which time I received continuous acupuncture treatment. I am now 35 weeks pregnant and we are so excited to meet our baby in October!

Even after my first appointment, I knew I was in the best hands that I could be in! My first impression of Amelia was that she is incredibly knowledgeable in both Eastern and Western medicine, and that helping women with fertility issues is truly a passion for her. After two years of treatment, my first impression has proven true. I have also learned that Amelia is a compassionate practitioner, and the personalized care she provides to her patients is exceptional. I have seen many changes in myself, both physical and emotional. I know that our fertility journey has been drastically impacted by Amelia, and I would whole-heartedly recommend her services to anyone facing a situation like ours.