April 2008

Recent research on natural medicine:

Effects of acupuncture on rates of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in vitro fertilisation: systematic review and meta-analysis

Fertility spike from acupuncture: women having IVF treatment can boost their chances of falling pregnant by 65 per cent simply by having acupuncture.

Improving The Odds Of IVF (Catalyst, ABC1)

Chinese Herbal Medications for Dysmenorrhea: A Best Evidence Review

Studies on IVF and acupuncture
In Germany, a study was conducted on 160 IVF patients randomly assigned to two groups. One group received acupuncture during the IVF process while the other group had no acupuncture. The study shows that adding acupuncture to the IVF treatment protocol may increase the chances of conceiving by nearly 50%. In this study, IVF patients who had acupuncture had a 42.5% pregnancy rate (34/80). IVF patients who did not have acupuncture had a 26.3% success rate (21/80). (Fertility and Sterility, 2002.)

Furthermore, Acupuncture has also been shown to stimulate follicle development in women undergoing IVF. A small study of 6 women who had difficulty with follicle production (despite maximum gonadotropin therapy), showed that three of the women produced more ovarian follicles with acupuncture treatment and all 3 conceived. (Emmons et al, 2000).

References

1. Influence of acupuncture on pregnancy rates in patients who undergo assisted reproduction therapy. Wolfgang E. Paulus, M.D.,[a] Mingmin Zhang, M.D.,[b] Erwin Strehler, M.D.,[a] Imam El-Danasouri, Ph.D.,[a] and Karl Sterzik, M.D.[a], Paulus, W.E. M.D.., et al, Fertility and Sterility, Vol. 77, No. 4, April 2002.

2. Acupuncture Treatment for Infertile Women Undergoing Intracytoplasmic Sperm injection, Emmons, S., Patton, P. Medical Acupuncture, Spring/Summer 2000- Volume 12 /Number 2.

Our Babies!

Sarah and Kathryn join us to replace Wendy who left to have her second baby (click here to see Joshua James) and Jo who has moved permanently to her clinic in Geelong. Click here to read more about Sarah and Kathryn. 

Wendy's baby Joshua at 3 months.

Fiona and Tenzin

December 2007

Christmas + New Year Hours
Reception will be closed from: 23rd December reopening Friday 4th January
Limited appointments are available during this time by arranging prior to Christmas. Best wishes for a safe, healthy and happy festive season from everyone at Fertile Ground Health Group.

July 2007

Our telephone number has changed.
Our new number is: 03 9419 9988.

Announcing the launch of our new look stationary.
We have developed our practice in so many ways over the past 4 years at the Albert Street Medical Centre, and have updated our stationary to better reflect the services we now provide. Please feel free to call for a copy of the new brochure, and we would love for you to pass them on to your family or friends.

Click here to view our new gift vouchers
There are now 2 to choose from

New Acupuncturists
We announce the much-anticipated expansion to the practice of Margaret Morris (Naturopath) and Akino Akiyama (Massage Therapist) who will now be offering Acupuncture services in their session times.

March 2007

Our telephone number has changed.
Our new number is: 03 9419 9988.

It's a BOY!
Congratulations to Cath (our missed reception manager) and her husband Neil on the wonderful birth of baby Jet. He was born on Thursday 1st March at the Women's Hospital, weighing 8 pounds 6 oz, and is just gorgeous. In her husbands words "Cath is a legend!" We wish her all the love and support in her new role as a mum.



Welcome...
to our new reception staff, Amanda Olsen and Indra Share. We are looking forward to working with these lovely women, and introducing them to our clients over the coming months.

September 2006

Our telephone number has changed.
Our new number is: 03 9419 9988.

Best Business Winners!
We are proud to announce that Fertile Ground Health Group has won
Best Small Business in the Health and Wellness category for the Leader Newspaper Group Small Business Awards! This is the second year Fertile Ground Health Group has been nominated, and the second time we have won our category. Full credit goes to our wonderful receptionist Catherine, and all of our fantastic practitioners who make our clinic both a great resource and lovely place to be. Let’s hope 2007 will see us make it three in a row! Congratulations also to our receptionist Catherine Cornwell. She was one of the three finalists for Employee of the Year. We are so proud and feel very fortunate to have such a special woman working for our team.

Announcing massage on Sunday!
Fertile Ground Health Group now offers Massage services 7 days a week.
The perfect way to end your weekend and prepare for the week ahead.
Click here to meet our newest massage practitioner, Fiona Harrison.

Rainbow Families Conference
Fertile Ground Health Group proudly sponsored the third Rainbow Families Conference. The conference provides a forum of information and discussion, panels and workshops for lesbian and gay parents and prospective parents. The aim of the conference is to build a resilient and vibrant community of informed, healthy and well supported rainbow families. Milly Dabrowski from Fertile Ground is conducting a workshop in conjunction with Dr Ruth McNair on Planning a Healthy Pregnancy: a discussion of women’s health and fertility.