"Dr. Laura Mudrak and her acupuncture treatment and health care helped me navigate through the infertility maze. Now, I have conceived my children and my family plans are complete.
Good referral sources led me to Dr. Mudrak and I was very impressed with her credentials—she has a level of training, knowledge and expertise that was beyond any other practitioner I found. I am confident in her work and I trust her. Completely.
- Heather, 40 years old at time of delivery
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions about Reproductive Acupuncture
Q1: How long will it take for me to get pregnant?
Q2: Have you dealt with endometriosis?
Q3: Can you treat heavy bleeding ("horrible" periods)?
Q4: I've had multiple miscarriages. Is there still hope for me to carry a pregnancy to term?
Q6: How many acupuncture sessions are necessary to raise my fertility sufficiently to get pregnant?
Q7: Is your approach compatible with IVF (in vitro fertilization)?
Q8: Are there some conditions not very responsive to acupuncture?
Q9: How much will this cost—hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of dollars?
Q1: How long will it take for me to get pregnant?
A: Three months or three menstrual cycles is the usual course of treatment recommended by Dr. Mudrak to regulate the menstural cycle, promote ovulation, prepare the endometrial lining for conception and to support proper hormonal levels and function for pregnancy utilizing acupuncture and herbs. Dr. Mudrak has had outstanding clinical results in assisting couples in achieving pregnancy.
In vitro Fertilization (IVF) or Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART)
If the patient is choosing to utilize IVF as their primary reproductive enhancement therapy, one acupuncture session before and after the IVF procedure enhances the rate of pregnancy by 35% as documented by the study at the Mayo Clinic. Further evidence of the enhancing ability of acupuncture with IVF and ART is documented in Dr. Lifang Liang's book: Acupuncture & IVF Increase IVF Success By 40-60% utilizing Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture. The success with IVF beyond the 35% is achieved over the course of weeks or months.
Q2: Have you dealt with endometriosis?
A: Yes, I have even treated patients with very difficult cases that have resolved completely. It really changed their lives. Resolution typically requires a minimum of 3 months and utilizes acupuncture, Chinese herbs, nutriceuticals and life style modification.
Q3: Can you treat heavy bleeding ("horrible" periods)?
A: Yes and very sucessfully. There maybe very different "causes" or patterns that must be differentiated to treat any given woman with "horrible" periods inorder to treat this condition successfully. That is where Dr. Mudrak's expertise for proper pattern recognition is so critical for success. Regulating the menstrual cycle and eliminating "horrible" periods is the first step in enhancing fertility and promoting pregnancy.
Q4: I've had multiple miscarriages. Is there still hope for me to carry a pregnancy to term?
A: Yes. Your medical history with including all lab work and previous medical procedures is taken into consideration. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has health paradigms that allow the problem to be looked at from different perspectives than just that of the Western medical perspective. This allows a fuller understanding of some of the issues and problems blocking the pregnancy so therapeutic steps can be taken to prevent subsequent miscarriages.
Q5: Do you treat men?
A: Yes. When a couple is not able to conceive, the reproductive health of both the man and woman need to be evaluated. Problems with the male reproductive system are a common cause of this problem and nearly half of the couples presenting to IVF clinics do so for male factor infertility.
For more information please see our section on Male Fertility.
Q6: How many acupuncture sessions are necessary to raise my fertility sufficiently to get pregnant?
A: As few as two sessions may be helpful with someone with qi stagnation or to enhance the IVF procedure by as much as 35%. However, most cases are more chronic and require on an average between 12-24 sessions over the course of three months.
It is important to understand that the number of acupuncture sessions needed and the duration of the treatment depend for the most on the individual’s underlying constitution, the duration and complexity of their current problems and on their health history.
Q7: Is your approach compatible with IVF (in vitro fertilization)?
A: Yes, I have sucessfully assisted many patients to become pregnanant utilizing In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) or Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART).
If the patient is choosing to utilize IVF as their primary reproductive therapy, one acupuncture session before and after the IVF procedure enhances the rate of pregnancy by 35% as documented by the study at the Mayo Clinic. Further details of the success of acupuncture enhancing the pregnancy rate with IVF and ART is documented in Dr. Lifang Liang's book: Acupuncture & IVF: Increase IVF Suceess By 40-60% utilizing Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture. The success with IVF beyond the 35% is achieved over the course of weeks or months. Please see the IVF and ART section of this website for more information.
There is a great deal of scientific study and research available today that documents how strongly acupuncture supports IVF and ART procedures resulting in an increased rate of pregnancy. There are multiple research studies presented in summary form and illustrated by graphs in the Research and Resources section of this website.
As a member of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), Dr. Mudrak highly encourages Single Embry Transfer (SET) for enhanced health and safety of the mother and fetus, lower miscarriage risk and birth defects. When coupled with acupuncture, SET will most likely have a higher rate of pregnancy than multiple implantations alone. This information, researched and published by the ASRM in Fertility and Sterility is located in the News section of this website for your convenience. Dr. Mudrak firmly believes the best choice reproductive enhancement for any woman or couple is that which they choose and supports her patients to achieve their goal of a healthy, happy pregnancy.
The relative cost expected in pursuing IVF is also summarized in the News section of this website. Its costs have been researched and published by the ASRM Fertility and Sterility.
Q8: Do you treat perimenopausal symptoms? Can you help a woman eliminate the need for Estrogen Replacement Therapy (ERT)? Are there safer alternatives to treat menopausal symptoms which are as effective as ERT?
A: Yes, yes, and yes. Eighty percent of women experience vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes, dry hair, eyes and vagina, depression or mood swings, insomnia, change in sexual interest, nervous tension and irritability, and/or urinary tract symtoms in the perimenopausal or early menopause phases. Dr. Mudrak can treat these symptoms effectively and safely, often reducing or eliminating the need for Estrogen Replacement Therapy (ERT), with acupuncture, herbal and nutitional therapeutic intervention. Depending on the severity and number of symptoms, an individual woman may need nutritional therapy and herbs as well as acupuncture inorder to achieve results which are as good as the ERT, but the results provided by ERT can be met or exceeded without the risks associated with ongoing pharmaceutical estrogen exposure. Dr. Mudrak has the expertise to prepare a plan that will promote your peace of mind and body in a safe, effective and affordable approach.
Be sure to fill out Dr. Mudrak's Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) Evaluation Form!
Read more about Menopause and Perimenopause in this website.
Q9: Are there some conditions not very responsive to acupuncture?
A: Yes. Dr. Mudrak also recognizes the areas in which medical reproductive approaches are superior or even the only options for diagnosing and treating infertility conditions caused by structural obstacles such as fibroids, endometriosis, damaged fallopian tubes, anatomical defects and/or anomalies, Asherman's syndrome etc. OB/GYNs and/or reproductive specialists are successful in diagnosing and treating with endometrial biopsies, hysterosalpingograms, laparoscopies, sonohysterography, laparatomy, and hysteroscopy, etc., to eliminate these problems with appropriate corresponding surgical procedures. Without the availability of reproductive medical diagnosis and surgical treatment these structural obstacles to fertility would be a permanent condition.
Acupuncture cannot correct these obstacles, but it can be used to promote healing and speed recovery after surgery and regulate the underlying body systems to prevent a return of the condition in the remaining reproductive years of the woman.
Q10: How much will this cost—hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of dollars?
A: Most likely hundreds of dollars to pursue a full course of acupuncture, herbs and/or nutraceutical treatment through to pregnancy.