As more hopeful parents turn to alternative wellness treatments while trying to conceive, a growing menu of fertility-focused support can now be found beyond the doctor’s office, from breath work and meditation classes designed to support reproductive health to Reiki energy healing sessions designed for stress reduction.
Of course, always consult with your physician about what’s safe and best for you.
That said, if a little extra help from, say, a new age acupuncture session with red light therapy gives you that boost for a BFP (Big Fat Positive), we’re all for it.
ORA Method
Acupuncture stands out as one of the few holistic fertility therapies with at least some scientific backing. At g, women can enjoy custom-tailored acupuncture experiences (from $225 per session) designed to regulate hormones and optimize reproductive organ function.
Together with a licensed acupuncturist, you’ll create a custom treatment plan with precise point selection to regulate ovulation and menstrual cycles, enhance endometrial receptivity and reduce inflammation. There’s also the option to add red light panels when TTC.
Personally, I loved that ORA’s sessions include a guided meditation soundtrack to help you sink further into relaxation.
Two locations: 1141 Madison Ave. and 9 E. 4th St.
Sage + Sound
The verdict is still out if the woo-woo can work, but you sure as heck will walk out of any Sage + Sound treatment feeling like you’re a new woman.
First up, try the Reiki Sound + Reiki Experience ($325). This combines Reiki, a Japanese healing modality involving light touch, with sound and vibrational therapy to usher in relaxation, support emotional release (so many feelings!) and rebalance your nervous system.
You could also book a stellar acupuncture session ($250), administered by licensed practitioners trained in traditional Chinese medicine, and tailored to support hormonal balance and reproductive health. Or, if you just need to Zen out, sans needles, try the sound experience ($55), a guided class using sound therapy to calm the nervous system and reduce stress, supporting hormonal balance and overall well-being.
Speaking of which, the Prenatal Massage ($250) sets the bar high with customized, therapeutic bodywork designed to relieve tension, improve circulation and regulate the nervous system. While prenatal massages are designed for mamas-to-be, similar techniques can be modified for those TTC to support relaxation and overall reproductive wellness.
1481 3rd Ave.
Advanced Holistic Center
Electroacupuncture, also known as electric acupuncture, is a modern enhancement of traditional acupuncture where a practitioner applies a very gentle electrical current between needles.
Per Irina Logman, Advanced Holistic Center’s founder, this allows for precise, consistent stimulation that can be tailored depending on the phase of a patient’s cycle or IVF timeline. Sessions are $250.
Logman, a licensed acupuncturist with over 20 years of clinical experience, also offers traditional acupuncture from $225 per session and an initial comprehensive fertility evaluation priced at $375.
Melding together traditional Chinese medicine with modern integrative care, Logman specializes in nervous system regulation, optimizing blood flow to reproductive organs, and supporting hormonal balance, working with patients across the fertility spectrum, from those trying to conceive naturally to people undergoing assisted reproductive technologies (ART), including IUI and IVF.
“No two fertility patients are treated the same, even with the same diagnosis, because we are addressing underlying patterns such as blood deficiency, qi stagnation, kidney imbalance or inflammation,” said Logman, who also incorporates adjunct therapies like moxibustion (gentle heat therapy over acupuncture points) and cupping therapy to help aid in conception.
65 Broadway, Suite 902.
Fire Over Water Acupuncture & Functional Medicine
“Most women walking into an IVF clinic don’t realize the odds aren’t in their favor,” said Christine Palma, licensed acupuncturist and owner of Fire Over Water. “Even one cycle is emotionally and financially brutal, and it often takes more than one. I started this practice because I wanted women to have a real edge. My job is to get your body as ready as it can possibly be, so when you do that [embryo] transfer, everything is working in your favor.”
Along with acupuncture (from $155) for those trying to conceive naturally and via ART, Palma’s practice does comprehensive bloodwork and functional medicine tests. A stool test examines the gut bacteria, inflammation and more and a dried urine panel, called the DUTCH test, maps out sex hormones.
“Functional medicine digs into the root causes of infertility like thyroid, blood sugar, nutrient levels, and gut health,” said Palma, noting that these issues often get overlooked in a standard fertility workup.
Other offerings include red light therapy for egg quality and pelvic circulation and pharmaceutical-grade supplements matched to your lab results.
125 W. 72nd St., Suite 3F.
