I am sitting here in our friend's living room in their magnificant home in Tuxedo, New York at 8:27 pm, December 25, 2006 thinking about my lifes work of helping those who are expriencing difficulty conceiving. While lounging in front of the fire place, with logs crackling and the flames licking upwards I realize how lucky I am.
I have been allowed by so any couples to accompany them on their life's most important journey; the journey to conception. I have so many patients with so many impediments to conception that I have helped that I really belive that God has given me a gift and a responsibility to utilize this gift to help couples achieve their dream of creating their family!
Though I am fully supportive of Western medical interventions when fighting against the barriers to conception, acupuncture and herbal medicine have again and again proven themselves so useful in this arduous battle where Western protocols have failed.
It amazes me that every single "infertile" patient is not receiving acupuncture and herbs as part of their ferility protocol. I am constantly reminded of every couple that has conceived at our Center when all their IUI's, IVF's and donor-egg transfers have failed. I don't write this to express my lack of confidence in Western medicine for it is truly amazing but only to illustrate the effectiveness of the ancient medicine which is, to this day, used by three-quarters of the world's population.
I have had case after case of successful conceptions and take-home baby couples where all other means have failed. I have also seen that by combining acupuncture, herbs and Western intervention that the take-home baby rates are superior to those when either modality is used alone.
What can I do to spread the word on the efficaciousness of this miraculous medicine? I lecture, I write, I blog, I network and, though I am aware that more patients than ever before are embracing traditional Chinese medicine, I am still at a loss as to why more couples do not.
One of the few clinics that fully supports the inclusion of acupuncture and herbs in the fight against infertility is the Sher Institute for Reproductive Medicine. I must say that patients listen to their reproductive endocrinologists and when their R. E.'s say that acupuncture "can't hurt" and that herbs "can be dangerous" they are doing their patients a disservice. SIRM-New York (www.haveababy.com) has been so supportive of my practive and of traditional Chinese medicine; a real sign of their open-minded approach to fertile-wellness. As time goes on and more R.E.'s embrace, support, and recommend traditional Chinese medicine to their patients, conception rates will increase substantially.
As doctors we have to remember that it is the welfare of our patients that matters most and not our own need to protect and guard the type of medicine that we have so diligently strived to learn.
There is really only one medicine; it is the utilization of all knowledge that profers benefit to the patient.
I am eagerly looking forward to 2007, to every Sunday night with the anticipation of running into my office on Monday morning to intercede on my patient's behalf, to help couples start families, to help families grow and to give thanks to those whom entrust their care to me.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, God Bless and never quit.
With love and respect.
mike berkley, L.Ac., Doctor of Acupuncture (RI)
Director, The Berkley Center for Reproductive Wellness
I want to say that's a good story for me to hear because I have been struggling with PCOS for years and I want to try something more natural to help myself conceive and have regular periods too without taking birth control pills. I just want to know where can I go in Vegas and what kind of herbals I should take.
Posted by: Latrice Buchanan | May 23, 2007 at 10:42 PM
Dear Latrice:
Thanks for your comment. I really appreciate it!
Regarding herbs, your best bet is to find a Board Certified herbalist to work with. You can find a West Coast practitioner at www.aborm.org. Also, I do telephone consultations.
I do believe that you should work with a reproductive endocrinologist in conjunction with acupuncture and/or herbal medicine. The best facility in Las Vegas is The Sher Institute for Reproductive Medicine. Their web site is www.haveababy.com
All the best!
Dr. Berkley
Posted by: Dr. Berkley | May 24, 2007 at 08:58 AM