“After my first IVF patient got pregnant, I was so inspired by helping people grow their families. I was like, this feels like I’m really helping people, in a way that’s beyond placebo, beyond pain. It’s a continuation. It’s a legacy for this family.” -Jerusha DeGroote Stephens, L.Ac.

Jerusha DeGroote Stephens and I first met in 2008, when we worked together at a group practice in Memphis, TN. She’s since built her own practice, Sprouted Heart Acupuncture and Wellness in Flowood, MS, specializing in fertility. She’s even collaborated with a local reproductive endocrinology clinic to provide acupuncture services onsite for patients during in-vitro fertilization (IVF), before and after their embryo transfer. As someone who has experienced the pain of infertility herself, Jerusha is passionate about using acupuncture and Chinese medicine to help patients grow their families.

In this podcast episode, we discuss:

* How acupuncture improves fertility from a physiological standpoint, including stimulating blood flow and follicle development, releasing endorphins, and stimulating nerve tissue

* What patients can expect when using acupuncture to help improve fertility (for both females and males!), whether they’re trying to conceive naturally or through the use of Assisted Reproductive Technology such as IUI or IVF

* What happens after the positive pregnancy test - how acupuncture supports a healthy pregnancy

* Practical advice for anyone who wants to improve their fertility, including her favorite book on the subject, Making Babies by Sami S. David and Jill Blakeway

One of the greatest benefits of acupuncture for infertility is the emotional support and stress relief it provides during what can be one of the most difficult and painful periods of a patient’s life. As Jerusha says, “This is slow medicine. This is not take a pill and fix it in a snap. This works with your body, not against it, and we have to give that time.”

Towards the end of the episode, Jerusha and I take a little walk down memory lane and reminisce about the time I shook hands with the governor of Mississippi, as he promised to sign into law Mississippi’s inaugural acupuncture practice act. Jerusha spearheaded the effort to pass an acupuncture licensure law in her state, and was the first Licensed Acupuncturist in Mississippi.

Even though we discuss a serious topic in this episode, Jerusha and I laugh a lot too. She’s an absolute delight, and I hope you enjoy hearing about her compassionate and committed approach to patient care as much as I did.

Love and gratitude,

Your Acupuncturist

Notes from Your Acupuncturist is a reader- and listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

You can keep up with Jerusha online at Sprouted Heart Acupuncture and Wellness, learn more about her collaborative, integrated fertility treatment model online at Paradigm, follow Sprouted Heart on Facebook and Instagram, or contact Jerusha by email.

Huge thanks to Jerusha DeGroote Stephens for the great conversation, and to AudioCoffee for the music in this episode.

And endless love and gratitude to my paid subscribers for contributing to the sustainability of my work!

References:

Paulus study: The influence of acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in patients who undergo assisted reproduction technology

Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility by Sami S. David and Jill Blakeway

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