Consultation with Kerry Goodwin

Safety of Acupuncture in Pregnancy

Posted on by Kerry Goodwin in News

Are you a birth worker or healthcare provider working with antenatal and postnatal patients? Have you wondered if acupuncture can be a beneficial modality to safely recommend to your patients? With acupuncture, we have historical evidence in addition to well conducted studies and formal analysis to show its safe and effective use during pregnancy. Two systematic reviews show adverse reactions were described as minor, and were comparable to non-acupuncture therapies. Another key takeaway from a systematic review by Park et al assessing the safety states acupuncture during pregnancy is found to be safe when applied correctly. Education and training matters! It is imperative to find a provider that specializes in perinatal health with extensive training in providing maternity acupuncture.

Additional reassurance is found in statements from ACOG and RCOG (American and Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynecology) where acupuncture is listed in their clinical guidelines as a safe modality in a variety of conditions during pregnancy.

  1. Park, J., Sohn, Y., White, A. R., & Lee, H. (2014). The safety of acupuncture during pregnancy: a systematic review. Acupunct Med, 32(3), 257-266. doi:10.1136/acupmed-2013-010480
  2. Clarkson CE, O’Mahony D, Jones DE. Adverse event reporting in studies of penetrating acupuncture during pregnancy: a systematic review. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2015;94(5):453–464. doi:10.1111/aogs.12587

Thyroid and Your Health

Posted on by Kerry Goodwin in News

Your thyroid health, fertility, a healthy pregnancy, and postpartum are deeply intertwined. And unfortunately, the detailed care and information we receive as women around this matter is lacking. I see this nearly everyday in my practice and have experienced this discrepancy first hand at my last well woman care visit when I received my blood work results from routine lab work. (if you’re interested in knowing what thyroid tests to ask for consider working with a provider that specializes in thyroid support). My low functioning thyroid was not even addressed by my physician after my visit, and I know I am not the only one this is happening to. The awareness around this is changing slowly and more and more providers are paying closer attention, but when it comes to our thyroid health we need to know what to ask for and how to receive proper treatment.  This starts with educating ourselves.  

Women’s Health and Thyroid Function

Did you know that “1 in 8 women will develop a thyroid problem at some point in their lives” and “15 million more women have a thyroid condition and don’t know it.” A healthy thyroid has a big job, tasks involve managing our temperature, metabolism, and hormonal balance to name a few. The rise in thyroid conditions is linked to a huge increase in endocrine disruption, stress, poor digestion (gut dysbiosis) or micronutrient deficiencies. The “normal” levels for a functioning thyroid are between .5 and 4.5 mU/L, but most women feel best if they land between 1.5 and 2 mU/L. And while these levels are somewhat controversial in the medical community, that is a pretty big difference between normal range and ideal range. 

Understanding your Thyroid Health in the Childbearing Years

It is also very important to know that if you are not trying to conceive, pregnant, or in postpartum, this still completely applies! Many women are dismissed and undertreated if they aren’t trying to conceive. This is a problem, because we all deserve to feel good and deserve to get the best care possible! It is also a problem because un-addressed thyroid conditions can lead to many other medical problems including pulmonary, cardiovascular, neurological, autoimmune, and digestive conditions.  

Chinese Medicine and Your Thyroid

Chinese medicine is very helpful in supporting thyroid health in conjunction with support from a western medical provider. Making necessary dietary and lifestyle changes can have a dramatic effect as well. Treatment must be a multi faceted approach. Underfunctioning thyroids may need pharmaceutical medication. I am not a pharma pusher but sometimes medication is needed in order to bring our bodies back into balance. If you are interested in learning more about thyroid health, curious about what a comprehensive thyroid panel includes, have just been diagnosed or suspect you may be suffering from a thyroid condition, please contact me to set up an appointment. You can begin to heal and feel your very best.  When we feel our best, we are able to share our gifts with the world and be our best selves.

Resources

American Thyroid Association

Aviva Romm – Thyroid in Pregnancy: What you need to know

How Acupuncture can Support Mental Health in the Childbearing Years

Posted on by Kerry Goodwin in News

StressWomen are faced with many challenging decisions when deciding to start a family. One in particular is the decision regarding if and when to wean off certain types of medication. The most common and controversial pharmaceutical medication that women feel apprehensive about stopping is any type of antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication.  Pregnancy itself is fraught with heightened anxiety and the emotional roller coaster of fertility treatments and the additional hormones prescribed during that process may exacerbate the emotions and can leave a woman trying to conceive feeling frustrated and anxious.  Even the joyous news of learning you’re pregnant can cause feelings of ambivalence.  This is an incredibly exciting and wonderful journey, but the great changes on the horizon, whether it’s about your body or simply the attendant upheaval of lifestyle, can cause more than a little anxiety.

Many common medications that treat anxiety pose potential risks to your baby’s health because all medications cross the placenta and impact the growing baby.  While many studies have been done showing the risk is low, around 3 to 4%, drugs that treat mental health conditions still increase risks: congenital malformations, preterm birth, gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, stillbirth and increased risk of miscarriage are among some of the possibilities. Studies have also found that the timing of use of medication during pregnancy impacts the baby as well.

It is critically important to have a strong medical team to support you through the process of making these decisions.  Have you considered other options to support you through the process?  This can include activities like yoga, meditation, proper supplementation of Omega-3 fatty acids, light therapy, talk therapy, and acupuncture. Did you know acupuncture is incredibly helpful at relieving feelings of anxiety and depression?  By inserting needles into specific points along the body, your mind is calmed, your cortisol levels are lowered, and a release of dopamine and endorphins, the feel good chemicals in your body, flood your system, enhancing and lifting your mood.  Acupuncture, along with the use of Chinese herbal medicine, is a wonderful way to lower anxiety and stop heart palpitations associated with heightened anxiety or panic attacks.

It’s very important when making this decision to speak with both your care provider and the prescribing physician, as it may not be possible for some women to discontinue the use of medication supporting their mental health.  A strong support team can offer help with dosage, changing a medication, and access to other sources for support such as referrals to mental health therapists.

I hope that during this thrilling time of your life you consider the benefits of using acupuncture to support your mental health during your pregnancy!