I have a female patient that has been doing everything she can to ensure she is optimizing her fertility, supplements, exercising, dietary changes, regular acupuncture treatments, taking herbal medicine. She has endometriosis & pcos. She has now just finished 2 cycles with clomid, no luck so far. Well, now what, of course, the fertility clinic says ‘it is time for IVF’. Well, I have another idea, and it corresponds with what everyone I know that works intimately with fertility thinks, let’s treat the other major variable in this infertility scenario, THE MAN. The husband of this woman has never been tested, has done nothing to his diet, does not exercise, is extremely overworked, does not take any supplements, and most certainly does not do acupuncture or herbal medicine. Wouldn’t it make sense, ESPECIALLY when the woman is displaying fertility issues, to optimize his sperm health, EVEN IF AN ANALYSIS SAYS IT IS OK?
Must Read: male-hormones-blame-economic-depression
Pregnancy stats, as well as creating healthy families could be drastically increased if it became standardized thought that the men require treatment as well. Doctors most often tell men things are ok even if an analysis says different, probably because there is no treatment in the western modern bio-medical realm, besides ICSI (which actually is not ‘treatment’ at all).
I am extremely excited as this is obviously a field I am passionate about, and if I can be a part of a paradigm shift in the management of male factor infertility, I will feel fulfilled as the treatment of infertility as a whole will improve drastically.
To the all the men out there that this seems to apply to, consider that just the support that your wife will feel with your participation most certainly will have ripple effects in your relationship that are destined to play a huge role in a happy wife, and a healthy family.
Dr Spence PentlandDr. Pentland is founder of The IVF Acupuncture Group of Greater Vancouver, available 7 days a week for on site embryo transfer and acupuncture treatments at the Pacific Centre for Reproductive Medicine (PCRM) and Genesis Fertility Centre. “The integrated relationship I have established with these clinics is something that I value very much as it expands my knowledge, gives me the opportunity to reach more people, and helps me better understand how to support women on their journey toward family.” says Dr. Pentland.
Dr. Pentland, along with Dr. Jeffrey Roberts of The Pacific Centre for Reproductive Medicine (PCRM), and Dr. Christine Sutton of the University of British Columbia, authored research published in Fertility & Sterility on the stress reducing effects of acupuncture when administered in the weeks leading up to an IVF embryo transfer.
In 2015 Spence published BEING FERTILE - 10 Steps to Help You Overcome the Struggles of Infertility, Get Pregnant, and Create a Happy, Healthy Family. A book written to provide hope, tools and resources for women and couples experiencing difficulty starting or expanding their families.
Dr. Pentland is founder of The IVF Acupuncture Group of Greater Vancouver, available 7 days a week for on site embryo transfer and acupuncture treatments at the Pacific Centre for Reproductive Medicine (PCRM) and Genesis Fertility Centre. “The integrated relationship I have established with these clinics is something that I value very much as it expands my knowledge, gives me the opportunity to reach more people, and helps me better understand how to support women on their journey toward family.” says Dr. Pentland.
Dr. Pentland, along with Dr. Jeffrey Roberts of The Pacific Centre for Reproductive Medicine (PCRM), and Dr. Christine Sutton of the University of British Columbia, authored research published in Fertility & Sterility on the stress reducing effects of acupuncture when administered in the weeks leading up to an IVF embryo transfer.
In 2015 Spence published BEING FERTILE - 10 Steps to Help You Overcome the Struggles of Infertility, Get Pregnant, and Create a Happy, Healthy Family. A book written to provide hope, tools and resources for women and couples experiencing difficulty starting or expanding their families.
Further demonstrating his commitment to reproductive health, he is a devoted member of IAAC (Infertility Awareness Association), CFAS (Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society), and ASRM (American Society for Reproductive Medicine).
As the former president of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Association of British Columbia and the provincial BC TCM quality assurance committee, Dr. Pentland is well respected by peers and patients alike. He remains actively involved in educating healthcare colleagues and the public on the powerful benefits of Chinese medicine & acupuncture, working steadily on the integration of ancient Daoist wisdom into modern western life as a way to build awareness about reproductive health. This compassionate expertise is reflected in patient testimonials.
When not helping others start their families, Spence can be found spending time with his own--his adoring wife Chantal and their two beautiful sons. “I am very proud to be part of the team of professionals at Yinstill. We are all dedicated to raising the bar in the field of complimentary and alternative reproductive medicine. Nothing is more important than family,” he says.
Professional Development Certifications
Combining TCM and IVF to Improve Clinical Outcomes - Jane Lyttleton
Treating Complex Gynecological Conditions with Evidence-based Acupuncture - Elisabet Stener-Victorin
High-Performance Summit - Darren Hardy
Acupuncture during Pregnancy: safe and ethical practice - Claudia Citkovitz
Treating Irregular Menstrual Bleeding - Sharon Weizenbaum
Management of High Risk Pregnancy Conditions - David Bray
Physiology & Pathology of Gynecology - Giovanni Maciocia
Treatment protocols for Menopause and Endometriosis - Kiiko Matsumoto
Chinese medicine approach to the treatment of Poor Ovarian Reserve - Brandon Horn
Clinical problems and solutions in Oriental Reproductive medicine - Dr. Daoshing Ni
Treatment strategies for PCOS, Weight Loss, & type 2 Diabetes - Sharon Weizenbaum
Allergic and Autoimmune diseases - Mazin Al-Khafaji
Acupuncture in Pregnancy & Childbirth - Debra Betts
Treating Infertility with Chinese medicine - Bob Flaws
Masters class in Diagnosis - Bob Flaws
East meets West in Reproductive medicine - Mike Berkley
The Infertility Cure - Chinese wellness program - Randine Lewis
Men’s Health and Fertility - Peter Deadman
Integrating acupuncture and IVF - Diane Cridennda and Dr. Paul Magarelli
Treatment of Infertility with Chinese medicine - Jane Lyttleton
Yang School lecture series Part 1 - Dr. Liu Fang
Advanced acupuncture in pregnancy - Jean Levesque
Certified Western herbalist - Packard School of Nutrition
Courageous conversations - Justice Institute
Biology of Empowerment - Dr. Lee Pulos
Secrets of Chinese Pulse Diagnosis - Bob Flaws and Honora Lee Wolfe
View Articles and Blog Posts by Dr. Pentland
Read Dr. Pentland's Success Stories
Become Spence's friend on facebook