Hormonal & Women's Health

Fertility Support Treatment in Greenville, SC

Fertility support in Greenville, SC. Dr. Hendry's acupuncture and functional medicine approach improves fertility outcomes naturally and with IVF. Call (864) 365-6156.

★★★★★
"I drive past his office every day, I'm so glad a trusted friend referred me! Dr. Hendry and I are working on hormone overall balance and possible estrogen dominance. I get acupuncture and love the results."

· April 2022 · Google Review

What Is Fertility Support?

Fertility treatment is one of the most emotionally loaded experiences in medicine. Every cycle that passes creates its own pressure. When standard testing comes back 'normal' and there's no clear explanation or path forward, that combination of no answers and no options is its own particular difficulty. 'Unexplained infertility' — which accounts for roughly 30% of all diagnoses — often means unexplained by the standard workup. Subclinical thyroid dysfunction. TSH that the OB considers normal but that functional medicine research associates with reduced implantation rates. CoQ10 deficiency affecting mitochondrial energy production in oocytes. Uterine inflammation from unidentified food sensitivities. Male factor contributions that weren't fully evaluated. These are real, addressable factors that standard fertility testing misses more often than the field acknowledges.

Common Symptoms

Inability to conceive after 12 months of trying (6 months if over 35)
Irregular or absent menstrual cycles (indicating ovulatory dysfunction)
Painful periods that may suggest endometriosis
Hormonal imbalances — elevated androgens, elevated LH:FSH ratio
Recurrent miscarriage — two or more consecutive pregnancy losses
Male factor findings — low sperm count, motility, or morphology
Elevated FSH or low AMH (diminished ovarian reserve markers)
Unexplained infertility — all standard testing normal but conception elusive

Root Causes: A Functional Medicine Perspective

Ovulatory dysfunction is the most common female infertility factor, often driven by PCOS, hypothalamic amenorrhea, or elevated prolactin. Uterine and tubal factors — endometriosis, fibroids, adhesions — mechanically interfere with implantation or fertilization. Thyroid dysfunction, even subclinical, impairs fertility — elevated TSH above 2.5 mIU/L is associated with reduced conception rates and increased miscarriage risk, yet many labs flag only values above 4–5 mIU/L as abnormal.

Systemically, nutritional status is critical: folate and B12 are essential for proper chromosomal division in early embryogenesis; CoQ10 improves egg quality by supporting mitochondrial energy production in oocytes; vitamin D deficiency is strongly associated with implantation failure; omega-3s reduce uterine inflammation. Male factor is involved in 40-50% of infertility cases, and sperm quality is highly responsive to nutritional and lifestyle optimization.

How We Treat Fertility Support at IHP

Acupuncture for fertility is among the most studied integrative fertility interventions. It regulates the HPO axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian), improves ovarian blood flow and follicular development, reduces uterine artery resistance to improve endometrial blood supply, regulates menstrual cycles, and reduces stress hormones that suppress reproductive function.

For IVF patients, acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer has been shown in multiple studies to improve implantation and live birth rates. Dr. Hendry's protocol for IVF support includes sessions during ovarian stimulation, retrieval, and transfer phases. Chinese herbal medicine — custom-formulated for each patient's TCM pattern — regulates the menstrual cycle and addresses underlying hormonal imbalances. Dr. Hendry's functional medicine evaluation optimizes thyroid function, nutrient status, and hormonal balance — creating the healthiest possible physiological environment for conception.

Dr. Hendry's Approach

Fertility consultations are some of the most complex appointments I have — not because the clinical picture is always difficult, but because the emotional stakes and timeline pressure are real. I try to give patients a clear picture of what we know, what we can test for, and what's genuinely likely to help — versus what's being recommended without strong evidence. I've helped couples who had been through two failed IVF cycles achieve pregnancy once the underlying thyroid dysfunction or nutrient deficiency was finally identified and addressed. That specificity is what makes functional medicine useful here.

Treatments We Use for Fertility Support

Frequently Asked Questions About Fertility Support

Multiple randomized trials show acupuncture performed on the day of embryo transfer increases implantation and live birth rates. The data on acupuncture throughout the IVF cycle is even more promising. Dr. Hendry is experienced working alongside fertility clinics to optimize outcomes.
Yes. 'Unexplained' infertility often has biological explanations that standard testing doesn't detect — subclinical thyroid dysfunction, subtle hormonal imbalances, nutritional deficiencies, and inflammatory conditions. Functional medicine evaluation frequently identifies and corrects factors missed by conventional fertility workups.
Ideally 3–6 months before your target conception window. This allows time to optimize egg quality (a 90-day maturation process), regulate cycles, balance hormones, and address nutritional deficiencies. However, acupuncture and functional medicine are beneficial at any stage of the fertility journey.
Yes. Acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and targeted supplementation (CoQ10, vitamin C, zinc, selenium, carnitine) significantly improve sperm count, motility, and morphology. Male factor evaluation and treatment is a standard part of Dr. Hendry's fertility program.
Yes, with specific point protocols. Dr. Hendry uses a conservative and evidence-informed approach during the two-week wait, focusing on supporting uterine circulation and reducing cortisol while avoiding any points contraindicated in early pregnancy.

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