Testimonials

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  • Hormone Health
  • Pregnancy

“I first went to Valerie after my frozen embryo transfer was cancelled due to my uterine lining not being thick enough. The fertility clinic didn’t give any further advice on how to improve the situation for the next cycle, so I was looking for some outside help.

Valerie was really helpful and asked a lot of questions at our first appointment to really understand my situation and general health. She recommended a couple of supplements and gave some advice about diet as well as the weekly acupuncture. The acupuncture helped me to relax. Especially with a new job which was stressful, it was important to take some time out.

continued…

 

Alison W, South Glos

“Despite the pandemic, I have never once had the slightest concern of being at any risk. Valerie takes safety very seriously.

Her professional appearance and the way she conducts herself means I would definitely recommend her.”

G.S. Bristol

We knew we wanted to start trying to get pregnant in the next few months, but after being told I had low AMH and would likely go into menopause early, I was completely stressed about our chances of falling pregnant and felt the pressure of time being against us.

We got in contact with you because we wanted to make sure we were in the best possible health to fall pregnant as quickly as possible once we had started trying. (continued->)

Anon, Bristol

I came to see Valerie in November 2020 after years of infertility and baby loss.
After a few sessions in 2020 and following nutrition and lifestyle advice, I got pregnant with my daughter who is now 20 months old! I continued to have acupuncture during my pregnancy and to help induce labour at 40 weeks. In late 2022 I was told by my fertility consultant that my AMH levels had reduced even more than before. So I booked an appointment with Valerie to discuss trying for another baby. After two sessions, I got pregnant again and currently 16 weeks pregnant. I’m still having monthly appointments to help with pregnancy symptoms and general well-being.
Valerie is so calm and empathetic, so easy to talk to and has such a wealth of knowledge. She’s helped us grow our family and I’m beyond grateful for all her support.
I just want to say a massive thank you! I’m so grateful for all your support and help getting me pregnant, twice! I cannot recommend Valerie and Fertility acupuncture enough if you’re trying to get pregnant.

Sam, Bristol

“I’m now 21 weeks pregnant and so happy to get success with our first embryo transfer, as it had already been a long journey to get to that point. I would recommend acupuncture with Valerie to anyone going through fertility struggles to get the mind and body as ready as you can whether trying naturally or with fertility treatments.

After a couple of months, I was ready for the transfer, and the nurse said my uterine lining looked top quality. Valerie went out of her way to provide acupuncture before and after the transfer, which was midday on a Sunday. It gave me a lot of reassurance and was really helpful to help me relax after the stress of the transfer, as well as having someone knowledgeable to talk to.”

Alison W, South Glos

“My husband and I first started seeing Valerie in November 2020. We had been trying to conceive through IVF (ICSI) since 2016 and had suffered four miscarriages, as well as two unsuccessful embryo transfers. By October 2020, we had no more frozen embryos and no explanations of the causes of the miscarriages, so we decided to do some research ourselves and contacted Valerie. As well as the acupuncture, Valerie gave us a wealth of other information and advice. After our first appointment, she gave us a comprehensive report with all the tests she recommended we have and where and how to do them, specific dietary and supplement suggestions and other lifestyle changes to make. She referred us to a fertility nutritionist who was also incredibly helpful, and she gave us a huge amount of emotional support in addition.

continued…

Amy, Bristol

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Find out more about Acupuncture for Fertility and Hormone Health on my Instagram page

So often I am contacted by couples where they have been told the male side is fine, or that the recommendation is IVF with ICSI but no real answer as to why a sperm parameter might be low.

Recently I even had a client who had a semen analysis where the recommendation in the notes at the end was, amongst other things, to consult with a urologist. But the clinic did not discuss this with the client, they just recommended IVF with ICSI (which was unsuccessful and why they came to see me).

I have an eye for detail so I will pick things like this, as well as more subtle issues from your test results.

I work with a framework of optimal ranges, not just “normal” to support you to prepare properly for your fertility journey.

One of my favourite parts of working with couples is being a fertility detective and getting to the root cause of your issues!

If you would like an extra pair of experienced eyes to go over your case and to support you with relaxing and nourishing acupuncture alongside dietary and lifestyle suggestions, my Four Month Conception Reset package could be the right next step for you. There is more info on my website (link in bio.)

What are you struggling with most on your fertility journey? Let me know here or by DM and I may write a post about it 😊

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Open post by valerie_salt_fertility with ID 18285349165266665
So often I am contacted by couples where they have been told the male side is fine, or that the recommendation is IVF with ICSI but no real answer as to why a sperm parameter might be low. Recently I even had a client who had a semen analysis where the recommendation in the notes at the end was, amongst other things, to consult with a urologist. But the clinic did not discuss this with the client, they just recommended IVF with ICSI (which was unsuccessful and why they came to see me). I have an eye for detail so I will pick things like this, as well as more subtle issues from your test results. I work with a framework of optimal ranges, not just “normal” to support you to prepare properly for your fertility journey. One of my favourite parts of working with couples is being a fertility detective and getting to the root cause of your issues! If you would like an extra pair of experienced eyes to go over your case and to support you with relaxing and nourishing acupuncture alongside dietary and lifestyle suggestions, my Four Month Conception Reset package could be the right next step for you. There is more info on my website (link in bio.) What are you struggling with most on your fertility journey? Let me know here or by DM and I may write a post about it 😊

All ready for couples to come into clinic together.

Have you tried acupuncture to support your fertility journey yet?

Or are you thinking about trying it because you have heard it can help. Maybe you aren’t sure how it can actually help but you are ready to try anything.

It can feel like a big step to commit to a course of acupuncture, especially if it’s not something you have tried before.

But did you know that I also specialise in supplements, diet and lifestyle changes to support your fertility journey. As well as being very familiar with a lot of fertility related testing that it is available, which helps to find out the answer to why you are struggling to conceive.

I saw a client in clinic who came to me with her partner thinking that her pregnancy loss was all due to her PCOS. But it turns out that her partner has an infection (which they are both being treated for) and he has a varicocele which can impact male fertility.

If they had gone down the conventional route, neither of these things would have been found.

Because they trusted me with their care these things can be sorted out as quickly and efficiently as possible using my trusted network of practitioners and medics, all while supporting their hormones and stress levels with regular acupuncture.

If you are in your 30s or 40s and are feeling lost or not sure what to do next on your fertility journey, my Four Month Conception Reset might be just what you need. Please feel free to DM me to find out more. Or, if you are ready to take action and commit to your health and fertility with a treatment package, you can book a free 15 minute call using the link in my bio @valerie_salt_fertility

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Open post by valerie_salt_fertility with ID 18078522868846261
All ready for couples to come into clinic together. Have you tried acupuncture to support your fertility journey yet? Or are you thinking about trying it because you have heard it can help. Maybe you aren’t sure how it can actually help but you are ready to try anything. It can feel like a big step to commit to a course of acupuncture, especially if it’s not something you have tried before. But did you know that I also specialise in supplements, diet and lifestyle changes to support your fertility journey. As well as being very familiar with a lot of fertility related testing that it is available, which helps to find out the answer to why you are struggling to conceive. I saw a client in clinic who came to me with her partner thinking that her pregnancy loss was all due to her PCOS. But it turns out that her partner has an infection (which they are both being treated for) and he has a varicocele which can impact male fertility. If they had gone down the conventional route, neither of these things would have been found. Because they trusted me with their care these things can be sorted out as quickly and efficiently as possible using my trusted network of practitioners and medics, all while supporting their hormones and stress levels with regular acupuncture. If you are in your 30s or 40s and are feeling lost or not sure what to do next on your fertility journey, my Four Month Conception Reset might be just what you need. Please feel free to DM me to find out more. Or, if you are ready to take action and commit to your health and fertility with a treatment package, you can book a free 15 minute call using the link in my bio @valerie_salt_fertility

Lovely feedback from a Dad to be.

It is very common for me to work with couples where there are suboptimal results on the male side.

In this case, and many others, the man is not given any advice to improve his sperm health and they can be left feeling upset due to having a problem and no way to fix it.

In this case there was a fix.

Both partners were looked after with regular acupuncture as well as everything else that I do with couples. Easing the journey to parenthood is always my aim.

I wish them both the best for the rest of the pregnancy and beyond!

If you are in your 30s or 40s and are feeling lost or not sure what to do next on your fertility journey, my Four Month Conception Reset might be just what you need. Please feel free to DM me to find out more. Or, if you are ready to take action and commit to your health and fertility with a treatment package, you can book a free 15 minute call using the link in my bio @valerie_salt_fertility

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Open post by valerie_salt_fertility with ID 17960778248794041
Lovely feedback from a Dad to be. It is very common for me to work with couples where there are suboptimal results on the male side. In this case, and many others, the man is not given any advice to improve his sperm health and they can be left feeling upset due to having a problem and no way to fix it. In this case there was a fix. Both partners were looked after with regular acupuncture as well as everything else that I do with couples. Easing the journey to parenthood is always my aim. I wish them both the best for the rest of the pregnancy and beyond! If you are in your 30s or 40s and are feeling lost or not sure what to do next on your fertility journey, my Four Month Conception Reset might be just what you need. Please feel free to DM me to find out more. Or, if you are ready to take action and commit to your health and fertility with a treatment package, you can book a free 15 minute call using the link in my bio @valerie_salt_fertility

Is low sperm morphology quietly blocking your path to pregnancy?

If your clinic has recommended IVF with ICSI, it’s often due to poor sperm quality—typically when morphology (normal forms) is 4% or lower. But what if that’s not just a technical detail… what if it’s the root cause of your infertility?

Before going through IVF cycles, down regulation, hormone stimulation, egg collection, and embryo transfers, it’s worth asking:

👉 Can improving sperm health help you conceive naturally?

Sperm quality—especially morphology—is deeply linked to fertilisation success, embryo development, and long-term fertility. By addressing this early, you may not only boost your natural fertility, but also increase your chances of IVF success later, if needed.

And let’s be honest—IVF is not a guarantee. Success rates hover around 30% per cycle, and that includes transferring all embryos created. So doesn’t it make sense to optimise everything before starting?

💡 Better sperm. Better outcomes. Fewer interventions.

If you’re in your 30s or 40s, feeling lost or unsure of your next step, my Fertility Boost program is here to support you.

📩 DM me for more info or book a free 15-minute call via the link in my bio
👉 @valerie_salt_fertility

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Open post by valerie_salt_fertility with ID 17935745643010154
Is low sperm morphology quietly blocking your path to pregnancy? If your clinic has recommended IVF with ICSI, it’s often due to poor sperm quality—typically when morphology (normal forms) is 4% or lower. But what if that’s not just a technical detail… what if it’s the root cause of your infertility? Before going through IVF cycles, down regulation, hormone stimulation, egg collection, and embryo transfers, it’s worth asking: 👉 Can improving sperm health help you conceive naturally? Sperm quality—especially morphology—is deeply linked to fertilisation success, embryo development, and long-term fertility. By addressing this early, you may not only boost your natural fertility, but also increase your chances of IVF success later, if needed. And let’s be honest—IVF is not a guarantee. Success rates hover around 30% per cycle, and that includes transferring all embryos created. So doesn’t it make sense to optimise everything before starting? 💡 Better sperm. Better outcomes. Fewer interventions. If you’re in your 30s or 40s, feeling lost or unsure of your next step, my Fertility Boost program is here to support you. 📩 DM me for more info or book a free 15-minute call via the link in my bio 👉 @valerie_salt_fertility

One of the ways I can support you is to guide you through microbiome testing. But what is it, how do you do it and what is the point?!

You have different microbiomes all over your body. Your microbiome is your individual make up of organisms including bacteria, yeasts and other things, in a certain area of your body.

Some organisms are beneficial, some cause problems when present in large quantities and some are ok when at a reasonable level together with good levels of beneficial bacteria.

The microbiomes I am most interested in for fertility and hormone health are vaginal, uterine, seminal, urine and gut but there are other areas that can be tested as well.

The tests are a simple swab kit which you send off in the post.

When I work with women and couples, I usually start with one or two microbiomes to focus on, depending on what has come up in their history.

The most important part to note is that when things show up, they can often be fixed relatively easily with a mixture of supplements, dietary advice and sometimes antibiotics.

I have seen couples who have suffered multiple miscarriages and have been on the way to trying IVF who have gone down this path and conceived naturally.

I have also seen couples who have been through multiple failed rounds of IVF, some with implantation failure and others with no good quality embryos to transfer, who have done this work and then gone on to have successful rounds of IVF.

There are studies on various “opportunistic organisms” which state that the evidence shows an increased risk of miscarriage and/or pre term birth when there is a high presence in your uterine or vaginal microbiome. These organisms can also affect sperm and semen quality so if you have any results outside of the normal range, this is a good non-invasive path to go down.

If you are in your 30s or 40s and are feeling lost or not sure what to do next on your fertility journey, having a look at your microbiome whilst working with me during the Fertility Boost package might be just what you need. You can DM me to find out more, or if you are keen to get started, you are welcome to book a free 15 minute call. Link in bio @valerie_salt_fertility

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Open post by valerie_salt_fertility with ID 18064347029511759
One of the ways I can support you is to guide you through microbiome testing. But what is it, how do you do it and what is the point?! You have different microbiomes all over your body. Your microbiome is your individual make up of organisms including bacteria, yeasts and other things, in a certain area of your body. Some organisms are beneficial, some cause problems when present in large quantities and some are ok when at a reasonable level together with good levels of beneficial bacteria. The microbiomes I am most interested in for fertility and hormone health are vaginal, uterine, seminal, urine and gut but there are other areas that can be tested as well. The tests are a simple swab kit which you send off in the post. When I work with women and couples, I usually start with one or two microbiomes to focus on, depending on what has come up in their history. The most important part to note is that when things show up, they can often be fixed relatively easily with a mixture of supplements, dietary advice and sometimes antibiotics. I have seen couples who have suffered multiple miscarriages and have been on the way to trying IVF who have gone down this path and conceived naturally. I have also seen couples who have been through multiple failed rounds of IVF, some with implantation failure and others with no good quality embryos to transfer, who have done this work and then gone on to have successful rounds of IVF. There are studies on various “opportunistic organisms” which state that the evidence shows an increased risk of miscarriage and/or pre term birth when there is a high presence in your uterine or vaginal microbiome. These organisms can also affect sperm and semen quality so if you have any results outside of the normal range, this is a good non-invasive path to go down. If you are in your 30s or 40s and are feeling lost or not sure what to do next on your fertility journey, having a look at your microbiome whilst working with me during the Fertility Boost package might be just what you need. You can DM me to find out more, or if you are keen to get started, you are welcome to book a free 15 minute call. Link in bio @valerie_salt_fertility

I have worked with a few medical doctors over the years and quite a few nurses. Some come to me because they have heard acupuncture can help with fertility and others come to support them with their relaxation.

When they come to see me for acupuncture, they receive the relaxation and fertility support but they also get someone who can talk to them in detail about their hormone levels.

Someone who can support them through choosing the right extra testing so they can understand what the issue is for them.

Someone who has links with a variety of consultants specialising in fertility and endocrinology/urology/reproductive immunology, or whatever it is they need support with (I have some excellent contacts.)

I love to be able to support patients to integrate conventional medicine with functional medicine testing and acupuncture.

I see the benefits of combining the best parts of conventional medicine with complementary therapies every day in my clinic. I think that people are often relieved that I am very happy to integrate a number of different options into the treatment plan, and whilst natural conception is the most gentle way forward with your body, I also see the benefits of extra testing available with IVF and being able to store embryos for later. What each person needs is different and I do my best to hear what you need and support you on that journey.

If you have been thinking about acupuncture for your fertility but were concerned because you have a medical background, you are very welcome to book a free 15 minute call with me. Link in bio. I look forward to hearing about your journey so far and what support you need.

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Open post by valerie_salt_fertility with ID 18078407191764148
I have worked with a few medical doctors over the years and quite a few nurses. Some come to me because they have heard acupuncture can help with fertility and others come to support them with their relaxation. When they come to see me for acupuncture, they receive the relaxation and fertility support but they also get someone who can talk to them in detail about their hormone levels. Someone who can support them through choosing the right extra testing so they can understand what the issue is for them. Someone who has links with a variety of consultants specialising in fertility and endocrinology/urology/reproductive immunology, or whatever it is they need support with (I have some excellent contacts.) I love to be able to support patients to integrate conventional medicine with functional medicine testing and acupuncture. I see the benefits of combining the best parts of conventional medicine with complementary therapies every day in my clinic. I think that people are often relieved that I am very happy to integrate a number of different options into the treatment plan, and whilst natural conception is the most gentle way forward with your body, I also see the benefits of extra testing available with IVF and being able to store embryos for later. What each person needs is different and I do my best to hear what you need and support you on that journey. If you have been thinking about acupuncture for your fertility but were concerned because you have a medical background, you are very welcome to book a free 15 minute call with me. Link in bio. I look forward to hearing about your journey so far and what support you need.

Valerie Salt_Submark White300

Acupuncture in Bristol

Bristol Natural Health Service
407 Gloucester Road
Horfield, Bristol
BS7 8TS

The Family Practice
116 Gloucester Road
Bishopston, Bristol
BS7 8NL

Quick links:

Acupuncture in Bristol for General Wellbeing

Acupuncture in Bristol for Fertility

Acupuncture in Bristol for Pregnancy

Acupuncture in Bristol for Perimenopause

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