Charlotte Conwy Acupuncture

A little Bath update 🌿
Today is my first Thursday at Melanie Leeson Acupuncture in Bath.
I’m really pleased to be expanding my Bath practice and to now have another day available for appointments.
I’ll be here every Thursday offering general acupuncture, with my usual particular focus on fertility, women’s health, pregnancy and hormonal health through the different stages of life.
It’s lovely to be settling into a new treatment space and I’m looking forward to welcoming both new and existing clients here.
Thursday appointments are now open to book - link in bio 🤍

A client sent me this and I loved it too much not to share (with her permission!) 💛

That’s her Oura ring, tracking her nervous system through the day. See the dip right in the middle: the first time all day she moved into “Restored”? That’s during her acupuncture session.

Oura isn’t measuring “stress” as a feeling. It’s tracking heart rate variability, a marker of how much your body is shifting between “on” (sympathetic) and “at ease” (parasympathetic). Most of us spend our waking hours somewhere between Engaged and Stressed.

There’s rarely a point in an ordinary day when the body is allowed to fully stand down, relax, and restore, which is exactly what regulating the nervous system means in practice. It’s one of the things acupuncture is most effective at supporting.

📍 Bath & Frome

New research is putting numbers on an area I’ve been looking at in clinic for a while: the semen microbiome.

A recent study* found that around **1 in 4 men undergoing IVF or ICSI** had a particular pattern of semen microbiome imbalance. The researchers call this “seminal V-dysbiosis”, although they emphasise that this is still an exploratory classification.

Among couples where the male partner had this pattern, **57% went on to have a live birth, compared with 85% of those without it.**

It’s another reminder that fertility isn’t only about egg quality, or s***m count and motility. The microbial environment may matter too, on both sides.

Seminal microbiome testing is something I offer as part of looking at the fuller fertility picture, alongside hormone testing and semen analysis. If you’d like to know more, send me a message.

*Behrendt-Møller I, et al. “Gut, vaginal, and seminal microbiomes in couples with infertility or recurrent pregnancy loss: a two-cohort prospective study of reproductive outcomes.” The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women’s Health (2026). DOI: 10.1016/S3050-5038(26)00213-X.

I’m so pleased to share that my appointment calendar is now open.

After taking some time away from clinic to recover from a broken wrist, I’m really looking forward to welcoming you all back in clinic from the last week of August.

I’ll be returning on slightly reduced hours to begin with, so appointments are a little more limited than usual.

Whether you’re looking for support with fertility, women’s health, pain, stress or general wellbeing, I’d love to see you.

Really looking forward to being back! Link in bio to book in.

I’m kicking off a fertility series over on Bath Natural Remedies

First up: Navigating the Fertility Journey, on understanding your options and where to start if you’re trying to conceive.

Over the coming months we’ll cover:
• When to seek fertility support
• Understanding ovulation & timing
• Fertility testing explained
• Male fertility & s***m health
• How acupuncture can support fertility & IVF

Read the first article - link in bio

TCM FertilitySupport

Clinic Update 💚
I wanted to share a quick update with you all.
Following a recent wrist injury, I’ve temporarily paused acupuncture appointments while I recover.
The good news is that I’m still here for you through online talking therapy and Chinese herbal medicine consultations, so if you need anything during this time, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Online fertility consultations are also available - message me for more details or book directly here: https://www.acueast.co.uk/book-online/
Thank you so much for all of your kind messages, patience and support over the past few days. It really has meant a great deal.
I’m looking forward to welcoming you back into the clinic as soon as I’m able. 💚
—

’sHealth

✨ New clinic open ✨

I’m now offering sessions at Bath Natural Remedies
🕑 Wednesdays, 2–5pm
📍 Central Bath

Bookings via my website or DM 💚

Here’s to 2026! And as I didn’t manage to jump on here to say happy Christmas, here’s a picture from a blustery beach on Christmas Day. And yes, I am wearing my (now very small) hat from primary school 😬

For many people (and energetically) 2025 has been quite a tough one - myself included. In Chinese medicine, the Year of the Snake is often associated with shedding, introspection and necessary but sometimes uncomfortable change. A year that asks us to slow down, let go of what no longer fits, and sit with uncertainty while something new takes shape.

As we move towards the Year of the Horse, there’s a sense of shift towards movement, momentum and looking ahead. A change in pace and direction.

As the year draws in, I invite you to take a moment to reflect on what 2025 has held for you, what you’re ready to leave behind, and what you might wish to carry forward into the year ahead.

Wishing you a healthy, steady and well-balanced 2026.

After many years at my London clinic, this chapter of my practice is now coming to a close.

I’m so grateful to all my colleagues and clients - I will miss you all enormously. This time has shaped my practice in so many ways and I’ll always be thankful for the connections I’ve made during my time here at IA.

And so as the year comes to an end, so too does my time in Islington. A heartfelt goodbye for now.

Stay tuned for what’s coming next. ❤️

ClosingAChapter NewBeginnings

✨ Why you shouldn’t rely on cycle tracking algorithms ✨

Those pretty graphs and predicted “fertile windows” might feel reassuring… but here’s the truth: your body isn’t an algorithm.

Cycle tracking apps often assume that everyone ovulates on day 14 of a textbook 28-day cycle. In reality? Less than a quarter of women actually ovulate on cycle day 14, and ovulation can shift earlier or later depending on stress, illness, travel, exercise, diet, or just the natural ebb and flow of your hormones.

This means that the app’s predicted fertile window could be totally off - and if you’re trying to conceive (or avoid pregnancy), that’s a big deal.

🌱 The good news: real insight comes from tuning into your body’s own signals - cervical mucus, basal body temperature, cervix position, energy, and mood shifts. These give a much clearer picture of your fertility than an algorithm ever could.

This is where I can help. As a fertility specialist, I work with women to:
• Understand their unique cycles
• Identify the most fertile windows for conception
• Spot underlying issues that might be affecting ovulation
• Support the body naturally so fertility is optimised

So instead of guesswork from an app, you get personalised guidance based on your own body, giving you confidence and clarity on your fertility journey.

Your cycle is as beautifully unique as you are. 💫