Claire Norton

BA Hons Lic.ac MBAcC

Leicester based acupuncturist taking notes on an ipad with flowers in the background

Meet Claire - Acupuncturist and Fertility Support Practitioner

Leicester's fertility acupuncturist

I’m a licensed traditional acupuncturist and Fertility Support practitioner. I practice acupuncture in Leicester for fertility and hormonal health.

Education

In 2012, I graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a First-Class Honours degree in Traditional Acupuncture after three years of full-time study. This institution, the oldest college of acupuncture in Europe, was founded by Professor J.R. Worsley, a key figure in bringing acupuncture to the West. Since then, I have completed an advanced diploma in fertility, covering areas such as natural conception, reproductive immunology, IVF support, PCOS, endometriosis, male factor infertility and complex fertility cases.

Additionally, I have regularly undertaken Continuing Professional Development (CPD) as a requirement to be a member of the British acupuncture council but also as a commitment to my clients, to stay up to date with current guidelines, research and protocols. This is with leading specialists in the field of both acupuncture and fertility, including scientists, embryologists, reproductive immunologists, consultants, andrologists, naturopaths and herbalists.

Professional commitment

My paper on recurrent miscarriage was recently published in the European Journal of Chinese Medicine 2023, and also appears on the British Acupuncture Council website of case studies. In 2024, my case study ' Supporting Post-Miscarriage Emotional Wellbeing with Acupuncture' was published in The European journal of Chinese Medicine. I am also a clinical supervisor for The Acupuncture Academy, supporting third year students in their clinical practice.

Why I became a fertility acupuncturist

My passion for supporting women facing fertility challenges began in 2011, when I first started practicing acupuncture during my degree. Many of the women I worked with faced fertility challenges, which soon became a primary focus of my practice. To provide them with the best possible support, I pursued postgraduate training and continued professional development with top experts in the field.

Then, in an unexpected and ironic twist, I found myself facing my own fertility struggles. After experiencing infertility, including several miscarriages, I gained firsthand insight into the profound lack of support, guidance, and integrated care available to women during such heart-wrenching times. These personal experiences profoundly shaped my perspective on the journey to motherhood, with all its complexities and uncertainties.

This fuelled my commitment to further study and, more importantly, to a mission that has become central to my work: empowering women on their fertility journeys. I am dedicated to creating a safe and nurturing space where women can find the support, guidance, and holistic care they need. My goal is to help women navigate their fertility challenges with greater confidence, resilience, and hope, regardless of how challenging the path may be.

Qualifications and professional memberships

I am a member of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC), The leading body for the practice of traditional acupuncture in the UK, ensuring a high level of training, excellent standards of professionalism, safety and a minimum requirement of continuing professional development per annum. All members possess a degree or equivalent qualification in acupuncture, the BAcC was among the first organisations to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.

I am also a member of the British Medical Acupuncture Society (BMAS), internationally recognised as the gold standard in Western Medical Acupuncture.

As a Fertility Support Expert, I have been trained by world renowned leading expert Naava Carman. I am committed to a minimum requirement of annual continuing professional development in the field of fertility. Often exceeding requirements by hundreds of hours with leading experts in reproductive medicine.

I am also a member of the Acupuncture Fertility Network, a professional special interest group of acupuncturists dedicated to helping individuals with fertility issues across the UK.