Pulling Down the Moon (Chicago) — An Honest Editorial Review
For patients searching fertility clinics in Illinois who want a whole-body, mind-body approach alongside (or before) a conventional workup, Pulling Down the Moon in River North is a multi-disciplinary fertility wellness practice offering yoga, acupuncture, nutrition, massage, and group programs. It is not a medical IVF clinic.
About the Practice
Pulling Down the Moon was founded in 2002 by co-founders Beth Heller, MS, RYT and Tami Quinn, RYT after both navigated their own fertility challenges and found meaningful support through yoga, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and nutrition. What began as a copyrighted Yoga for Fertility program has grown into a multi-city integrative brand with locations in Chicago, Highland Park, and the Washington DC / Maryland area. Heller holds a Master's in Human Nutrition and Dietetics and previously worked as a nutrition researcher on an NIH-funded women's health study; Quinn's background is in marketing and registered yoga teaching. They are co-authors of Fully Fertile: A 12-Week Holistic Plan for Optimal Fertility. The practice positions itself as integrative support that works alongside Chicago REIs and OB-GYNs — not as a replacement for clinical reproductive medicine.
Services Offered
Services the practice provides directly:
- Yoga for Fertility group classes and private sessions (their flagship, copyrighted program)
- Fertility acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine, including herbal protocols
- Fertility nutrition counseling and supplement guidance with one-on-one visits
- Fertility massage, therapeutic massage, and Mercier Therapy (a specialized pelvic manual technique)
- Mind-body support groups and transfer-day packages for IVF patients
- Fertility coaching, meditation, and stress-management programming
- Extended women's health and family wellness services (prenatal, postpartum, menopause)
What This Practice Is — and Isn't
Pulling Down the Moon does not perform IVF or IUI, does not retrieve eggs, transfer embryos, or run an embryology lab, and its practitioners do not have prescriptive authority for fertility medications like Clomid, letrozole, or gonadotropins. Patients who need those services are referred to — or co-managed with — a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist. If you need a clinical IVF program, start with the Illinois REI directory. Pulling Down the Moon is not an ART-reporting clinic because it does not perform ART cycles.
Patient Experience
The Chicago location holds a 5.0/108 Google rating, which reflects a long-running patient community, steady continuity of care with named practitioners, and a group-class model that pairs clinical visits with peer support — something most medical fertility clinics don't offer. Patients frequently describe the space as a "second home" during treatment cycles. Individual experiences vary; confirm fit during the initial consult.
When to Add a Clinical REI
Complementary care is a reasonable first or parallel step, but it is not diagnostic. Consider adding a reproductive endocrinologist if you have been trying for 12 months (six months if over 35), have irregular or absent cycles, a known tubal or uterine issue, prior miscarriages, or a partner with abnormal semen analysis. Our how to read IVF success rates guide and IVF overview explain what clinical treatment actually involves and how to compare programs within your age band.
Considering At-Home Insemination?
Patients drawn to a natural-minded, lower-intervention path often ask about at-home options before committing to clinical treatment. At-home intracervical insemination (ICI) is a private, low-cost starting point for single parents by choice, same-sex couples, or people without a known diagnosis.
MakeAMom kits are reusable, ship in plain packaging, and pair well with the cycle-tracking, nutrition, and mind-body work Pulling Down the Moon already supports. They are not a substitute for medical care if you have a known fertility diagnosis.
Insurance and Cost
Illinois is one of the stronger mandate states in the country: state-regulated large-group plans (generally 25+ employees, fully insured, not self-funded) are required to cover infertility diagnosis and treatment, including up to four completed egg retrievals with unlimited transfers from those retrievals. Self-funded ERISA plans are exempt. See our fertility insurance mandates by state explainer and IVF cost by state breakdown to estimate out-of-pocket in Illinois. Pulling Down the Moon's acupuncture and massage services may be partially reimbursable through HSA/FSA or specific wellness riders — verify directly with the front desk.
Location and Contact
Address: 770 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60654 Phone: (312) 321-0004 Website: pullingdownthemoon.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Pulling Down the Moon perform IVF or IUI? No. The practice provides yoga, acupuncture, nutrition, massage, and mind-body programming to support fertility. It does not perform IVF, IUI, egg retrievals, embryo transfers, or prescribe fertility medications.
Can I see Pulling Down the Moon alongside my fertility clinic? Yes — this is the typical model. The team coordinates with Chicago-area REIs around stimulation, retrieval, and transfer timing, and many patients use acupuncture and yoga specifically around transfer day and throughout the luteal phase.
Do I need a referral? No referral is required. New patients book an intake directly through the clinic website or front desk.
Editorial note: Independently written by the Fertlo editorial team; not sponsored. See our editorial policy.