Can Acupuncture help IVF?

The answer is “ YES”! With more and more clinical evidence coming from Fertility research all over the world. With the smiles on our patients’ faces when they come into the clinic with their new born babies. The answer is “YES”

A report published in the journal Fertility and Sterility found the pregnancy rate in the group receiving acupuncture was 42.5%, compared to 26.3% in the group which did not. The German research team, led by Dr. Wolfgang Paulus and colleagues at the Christian-Lauritzen-Institut in Ulm, said they have increased success rates with acupuncture by almost 50% in women having in vitro fertilisation (IVF). [1]

How can Acupuncture help?

Acupuncture uses the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine as well as herbal prescriptions to maintain a balanced system. In Traditional Chinese Medicine the basic theory is that only when the body is balanced will it function at its optimal level. By strengthening the patient’s health, it improves both the ability to conceive and to maintain pregnancy to full term.

By using acupuncture we aim to

Improve ovarian function, resulting in the production of more follicles and good quality eggs.
Regulate oestrogen and progesterone levels, thickening the lining of the uterus for proper implantation
Strengthen the immune system
Reduce stress and relax the patient to prevent the uterus from contracting and ultimately help to prevent miscarriage
Alleviate the side effect of IVF drugs
Improve semen quality and quantity

Who would Acupuncture help most?

Whether you are planning to use high tech fertility treatments, or take the more natural approach, acupuncture can increase your chances of achieving a pregnancy.

Couples with unexplained causes of infertility, or couples who already have a child or have experienced non full term pregnancy (miscarriage), are best candidates for natural acupuncture fertility and need the least amount of time to conceive (usually up to 3-6 months). However anyone can try natural pregnancy with Acupuncture or Chinese Medicine.

Is Acupuncture safe?

Acupuncture is very safe, cost effective and highly productive. You can choose natural pregnancy or assisted (IUI, IVF etc). We use advanced Acupuncture protocols to treat infertility in males and females and are happy to work with your Medical Doctors.

When should I start Acupuncture and Herbal Remedies and how long does it usually take?

Timing and consistency of treatment are of primary importance. There are specific hormonal adjustments that can be made at each week of the menstrual cycle. Missing a week of treatment may mean losing an important opportunity to heal a particular segment of the four phase menstrual cycle. It takes a minimum of three consecutive cycles (12 treatments) to do the foundation work of regulation, regardless of biological age. Most conception occurs between 3-6 months of well-attended treatments.

What else can acupuncture help?

Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine are very successful in treating many gynecological conditions that contribute to infertility such as irregular menses, endometriosis, blocked fallopian tubes and fibroids. They can also reduce the chance of miscarriage and correct many hormonal imbalances.

Reference:

[1] Fertil Steril. 2002 Apr;77(4):721-4. Influence of acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in patients who undergo assisted reproduction therapy. Paulus WE1, Zhang M, Strehler E, El-Danasouri I, Sterzik K. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11937123