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Improve your chances of a successful IVF cycle by combining it with Acupuncture
There is a compelling body of evidence suggesting a significant increase of success for couples undergoing IVF when done in conjunction with Acupuncture.
Acupuncture can also help couples cope with the stress related to infertility, and can help ease the distress of the IVF procedures and side effects of the hormones.
Acupuncture involves the painless insertion of very fine, single use needles, which stimulate specific reactive points on the body.
Infertility can be a very difficult and stressful situation. When a couple wants to start a family and is struggling to fall pregnant it is extremely heart breaking, and most couples will do almost anything to achieve their dream of becoming parents.
By the time a couple decides to undergo IVF it is often after years of trying, and many investigations into what the cause of infertility is.
We are very fortunate to be living in era when IVF offers many otherwise infertile couples a very real chance of getting pregnant.
As IVF is a very in depth undertaking it is important to maximize the chances of success of every IVF cycle.
How does Acupuncture improve IVF success rates?
The IVF process overcomes many of the potential causes of infertility. However, the area where more improvement is needed is in the rates of successful implantation - the process where the embryo 'implants' into the uterine lining.
Research suggests that acupuncture increases the success rate of implantation of the embryo at the time of IVF transfer by regulating blood flow to the uterine lining. Several high quality clinical studies have demonstrated significant improvements in implantation and pregnancy rates, particularly for couples that had a statistically lower chance of success.
Women who received acupuncture as an adjunct to IVF also had an increase sense of well - being, a more positive outlook in relation to their cycle and were significantly less anxious after their transfer as compared with patients who did not receive the acupuncture. They also demonstrated an increased capacity to cope with the stress of IVF and infertility treatments.
Clinical trials have shown that acupuncture can also improve sperm quality. specifically it can have a positive impact on sperm morphology (shape) and motility (its ability to move). This, combined with the IVF technology where embryologists can inject the sperm directly into the egg improves significantly the overall chances of success.
For optimal benefit the acupuncture treatments should be done just before the transfer and soon after the transfer. An acupuncture session lasts for approximately 45 minutes.
Whilst acupuncture shows great potential in improving the success of IVF treatments, most scientist agree that more research needs to be done before acupuncture is accepted into mainstream IVF treatment protocols.
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