Acupuncture Shown to Improve IVF Success Rate

Infertility is one of the most under-talked about issues facing women and families across the world. There are many reasons women may struggle with infertility, and every women is different. Whether the cause of infertility is known or unknown, it can be a stressful and difficult thing for women and families to cope with.

When struggling to get pregnant naturally, many families will turn to alternative fertility methods. Success rates vary depending on the individual, but intrauterine insemination (commonly known as IUI) has an average success rate of 20%, while In Vitro Fertilization (commonly known as IVF) has an average success rate of 40% for women under 35, with decreasing rate at older ages.

These treatments are incredible modern medical marvels, and their success rates will only likely rise, but they can be very costly and time consuming for families. What if there were a natural, safe way to increase the chances of a procedure like IVF working to bring a beautiful baby into the world?

That might just be happening. A recent study conducted at Homerton University Hopsital in London, UK reveals that acupuncture has been shown to significantly increase the success rate of IVF. In the study, the ongoing pregnancy rate of those who received acupuncture was over 53%, and just under 28% for those who did not.

“The protocol uses acupuncture points to stimulate blood circulation to the ovaries in order to achieve good follicle quantity and size,” says Karen Gillerman,LAc, BSc (Hons), MBAcC, the lead author of the study. “It also uses points to stimulate blood flow to the uterus and improve the uterine lining, as well as points to relax the patient.”

Infertility can be one of the more trying things for a family to endure, something we wish on nobody. But acupuncture is here to help.

Got PMS? Try Acupuncture

Many women know it all too well: the cyclical bloating, breakouts, cravings and yes, mood swings that strike right around the time your monthly period is due. Pre-Menstrual Syndrome, or PMS for short, is a series of symptoms women feel due to the strong hormone fluctuations they experience with their menses.

According to the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, “Several million women report painful periods, cramps, and PMS that can disrupt life for 7-10 days each month,” with common symptoms include and ranging from bloating, headache, acne, and irritability or severe mood swings.

To help ease these symptoms, a healthful diet, exercise, medicinal herbs, and acupuncture are recommended as they, “can all be used to better regulate these hormonal fluctuations.”

As a form of natural relief, the article explains that, “Practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) analyze the flow of energy, or qi, and blood in each patient as a means of identifying imbalances that are to blame for their diseases or medical conditions. Cramping associated with the menstrual cycle or menopause is often due to the stagnation of qi.” Additionally, a deficiency in quality qi or blood flow can also lead to chronic pain.

The most common acupuncture point for PMS is along the liver meridian, or Liver Qi, which is believed to be integral to the overall flow of energy, life force, through the body. By stimulating this point, stagnant blood can be combated, which can ultimately lead to pain relief and restoration of balance.  

The Pacific College of Oriental Medicine states, “While the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has no official stance on the efficacy of acupuncture on PMS, many of the professional members recognize that acupuncture helps to regulate our endorphins and other biochemistry.”

In other words, it quite literally can’t hurt to give acupuncture a try in an effort to help combat when PMS rears its ugly head.

Why IVF Patients Turn to the Practice to Improve Their Chances & Experience

Women struggling with infertility and their loved ones know first-hand how stressful, painful, overwhelming and expensive the process can be. From daily injections and monitoring, endless blood draws and ultrasounds the in-vitro fertilization process is demanding, with of course, the end result hopefully being very much worth the work.

Those seeking to get a handle on stress stemming from the process, or to possibly improve the chances of a positive outcome are seeking acupuncture treatment more and more.

Stress can significantly impact the IVF cycle, and acupuncture can help to reduce it.

A recent Parents.com article cited Alice Domar, Ph.D., executive director of the Domar Center for Mind/Body Health as saying, “We know the number-one reason insured people drop out of IVF treatment is stress, so anything you can do to reduce stress might keep you in treatment longer and help you get pregnant.”

In an article entitled, Does Acupuncture for Infertility Work? Dr. Lara Rosenthal, a licensed acupuncturist who works with patients New York University Langone Medical Center Fertility Center in New York City is quoted as saying, “"Doing acupuncture before trying drugs or IVF might help you avoid those treatments altogether,” while having acupuncture treatment during an IVF cycle may help combat the unpleasant side effects stemming from the added hormones and mediations in your system.

Even Hollywood moms have publicly turned to acupuncture during their battles with infertility. Celine Dion’s reps have confirmed that she sought treatment during her sixth IVF experience which led to her pregnancy with twins Nelson and Eddy.

After suffering a miscarriage, Mariah Carey told Access Hollywood “Celine was talking about acupuncture. I used to get acupuncture, and I had never thought [of it] with regards to the trying to conceive situation,” and seems to believe it helped to make her pregnancy with twins via IVF, a dream come true.

Currently, many fertility doctors are now recommending acupuncture to their patients who are trying to conceive. From helping to balance hormone levels, releasing congested qi and helping patients to achieve relax, there are many benefits to giving it a try.

If you are actively trying to conceive or are undergoing infertility treatments, we are happy to try to help you achieve your parenting dreams and to lessen the stress of the process through skilled acupuncture treatment.