Assisted Reproduction
Acupuncture treatment programmes are based on evidence based protocols and are designed to improve your chance of success, maximising your fertility and addressing any symptoms associated with IVF medication and alleviating stress. Recent clinical research studies state that receiving Acupuncture treatment in conjunction with IVF can significantly increase the success of IVF procedures.
Research shows that acupuncture:
• Improves the function of the ovaries to produce better quality eggs.
• Helps to regulate the hormone levels to help produce a larger number of follicles.
• Increases blood flow to the uterus helping to create a thicker uterine lining which can increase the likelihood of implantation.
• Lessens the side effects of the drugs used in IVF.
• Can strongly strengthen the immune system.
• Can improve the quality and quantity of the semen to create better quality embryos.
Preparing for IVF with Acupuncture
Ideally acupuncture treatments should begin three months before IVF treatments begin. The focus of treatments will be to improve the function of the ovaries to produce good quality eggs.
Male Fertility:
The focus of treatments will be to increase the parameters of sperm motility, morphology and count, thus assisting fertilisation of eggs and leading to viable embryos. Acupuncture treatments are once a week for the 8 weeks leading up to IVF/ICSI.
Female Fertility:
Weekly Acupuncture treatment at least 3 months prior to egg retrieval provides a stronger foundation for success. Acupuncture for fertility improves your overall reproductive health, helps produce higher quality eggs which leads to more viable embryos, it helps regulate hormones and thickens the uterine lining making it ripe for implantation.
Pre and Post IVF Transfer Treatment
Pre and post IVF transfer Acupuncture treatments are available to suit your schedule and take about 40 minutes.
Modern Clinical Research
Acupuncture seems to be a useful tool for improving pregnancy rate after ART. (Paulus W et al, Fertility and Sterility April 2002 Vol 77, pp. 721-724 http://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282%2801%2903273-3/abstract ).
Luteal-phase acupuncture has a positive effect on the outcome of IVF/ICSI (Dieterle S et al, Fertility and Sterility May 2006 Vol 85, pp. 1347-1351 http://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282%2806%2900213-5/abstract ).
Acupuncture can increase blood flow to the uterus (Stener-Victorin E, et al Human Reproduction Oxford Journal 1996; Vol. 11, No. 6, pp.1314-1317 http://humrep.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/11/6/1314 ).
Acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer significantly improves the reproductive outcome of IVF, compared with no acupuncture (Westergaard L et al, Fertility and Sterility April 2006 Vol 85, pp. 1341-1346 http://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282%2806%2900212-3/abstract ).
East meets West to boost fertility – Traditional Chinese medicine makes fertility treatments far more effective, Tel Aviv University researchers discover.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/afot-emw010912.php