Acupuncture for IVF/IUI Success*

IVF procedure Acupuncture for IVF–For many couples struggling to have a baby, the transition to IVF can be full of hope or frustration.  Most couples when starting an IVF cycle believe it will be the answer to their hopes and dreams, and for many it is.  But unfortunately, for others, IVF can be fraught with frustration and heartache, especially when IVF cycles fail to achieve the results as promised.  It is at this point that many couples look to find alternative solutions and reach out to practitioners like me for insight into their case.  As one of the few practitioners in Massachusetts specializing in fertility acupuncture, approximately 90% of my practice focuses on treating patients dealing with infertility.  If you are currently going through some form of Assisted Reproductive Therapy (ART) and are wondering whether IVF acupuncture treatments may be used to optimize your chances, the short answer is yes.*

How or what we can do will depend on a number of factors, including when a person starts their acupuncture and how frequently they receive treatment.  It’s important to understand that improving your health is a process that happens incrementally, so the more time that we have to work with, the better the chances are of getting the results you seek.  At your free initial consultation, we will be able to assess your situation and provide you with realistic expectations.

Acupuncture Protocol for Less than 30 Days Until IVF Embryo Transfer 

If you will be going through IVF within 30 days, the acupuncture protocol we use has been supported by research and offers many benefits.*  On the most basic level, acupuncture can help improve blood flow to the reproductive organs (ie. the ovaries and uterus).(1)*  This is essential to promoting optimal functioning in these organs.  By improving blood flow, you will improve oxygenation and delivery of nutrition, anti-oxidants and proper hormonal cues to the tissues.  If your organs are receiving less than optimal blood flow, they will function less than optimally and the by-products of poor circulation will appear (e.g., poor ovarian response and poorer quality eggs).  Improving blood flow will also help thicken the uterine lining and may be helpful for implantation.  This can be helpful for those women suffering from scanty menstrual flows and less than optimal uterine linings (<8mm), and women who don’t respond to estrogen priming of the uterus.  Improving blood flow to the reproductive organs will also improve your response to the ART medications and minimize their side effects.  In 2004, a study published in Fertility and Sterility journal concluded acupuncture to be beneficial in bringing cortisol and prolactin levels to within normal fertile cycle dynamics during the medication phase of IVF treatment, and women who typically responded poorly yielded results similar to those of normal responders.(2)*

Acupuncture IVF Treatment with Three Months or More of Preparation 

If you have more time to prepare, acupuncture may also be able assist in normalizing areas of imbalance in the body by improving digestive function, normalizing sleep, reducing inflammation and improving circulation.*  These are but a few areas that can be improved through acupuncture and herbal medicine.

If you are going through an IVF cycle and have yielded poor results or have been diagnosed with poor ovarian reserve and told that donor egg is your only option, Chinese medicine may be able to help, but to effect egg quality we need time.*  Many people don’t know that the follicles developing in the ovaries develop over a period of 9-12 months.  During this growth phase, follicles go through many changes.  When the follicle is about 90 days from ovulation, it is exposed to the internal blood supply within the ovary.  It is at this point where we believe that Chinese medicine can have a strong impact on follicle quality.*  If we are able to improve blood flow to the ovaries and uterus while at the same time correcting any imbalances present in the system, then we believe this improvement in overall health and circulation can result in higher success rates for IVF and natural pregnancies.*

What we can do will depend greatly on how much time we have to work with.  If you are looking to optimize your response to an IVF cycle,* then contact us today for a free thirty minute, no-obligation consult to learn whether our acupuncture for IVF treaments might be a good fit for you.

To read about just a few of our success stories, click here.*

2-http://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(04)00231-6/fulltext 

*Disclaimer:  Specific results are not guaranteed.  Results may vary from person to person.

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