Can Acupuncture increase IVF success rate?
There are many researches done on the subject of IVF and Acupuncture as a tool to increase the success rate, and all come back positive. At Healing Cedar Wellness, we have seen it many times and have assisted many couple in realizing their dream of becoming parents. If you have questions, feel free to give us a call or e-mail us.
Research has established many mechanisms to explain how acupuncture may benefit fertility:
In 2002, a team of German researchers discovered that acupuncture significantly increased the odds of pregnancy among a group of 160 women who were undergoing IVF treatment. 42 % of the women who received acupuncture got pregnant, compared to 26 %of those who didn't receive the treatment.
Since then, more research has given support to the benefits of acupuncture for women undergoing IVF. One study, also in Germany, reported that conception and ongoing pregnancy rates were higher for women who had acupuncture treatment in the the second part of their menstrual cycle (the luteal phase) following IVF or ICSI. While a Danish study found that conception rates were best improved by having an acupuncture treatment on the day the embryos were transferred into the uterus.
Acupuncture may also help male fertility. Regular treatments have been shown to improve sperm counts and motility (the strength with which the sperm swim) for men with fertility problems but not always significantly. To improve the chances of pregnancy by natural means, acupuncture treatment would need to increase a man's sperm count over the threshold needed for conception.
For couples considering assisted conception, acupuncture can help by improving the quality of the sperm. In a study published in 2005, researchers analyzed sperm samples from men with infertility of unknown cause before and after acupuncture treatments. They found that acupuncture was associated with fewer structural defects in sperm and an increase in the number of normal sperm.
Research has established many mechanisms to explain how acupuncture may benefit fertility:
- Regulating fertility hormones - stress and other factors can disrupt the function of the hypothalamic pituitary-ovarian axis (HPOA), causing hormonal imbalances that can negatively impact fertility. Acupuncture has been shown to affect hormone levels by promoting the release of beta-endorphin in the brain, which affects the release of gonadotrophin releasing hormone by the hypothalamus, follicle stimulating hormone from the pituitary gland, and oestrogen and progesterone levels from the ovary (Ng 2008, Huang 2008, Lim 2010, Stener-Victorin 2010).
- Increasing blood flow to the reproductive organs - stress also stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, which causes constriction of ovarian arteries. Acupuncture inhibits this sympathetic activity, improving blood flow to the ovaries (Stener-Victorin 2006, Lim 2010), enhancing the environment in which ovarian follicles develop. It also increases blood flow to the uterus (Stener-Victorin 1996, Huang 2008), improving the thickness of the endometrial lining and increasing the chances of embryo implantation.
- Counteracting the effects of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) - PCOS is one of the most common causes of female infertility. By reducing sympathetic nerve activity and balancing hormone levels, acupuncture has been shown to reduce the number of ovarian cysts, stimulate ovulation, enhance blastocyst implantation and regulate the menstrual cycle in women with PCOS (Stener-Victorin 2000, 2008, 2009, Zhang 2009). It may also help to control secondary effects such as obesity and anorexia (Lim 2010).
In 2002, a team of German researchers discovered that acupuncture significantly increased the odds of pregnancy among a group of 160 women who were undergoing IVF treatment. 42 % of the women who received acupuncture got pregnant, compared to 26 %of those who didn't receive the treatment.
Since then, more research has given support to the benefits of acupuncture for women undergoing IVF. One study, also in Germany, reported that conception and ongoing pregnancy rates were higher for women who had acupuncture treatment in the the second part of their menstrual cycle (the luteal phase) following IVF or ICSI. While a Danish study found that conception rates were best improved by having an acupuncture treatment on the day the embryos were transferred into the uterus.
Acupuncture may also help male fertility. Regular treatments have been shown to improve sperm counts and motility (the strength with which the sperm swim) for men with fertility problems but not always significantly. To improve the chances of pregnancy by natural means, acupuncture treatment would need to increase a man's sperm count over the threshold needed for conception.
For couples considering assisted conception, acupuncture can help by improving the quality of the sperm. In a study published in 2005, researchers analyzed sperm samples from men with infertility of unknown cause before and after acupuncture treatments. They found that acupuncture was associated with fewer structural defects in sperm and an increase in the number of normal sperm.
