Acupuncture for IVF Assisted Conception
Acupuncture have been shown to improve the success rate of pregnancy in infertile and sub-fertile couples by offering improvements in ovarian function, an increase in the number of eggs, and by increasing the thickness of the uterine wall. Acupuncture is used alone as a fertility treatment or in combination with IVF assisted conception or other forms of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)
In vitro fertilization is used in cases of fallopian tube blockage, low sperm count, abnormal cervical factors, immunologic factors affecting either partner, infertility after tubal surgery, infertility after treatment for endometriosis, and for unexplained infertility. This procedure was first successfully used in the United States in 1981.
Newer studies and trials in 2008 found that Acupuncture can increase the chances of getting pregnant for women undergoing IVF treatment by 65%, a review of the evidence concluded in the British Medical Journal.
Acupuncture can help with a Natural Pregnancy or an IVF assisted conception by:
Increasing blood flow to the reproductive organs, improving uterine lining and egg quality
Regulating menstruation and ovulation
Helping with implantation by reducing uterine spasms
Relieving stress and decreasing the body’s stress response
Reducing inflammation that may impede fertility
Regulating the immune system that can influence fertility
Improving male factor infertility such as sperm count, motility and quality