Are You Having Infertility Issues? Are You Seeking Treatment To Increase The Effectiveness of IVF?
How Can Acupuncture Increase My Success of IVF?
- Increased blood flow to the uterus and resulting uterine wall thickening
- Increased endorphine production which is believed to effect the release of GnRH, involved in regulating reproduction
- Lower stress hormones responsible for infertility
- Impact on plasma levels of FSH, LH, estradiol and progesterone, all fertility hormones
- Normalization of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian process
- A positive effect for women with polycystic ovarian syndrome
Have Studies Been Performed To Prove Its Effectiveness?
A report published in the journal Fertility and Sterility found the pregnancy rate in the group receiving acupuncture group was 42.5%, compared to the group which did not receive the therapy, where the rate was 26.3%.
The German researchers worked with doctors at the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine at Tongji Hospital in Wuhan, China.
Of 160 women undergoing IVF, half received standard in vitro fertilization, while half were given acupuncture treatments before and after.
The researchers chose acupuncture points which traditional Chinese medicine says relax the uterus.
They also used needles to stimulate meridians involving the spleen, stomach and colon, to improve blood flow and create "more energy in the uterus."
Key relaxation points were also stimulated.
The research team, led by Dr. Wolfgang Paulus and colleagues at the Christian-Lauritzen-Institut in Ulm, Germany, wrote in the journal: "Acupuncture seems to be a useful tool for improving pregnancy rate after assisted reproductive techniques."