Navigating your fertility and IVF journey can be a complex and emotional experience, so it’s crucial to have a support system in place that can allow you to feel safe and fully held. IVF can be incredibly overwhelming with medications, blood tests, injections, and countless appointments. However, there are so many things that you can do to make each phase of your journey a whole lot smoother. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine can be valuable tools for those receiving assisted reproductive technology (ART).
How Acupuncture Supports IVF
Acupuncture is often recommended as a complementary therapy to be used alongside IVF for a variety of reasons. Research has shown that acupuncture may assist with:
- Enhancing blood circulation to the reproductive organs
- Stress reduction
- Enhanced endometrial lining thickness
- Regulation of hormones
- Reduce common side-effects to fertility drugs
- Increase endometrial receptivity and implantation following IVF/ICSI embryo transfer
Acupuncture’s role in IVF can start well before your first cycle begins. Ideally, you should start acupuncture treatment a few months before your IVF cycle to prepare your body for the upcoming process, but acupuncture can be beneficial at any stage of your fertility journey.
Preconception Support: Preparing for IVF
For the best results, acupuncture treatment for IVF support ideally begins 2-3 months before starting your IVF cycle. Weekly sessions during this time are encouraged to prepare your body and IVF process. During this preconception phase, the focus will be on supporting regular menstrual cycles and increasing blood flow to the reproductive organs. Chinese herbal medicine may also be recommended to further support fertility.
Remember that eggs are only half the story when it comes to fertility. For heterosexual couples, male preconception care is just as important.
During IVF Support
Acupuncture should continue weekly throughout your IVF cycle, with extra treatments scheduled within 24 hours before and after your embryo transfer. These treatments help to optimize the chances of implantation while also reducing stress.
What Does the Research Say About Acupuncture and IVF?
Does individualised pre and post embryo transfer acupuncture affect live birth rates?
Objective: To assess the effect of individualized, day of embryo transfer acupuncture on Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) live birth rates compared with no acupuncture.
Acupuncture has been widely studied as a complementary treatment for fertility procedures like IUI, IVF, and embryo transfers, but this research published in the October 2022 issue of Fertility and Sterility was impressive. This research focused on patients undergoing frozen embryo transfers (FET), comparing those who included acupuncture before and after the procedure with those who didn’t. The results were clinically significant: the acupuncture group saw a 55% increase in live births compared to the non-acupuncture group, as well as a 42% reduction in biochemical pregnancies.
While previous studies on this topic have shown positive results, they often followed a standardized acupuncture protocol, using the same set of points for every patient. What sets this study apart is that it allowed acupuncturists to tailor treatments to each individual. This aligns with the core principle of Chinese medicine, which emphasizes personalized care and diagnosis.
Another systematic review and meta-analysis published by Reproductive Medicine Online showed that undergoing 12 acupuncture sessions before and during the IVF cycle had improved live birth rates compared to IVF alone or embryo transfer combined with acupuncture performed only on the day of the transfer.
Acupuncture: A Key Complement to Your IVF Journey
By starting acupuncture before your IVF cycle and continuing throughout the process, you create a comprehensive support plan that helps prepare your body for the challenges ahead. With the right combination of medical care, acupuncture, and lifestyle support, you can take an active, informed role in your fertility journey.
If you’re considering acupuncture for IVF support, talk to your fertility specialist and acupuncturist to develop a plan that works best for you. Together, you can optimize your chances for a successful outcome. (D.A.O.M et al., 2022; Smith et al., 2019)
References
Smith, C. A., Armour, M., Shewamene, Z., Tan, H. Y., Norman, R. J., & Johnson, N. P. (2019). Acupuncture performed around the time of embryo transfer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Reproductive BioMedicine Online, 38(3), 364-379. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rbmo.2018.12.038