How Acupuncture Can ENHANCE IVF Outcomes?

Acupuncture is know to improve blood flow, it does this by slowing down the sympathetic nervous system this in turn causes blood vessels to dilate. The dilation of blood vessels helps blood and nutrients get to the ovaries and the uterus.

This increased in blood flow may help improve the quality and quantity o eggs and help with the response to fertility medications. Increased blood flow to the uterus helps the endometrium thicken and become healthy to support implantation of the embryo.

Acupuncture can reduce stress in the body, acupuncture needles helps the body to release its own endorphins which help us relax. Acupuncture helps your muscles to relax and your breathing to slow down, most people report feeling heavy and slow after an acupuncture session.

Stress has a negative impact on our reproductive system (both male and female) so this stress reduction associated with acupuncture has a positive impact on the outcome of IVF.

In this research paper ‘impact of whole systems Traditional Chinese Medicine on in-vitro fertilisation outcomes’ five years of data from women doing IVF alone compared to women doing IVF with acupuncture on the day of acupuncture was compared with women doing around 13-15 sessions of acupuncture before and during their IVF cycle. The women who added more acupuncture were twice as likely to have a baby compared to with women who did IVF alone, and 60% more likely when compared with women who just had two acupuncture treatments on the day of embryo transfer.

If you are interested in having acupuncture while doing IVF please feel free to get in touch to ask questions you may have, or book an appointment.