Acupuncture can improve pregnancy success rates with IVF and IUI.
We work closely to follow and support the plan put together by you and your reproductive specialist.
Acupuncture may help to assist IVF / IUI and a medicated cycle by:
- increasing implantation rates after IUI and with an IVF embryo transfer
- increasing rate of pregnancy
- improving egg quality & increasing ovarian responsiveness
- nourishing the uterine lining and normalizing reproductive hormones
- improving blood flow to the ovaries & uterus
- improving sperm count, morphology, & motility
- prevent miscarriage, early pregnancy loss, and lower ectopic pregnancy rates
- decrease side effects of medication (such as fatigue, hotflashes, abdominal cramping and mood swings)
- reduce stress and anxiety to improve fertility
It is ideal for a woman to begin treatment 3 months prior to the time she wants to conceive. The 3 months enables us to prepare the body for conception. It gives us enough time to normalize a cycle if there are irrugularies, improve the uterine lining by building up blood and also increases the chances of a healthy baby and pregnancy. We address any issues with your period during this time, as well as working on the improving your egg quality. This is achieved in combination with acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, diet and lifestyle changes and supplements may also be given. We recommend taking a prenatal vitamin supplement 4 months prior to beginning your IVF/ IUI cycle.
For males and for male sperm donors, our treatment plan is very similar. We always ask you to get your Sperm tested alongside hormones and other blood tests to have a look at the health and the quality of the sperm.
Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine are used to enable us to improve the quality of the sperm – with a focus on sperm morphology, motility and overall volume and progressive motility (this means the sperm need to be moving forward and not in circles). It takes 4 months for sperm to develop in the testes, so we do recommend for males, beginning about 6 months prior to an IUI or IVF cycle, as this gives us at least 1 cycle of growth to monitor how sperm is improving. We also recommend diet and lifestyle changes based on your individual needs and incorporate supplements as well. We will also provide you with a healthy sperm smoothie, which is packed full of antioxidants, selenium, zinc and omega fatty acids, which all assist with sperm production.
Treatment for males or the male sperm donor is once a week for a at least 3 months prior to an IUI / IVF cycle, especially if there have been issues with sperm quality previously.
Often when a woman is undergoing ART she comes in the month that the procedure is beginning. At this point treatments are 1-3 times per week for the duration of the cycle. No Chinese herbs are prescribed. Diet and lifestyle changes can be made and side effects from the medication mitigated. After the procedure the focus changes to supporting implantation and preventing miscarriage.
Recent studies have shown that there is a higher chance of a healthy baby after IVF when Whole Systems TCM has been added to the cycle. This means acupuncture alongside Chinese Herbal Medicine, with changes in lifestyle and diet according to Traditional Chinese Medicine yields better results!
