Nowadays many women having IVF will have heard of acupuncture being given on the day of embryo transfer. However, to increase the chances of a positive outcome, there’s lots more we can be doing in the lead up to IVF treatment and throughout the IVF process itself.
At The Jade Centre we use TCM acupuncture, a whole system traditional Chinese medicine style of acupuncture, to help support you through your IVF treatment. Our tailor-made treatments will help address your specific fertility TCM requirements. As longer-term preparation (ideally at least eight weeks prior to starting IVF treatment) is hugely beneficial, a course of acupuncture is best started before you even begin your IVF medication.
Here’s a link to a retrospective study showing how three cycles of “Whole System TCM treatment” increased the positive outcomes of the IVF treatment by around 60%!
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4458185/#:~:text=Overall%2C%20IVF%20with%20adjuvant%20WS,donor%20and%20non%2Ddonor%20cycles
Treatment during stimulation
IVF medication stimulates the ovaries to make as many follicles as possible. Acupuncture supports both follicle growth and egg quality. It also helps moderate stress and anxiety levels, which is especially important as women are often living from scan-to-scan at this stage in their treatment. Another benefit is that acupuncture reduces any side-effects, such as insomnia, hot flushes or headaches, caused by the IVF medication. Acupuncture treatment can also help increase the uterine lining, an important part of IVF treatment.
After egg collection
After egg collection, acupuncture helps with both physical and emotional relaxation. The egg collection procedure itself causes localised trauma to the body, which physically reacts as if it has had an operation; acupuncture treatment after egg collection helps you recover more quickly, so you will be in a healthier state and ready for embryo transfer. Acupuncture also helps limit potential ovarian hyperstimulation.
Acupuncture treatment before/after embryo transfer
Before embryo transfer, acupuncture treatment relaxes the cervix, increases the blood supply to the uterus (which thickens the uterine lining) and helps you stay calm.
After transfer treatment allows you the time for relaxation and rest following embryo transfer. Acupuncture helps maintain good progesterone levels, nourishes the embryo and prevents the uterine lining from degenerating. Alongside these benefits, treatment helps prevent uterine contractions (which could inhibit embryo implantation).
After embryo transfer up to the day of the pregnancy test
The capacity for successful implantation means it is crucial at this stage of treatment to closely match the individual presentation of each woman. Implantation begins a few days after embryo transfer. Physiologically there are various stages a blastocyst needs to go through to implant successfully; acupuncture treatment can be used during this “implantation window” to support raised hormone levels, nourish the blood to keep the uterine lining thick, prevent uterine contractions and keep you calm and relaxed. After the implantation window, up to the day of the pregnancy test itself, acupuncture treatment continues to help keep you as calm and relaxed as possible at this stressful time.
