What I have written below, is intended to help couples who are planning to embark on IVF treatment, and who are considering the use of acupuncture to improve their chances of success. You may already have read some of the remarkably positive research findings in the last few years (see under “Latest Research”); you will probably know less about what would be involved in receiving acupuncture to support IVF, and about the full scope of what we might hope to achieve.

The causes of infertility frequently defy clear western medical explanation. However, a traditional Chinese medical consultation usually points towards one or more causes; these can translate in non-medical terminology, to things such as stress or overwork, or sometimes other, more subtle disharmonies of body, mind or spirit, are identified. In all cases though, the cause from a Chinese medical perspective, allows me to devise a treatment plan. In very general terms, my preference would usually be to see you weekly for at least three menstrual cycles before IVF treatment begins. This gives us the opportunity to start to correct the imbalances which have prevented conception to date, and which I believe can continue to operate to interfere with IVF.

Once IVF treatment begins, your acupuncture treatment will become more specific to each stage of the IVF cycle. Our broad aims would, in chronological order, be to: 1) help with the side-effects (eg. flushes, sweating, palpitations) of the down regulation drugs (northisterone, buserelin); 2) help with the side-effects (eg. mood swings, abdominal distension) of ovarian stimulation injections (puregon); 3) produce more useable follicles, guided sometimes by the results of your first scan; 4) reduce stress levels just prior to egg collection; 5) treat a male partner prior to semen collection, to try to increase sperm motility and make it more possible for him to provide a sample; 6) after embryo transfer, support a possible pregnancy.

There is no denying that IVF treatment can be a stressful experience for couples, and I feel this can be an in-built counterproductive feature. It is here though that acupuncture can really score, by keeping stress levels lower and by providing a regular opportunity to offload concerns. Although the emphasis in this short article has been on women, male partners too can benefit from acupuncture in several ways. About 50% of IVF procedures are now performed due to some problem with the sperm: poor sperm characteristics and unsuccessful vasectomy reversals have been common reasons in my practice. Men with a low sperm count, motility or morphology, may benefit from a course of acupuncture, ideally commencing at least three months prior to egg retrieval for IVF. Overall, I hope this has provided a helpful introduction to how I work, but as always, you are welcome to telephone and discuss things further.

IVF and acupuncture is also a lively research area, and below you will find some examples.

German researchers have conducted a randomised controlled study of the effect of acupuncture on the sperm of infertile men, and found significant benefits for sperm motility.

Twenty-nine men were randomly assigned to receive either real acupuncture or a placebo control. A significantly higher percentage of motile sperm was found in men after real acupuncture. In this trial, no effect on sperm concentration was observed.

(A Prospective Randomised Placebo-controlled Study of the Effect of Acupuncture in Infertile Patients with Severe Oligoasthenozoospermia. Fertil Steril April 2009, Epub ahead of print.)

American researchers have investigated the effects of acupuncture on cortisol and prolactin levels in patients undergoing drug treatment in preparation for IVF.

Sixty-seven women were randomised to receive either standard IVF alone or IVF plus acupuncture. Levels of cortisol and prolactin in the blood, were measured regularly during the treatment cycle. Cortisol levels in the acupuncture group were significantly higher on IVF medication days 7, 8, 9, 11, 12 & 13, compared with the control group. Prolactin levels in the acupuncture group were significantly higher on IVF medication days 5 ,6, 7 & 8, compared with the control group.

The authors of the study conclude that acupuncture appears to achieve beneficial regulation of these hormones during the medication phase of the IVF process, and a trend towards more normal fertile cycle characteristics.

(Changes in Serum Cortisol & Prolactin Associated with Acupuncture during Controlled Ovarian Hyperstimulation in Women undergoing in vitro fertilisation-embyro transfer Treatment. Fert Steril.2008 Dec 30 Epub ahead of print)

You may have seen the wide publicity recently given to the IVF research below, which looked at acupuncture given within one day of embryo transfer. However, research only answers the question which was asked, and if you ask about the effects of a single treatment close to transfer, then that is all you can draw conclusions on.

Based on my experience of treating women for infertility, and support through the IVF process, it is my belief that success rates are even higher when women commence acupuncture treatment a minimum of three months prior to embarking on IVF. This allows us to identify from a Chinese medical perspective, any subtle causes of difficulty conceiving, and to try to correct these with treatment, usually once a week. Along with this goes some important and individually-tailored lifestyle advice aswell. In the best cases, this approach can open up the possibility of a natural conception, without IVF proving necessary. Otherwise, I often feel that the same factors which have impeded natural conception to date, can continue to operate to reduce the chance of a successful IVF outcome.

An analysis of seven clinical trials in which acupuncture was used to support embryo transfer during IVF, has concluded that it improves rates of both pregnancy and live birth. American and Dutch researchers analysed results from the trials, which were all published since 2002, carried out in four western countries and included 1366 women.

They compared acupuncture given within one day of embryo transfer, with sham acupuncture and with no acupuncture at all. Women who received true acupuncture were 65% more likely to have a successful embryo transfer, and 91% more likely to have a live birth. This means that if ten women undergoing IVF, were also given acupuncture, then one additional pregnancy would result.

(British Medical Journal 2008 March).

Please see Robin’s comment above.