IVF stands for in vitro fertilization, meaning that the egg is fertilized by the sperm outside of the womb. ("Vitro" means glass, referring to the lab equipment where the fertilization takes place.) Typically, IVF is done in situations where a woman is unable to get pregnant through intercourse alone. This may be due to her age, previous health issues that have affected her fertility, or issues with a male partner's sperm. IVF may also be used in cases where the woman wants a child but does not have a male partner.
No matter what the situation, it may be appropriate to consider acupuncture as an adjunctive therapy when starting IVF; in fact, many of the large fertility clinics in NYC recommend acupuncture throughout the IVF process!
A lot has been written about acupuncture and IVF. There have been many research studies that show that acupuncture can greatly increase the chances of IVF success, which is welcome news to anyone going through the process. For those interested in research about this topic, you may want to visit these links. (There are MANY studies - this is just a small sample!)
- A frequently cited study showing a pregnancy rate of 42.5% in those who had acupuncture with IVF (significantly more than in those who did not use acupuncture during IVF)
- A study about acupuncture done on the day of transfer or 2 days after transfer versus no acupuncture at all, showing that the acupuncture groups had higher rates of pregnancy
- A study indicating that acupuncture treatments designed to promote fertility resulted in more pregnancies than treatments not aimed an increasing fertility
There are several stages to the IVF process, and acupuncture helps in different ways during these stages. Today's post is about the first part of IVF, and the use of acupuncture to prepare your body before IVF procedures begin.
To help you prepare for IVF, acupuncturists have several goals:
- Improving ovarian function: Part of the IVF process involves stimulating the ovaries to produce more follicles and higher quality eggs. Often, it is impossible for a woman to get pregnant because of poor egg quality resulting from age or illness (or for other reasons that may be unidentified). Obviously, healthy eggs are the basis for a successful pregnancy! Acupuncture can help increase the number of eggs and the quality of those eggs in the month(s) leading up to the IVF procedures.
- Lowering FSH levels: A high FSH (follicular stimulating hormone) level suggests that the ovaries are not functioning as well as they should be. Acupuncture helps to regulate hormone levels and improve ovarian function, which in turn lowers FSH levels. This is important because many IVF clinics will use the FSH level to help decide whether or not it is appropriate to go ahead with IVF procedures that month.
- Improving immune system functioning, reduce side effects of IVF medications, and reduce stress: Some women (not all) experience side effects from the medications that are used to prepare their bodies for IVF. These side effects are varied, but commonly include things like abdominal bloating, abdominal or uterine cramping, mood swings, or mild depression. Some people (both men and women) find the experience of trying to get pregnant or of going through IVF stressful, and reducing that stress can help the whole process along. Acupuncture is a good way to calm the body, reduce discomfort, and alleviate stress while preparing for IVF.
- Improving the quantity and quality of semen: While much of the IVF literature focuses on the woman, it should be noted that acupuncture can be very helpful to men as well, especially in cases where part of the of difficulty in getting pregnant lies in poor sperm count, low motility (movement) of sperm, or sperm that are not formed correctly (poor morphology). You need healthy sperm to have a good chance at a successful IVF, and a couple of months of acupuncture can help create better sperm before IVF even starts.
- Dietary recommendations: In Chinese medicine, diet is always an important consideration for achieving optimal health. As someone prepares for IVF, an acupuncturist may suggest that they reduce the amount of cold, raw food that they eat or drink. It may also be helpful to decrease the amount of caffeine. Nourishing, warm, cooked foods are wonderful for promoting fertility and increasing the chance of success with IVF. Think about soups, stews, beans, lentils, chicken, eggs, cooked vegetables, and perhaps some red meat both before and during the IVF process.
I am frequently asked if it is "too late" to start acupuncture for IVF by women at various stages of the process. My general answer is that it's never too late -- the effects of acupuncture can be both immediate and long-term. Ideally, I love to see people start acupuncture a couple of months before starting IVF so that the body is in its optimal condition going into the process. However, for some people this is not an option, in which case I always feel that some acupuncture is better than no acupuncture while trying to get pregnant!
My next blog post will discuss how acupuncture can help you once the IVF procedures are already underway. Stay tuned...
