IVF and IUI

As seen in research, acupuncture and Chinese herbs can help couples achieve optimal health while trying to conceive.  This occurs in the cases of those trying to conceive naturally, as well as those seeking to acheive their fertility goals through the use of assisted reproductive technologies (IUIs, FETs, IVFs, etc.). Acupuncture helps promote blood flow to the uterus and ovaries, decreases cortisol levels, allowing assisted technology to work with improved outcomes.

When to have acupuncture during IVF or IUI

Acupuncture has been shown in research to regulate hormone levels as well as reduce stress and anxiety. Acupuncture increases blood flow to the uterus and can aid with implantation of the embryo into the uterus wall and increase success rates of IVF/IUI.

Clinical trials have proven the effectiveness of acupuncture during IVF. Those that received acupuncture when compared to the control group had an increase in live births.

Before your IVF/IUI cycle

Ideally, I recommend starting acupuncture treatments three to six months before the start of an IVF or IUI cycle. This allows the body to prepare and optimize for the process, and allows you to improve your diet and lifestyle prior to starting IVF or IUI. The process of oogenesis (this is the growth process in which the primary egg cell becomes a mature ovum, or egg) takes approximately 100 days.

During an IVF cycle, acupuncture treatments are done at specific times to help increase the chances of a successful pregnancy. Acupuncture is usually done before and after embryo transfer to help with implantation and reduce stress levels.

Of course, not everyone has three months before they know they are starting the IVF or IUI process. There have been studies that showed an increase in positive pregnancy rates even after one treatment before implantation and one immediately after.

So to recap:

Ideally: 3-6 months prior to starting IVF or IUI.

Less than ideal, but still increases odds of success: 1-3 months prior to starting IVF or IUI.

Still helpful, although less so: within a 24 hour window before embryo transfer or IUI insemination, and a follow up treatment 3-4 days after.

Frequency of Treatment

Once your IVF cycle starts, if you are having a long IVF cycle, where you are down-regulated, it's best to have acupuncture weekly until you start ovarian stimulation.

When you start taking fertility drugs to stimulate your ovaries to grow lots of eggs, it's ideal to have acupuncture twice a week until embryo transfer.

During embryo transfer

When you have your embryo transferred back into your uterus, it is ideal to have acupuncture within 24 hours before embryo transfer or IUI insemination. I will work with your schedule to ensure this can happen.

During the two week wait/after transfer or IUI

Once you've had your embryo transferred, I would recommend having 2 sessions of acupuncture before you take your pregnancy test—one treatment about 2-4 days after transfer and another in the following 7 days before your beta bloodwork test. This helps with implantation, blood flow to the uterus and reduces stress and anxiety.