Great news for those considering acupuncture for IVF (in vitro fertilization)!
Two recent studies suggest that acupuncture for IVF could dramatically increase the likelihood of successful pregnancy.
Preliminary results from a new study of acupuncture for IVF, conducted at Homerton University Hospital in the U.K. were presented at the annual meeting of the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology. In this random controlled trial of 127 women undergoing their first or second IVF cycle, 46.2% of those receiving acupuncture became pregnant, compared to 21.7% in the control group.
At that same meeting, Chinese researchers presented results of a meta-analysis of 30 clinical trials of the impact of acupuncture on IVF. This systematic review and analysis included 6,344 participants and found that the pooled pregnancy rate of those receiving acupuncture was statistically significantly higher than those in the control group.
IVF can be a difficult and painful process for a couple, physically and emotionally. It is also an expensive procedure, and often not covered by medical insurance. Increasing the odds of successful pregnancy by adding acupuncture treatment to the process is both cost-effective and beneficial for the health of the prospective parents. These two recent studies provide added hope for success.
According to one patient at Inner Works Acupuncture in Portland, “My husband and I had been trying to have a baby for over six years. We were going through in vitro and the clinic suggested that it would be good to incorporate acupuncture. We did, and it has been fantastic. I really feel that Liz has been a big part of the birth of our son. I believe that without the acupuncture, the in vitro would not have been successful. …Thank you, Liz, for all the help you have given me, and most of all for making it possible for me to have my beautiful son.”
