Infertilify and IVF

Infertility, a condition characterized by the inability of a couple to achieve pregnancy after engaging in sexual intercourse for 12 months or longer, is progressively emerging as a prevalent issue in the United States. Various factors of contemporary living, including advanced maternal age, elevated stress levels, and unprecedented levels of environmental toxins, collectively contribute to the statistic that infertility affects approximately 7.3 million women in the United States.

 

In China, couples have historically sought acupuncture and Chinese Medicine as a holistic approach to enhance fertility and attain successful conception. In the West, the adoption of this therapy is becoming more prevalent, whether as a standalone option or in combination with assisted reproductive procedures like IVF and IUI, and with good justification. Acupuncture serves as a secure, holistic, and efficient method for addressing infertility, devoid of any adverse reactions. Besides the plentiful anecdotal evidence supporting the efficacy of acupuncture in aiding couples' conception, a recent comprehensive analysis of multiple rigorously conducted studies has determined that acupuncture may enhance the success rate of in vitro fertilization (IVF) by 75%.

 

Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine can mitigate the impact of daily life pressures on fertility by exerting a positive influence on the body's reproductive and endocrine systems. The female reproductive cycle comprises distinct phases, each of which plays a crucial role in fertility. Through enhancing the functions of the reproductive organs and endocrine system, as well as rectifying any imbalances in these stages, acupuncture has the potential to establish a more optimal setting for conception and the achievement of a successful pregnancy. Environmental and constitutional factors can affect sperm quality in men, and research has shown that acupuncture effectively addresses and improves these factors. 

 

Specifically, acupuncture can help a couple achieve a successful pregnancy by:

  •    Improving blood flow to the reproductive organs, such as the uterus and ovaries
  •    Increasing the thickness of the uterine lining
  •    Normalizing levels off and improving responsiveness to reproductive hormones
  •    Promoting deep relaxation and decreasing the negative effects of stress, which can be a huge hindrance to fertility
  •    Regulating menstrual cycles and ovulation
  •    Helping to address gynecological issues such as PCOS, endometriosis, and fibroids, which can negatively affect fertility
  •    Helping to address thyroid problems, which can contribute to infertility
  •    Increasing the success rate of IVF by boosting the number of follicles produced, improving the quality of the uterine lining, and      encouraging implantation
  •    Addressing male factor infertility by improving sperm count, sperm motility, and sperm morphology

 

There is a growing trend among couples to use Assistive Reproductive Techniques (ART), such as Invitro Fertilization (IVF), to enhance conception. Studies have found that acupuncture considerably enhances the effectiveness of IVF. When acupuncture is combined with IVF, acupuncture can improve outcomes by:

  •     Increasing ovarian response to follicular stimulating hormones
  •     Improving estrogen levels if they are low
  •     Enhancing egg quality by increasing blood flow and nutrients to follicles
  •     Improving sperm quality
  •     Reducing the side effects of IVF drugs
  •     Increasing thickness of the uterine lining
  •     Encouraging implantation
  •     Minimizing stress associated with the IVF process, which can hinder success
  •     Reducing post-transfer uterine cramping, which may have a negative impact on implantation