My experience with IVF and acupuncture
A major scientific study has found that women undergoing fertility treatment are far more likely to successfully give birth if they also have acupuncture.
British newspaper The Telegraph reported that scientists from the University of Southampton had found that one in three women given acupuncture treatment alongside their in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment conceived successfully. The success rate among those who did not combine IVF treatment with acupuncture was one in five.
Ms Jin Jin Hua, a senior acupuncturist at Raffles Chinese Medicine, said acupuncture might improve a woman’s chance of conceiving because it helps her to relax and it regulates the reproductive hormones, increases blood flow to the uterus and thickens the lining of the uterus.
From a TCM perspective, the cause of infertility usually lies in the imbalances in the spleen, liver and kidney, Ms Jin said. This can result in less than ideal conditions for conception.
I used acupuncture after my first two IVF transfers didn’t work. I visited my acupuncturist once a week up to the next transfer and on the same day of the transfer. This time we had success and my daughter arrived. The next time I had a transfer I did acupuncture before and after the transfer and again we had success with the twins. I am convinced that it can only help, whether or not it actually does or if the mind simply thinks it does.