Studies into acupuncture for fertility and IVF support

The increasing number of people who are turning to acupuncture for infertility and IVF support treatment has compelled researchers to look into the effectiveness of acupuncture in this respect. Findings from various studies have increasingly served to prove that there is indeed a coherent link between acupuncture treatment and fertility success rates.

One such study involved two medical reviewers analysing data from seven independent trials on the effects of acupuncture on infertility, IVF success rates and live birth rates. They studied 1366 women who had undergone IVF: some were treated with acupuncture soon after embryo transfer while others received only standard IVF with no acupuncture.

They found that for every 10 women being treated with IVF and acupuncture, one would become pregnant as a result of the acupuncture.

The reviewers concluded that "Complementing the embryo transfer process with acupuncture was associated with significant and clinically relevant improvements in clinical pregnancy."

"Current preliminary evidence suggests that acupuncture given with embryo transfer improves rates of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in-vitro fertilisation."

This has not been the only study to reach such findings.

Dr. Pastore, Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, at the University of Virginia USA, led a study which found that acupuncture positively impacted upon polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and a woman's ability to get pregnant.

Up to 5% of infertile women suffer from PCOS, a condition caused by a hormonal imbalance. The reproductive system relies upon a delicate balance of hormones; if one or some of them are disrupted, this system may cease proper function. The cysts on the ovaries, combined with the hormones which govern ovulation, stop - ceasing periods and disrupting the menstrual cycle.

Dr. Pastore's aim was to help women with PCOS to have regular menstrual cycles. Her idea was that acupuncture may influence hormone levels and in turn, allow a woman suffering from PCOS to resume her normal menstrual cycle.

The findings from her study led Dr. Pastore to remark, "Over the last year we have seen women who never had a regular menstrual cycle start having regular periods. We can also boast several pregnancies since the study began."