4 Reasons Why Acupuncture Can Increase Your Chances of a Successful IVF Cycle
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a procedure many women have turned to over the last few decades to treat infertility. While it has proven to be effective for many couples, many transfers and cycles are unsuccessful due to failed implantation or miscarriage. The IVF journey is filled with many ups and downs for couples and it can be emotionally tumultuous as the failed cycles continue. It’s hard to have to keep going back to the doctor only to hear bad news or have to keep endlessly waiting.
Many women who come to Magnolia for treatment have experienced these devastating losses and have ridden the roller coaster of dread throughout their IVF journey. Your fertility journey isn’t meant to be disappointing and exhausting, it’s meant to be empowering and joyful! But spending countless dollars on retrievals and transfers and then sitting in countless waiting rooms and on cold doctors tables can really steal that joy away.
One treatment to consider as you prepare for your next IVF cycle is acupuncture. Acupuncture is a treatment used mainly in Traditional Chinese Medicine that involves inserting thin needles into your skin at specific, strategic points. By inserting the needles at strategic points, it helps balance the energy flow (qi) throughout your body. Your body knows how to heal itself. When inflammation is reduced because the diet is changed and blood flow is restored to the reproductive organs because the toxins are removed and hormones are balanced, you can trust your body to do what it is able to do.
While research is conflicting on this topic, there are multiple studies showing that acupuncture can improve your chances of a successful IVF cycle. This study showed that IVF with adjuvant whole-systems traditional Chinese medicine was associated with greater odds of live birth in donor and non-donor cycles. Another study showed that acupuncture 25 min before embryo transfer significantly increased the IVF outcomes in women undergoing IVF compared with no acupuncture.
Here are a few key ways acupuncture can help increase your chance of a successful IVF cycle:
Helps Balance Hormones
Prior to your IVF cycle, acupuncture can help balance your hormones. If you struggle with missed ovulation, acupuncture can help re-regulate your cycles so that you will ovulate regularly again.
Stimulate Blood Flow
Acupuncture can help stimulate blood flow to your uterus and reproductive system which can improve egg quality and chances of a successful implantation. Adequate blood flow is crucial to a healthy reproductive system and acupuncture is a great tool to initiate healthy blood flow to that area.
Reduce Stress
The IVF journey can be a stressful experience for many couples and it’s important to remain as stress-free as possible. Acupuncture can help because when the needles are placed at strategic points, your body will release endorphins which will cause your muscles to relax. This will help you to feel more relaxed and calm for your IVF cycles.
Improves Overall Health
As mentioned above, acupuncture helps balance the energy flow in your whole body, not just one system. Every system in your body has to work together in order to create and sustain a healthy pregnancy. By engaging in regular acupuncture treatments prior to an IVF cycle, you will be preparing your body for the best possible fertility outcome by addressing and correcting imbalances in your system.
Including acupuncture in your IVF journey can overall be a huge asset to your fertility. Click here to book an acupuncture appointment with Magnolia Wellness today and we can further discuss your fertility needs. We want to help you feel empowered to listen to your body and make the best wellness choices that are specific for you and your future baby!