There are increasing reports of a higher success rate in cases connecting the classical and the Eastern medicine. This is also true in the field of assisted reproduction.
Acupuncture is a method known from the Chinese medicine. It has virtually no side effects. It can be well combined with Western medicine and is very well tolerated. As one of the oldest healing methods, it has been used for thousands of years. It is known to have been practiced especially in certain symptoms of infertility in the 7th century BC. Numerous studies have shown that the use of acupuncture before and after the transfer increases the probability of pregnancy or can positively influence it. An overall analysis of seven studies of 1,366 women who underwent IVF studied the efficacy of acupuncture. Women who underwent acupuncture before and after the transfer had a significantly higher pregnancy success in comparison with others, namely 65%.
Another randomized controlled trial of 2002 (Paulus WE, Zhang M, Strehler E, El-Danasouri I, Sterzik K. Influence of acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in patients who undergo assisted reproduction therapy. Fertil Steril 2002; 77: 721–4.) also proved significantly higher percentage of pregnancies: 42.5% (34/80) with acupuncture, compared to 26.3% (21/80) without acupuncture.
There are three effective mechanisms stated for acupuncture in relation to the fertility problems. The distribution of neurotransmitters, which affect the menstrual cycle, ovulation and fertility. Furthermore, the influence of uterine perfusion as well as the production of endogenous opioids, which slow down the biological stress response.
The British Medical Journal has recently published a study by Eric Manheimr from the University of Maryland (USA), which examined 1,400 women undergoing infertility treatment. The result showed a 65% increase in successful pregnancies, 87% increase in developing pregnancies and an increase in the number of births by 91%.
At our clinic, acupuncture is performed by a trained medical assistant before and after the transfer. 9 needles are introduced in specific body locations 20 minutes before the transfer, additional 8 needles are inserted shortly after the transfer. Acupuncture needles are very thin and their introduction causes no particular pain.
Before the transfer: acupuncture can help slightly open the cervix, so it may be easier to introduce the embryo in the uterus. It also helps calm the patient, relax her and provide comfort, so the uterus is also "relaxed".
After the transfer: acupuncture helps reduce the risk of spasms and contractions of the uterus, promoting the implantation of the embryo(s). The contractions of the uterus can cause bleeding and subsequent abortion – acupuncture helps reduce this risk.
Literature:
http://www.aerztezeitung.de/medizin/fachbereiche/sonstige_fachbereiche/akupunktur/article/482667/akupunktur-steigert-erfolg-ivf.html
Paulus WE, Zhang M, Strehler E, El-Danasouri I, Sterzik K. Influence of acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in patients who undergo assisted reproduction therapy. Fertil Steril 2002; 77: 721–4.
http://www.kup.at/kup/pdf/7870.pdf
