A few years back in my fertility support group, the subject of acupuncture came up.  Some studies show a correlation between acupuncture and pregnancy when used in conjunction with fertility treatments.  It is still a somewhat controversial subject among many fertility doctors.  They seem to either really feel it works or really feel that it is a waste of time.  Regardless of how they feel, recent studies do show a positive relationship and it is a decision that you need to research and decide if you feel that it is right for you.

Acupuncture affects the female reproductive system in a number of ways.  From what we have learned from a local Acupuncturist, it increases the circulation of blood in the pelvic cavity and increases the thickness of the uterine lining.  It is also associated with improved ovarian function and helping in follicle production.  Even women without fertility problems have gone to acupuncturists and have had a quicker pregnancy success rate than the general population.

Most acupuncturists will agree that acupuncture is more of an aid in the fertility process than a cure.  They recommend that you use it in conjunction with your fertility treatment to help increase the success rate rather than use it in place of a fertility treatment and the recommendations of your fertility doctor.

Acupuncture can be pricy but, when you put it in the context of a $15,000-$20,000 IVF cycle, it is relatively inexpensive.  On average it costs $75-$100 per treatment and is done 2-3 times per week for one month and then goes down to once a week for three to eight months.  The average cost of Acupuncture in conjunction with IVF is $1500-$2000.

Most acupuncturists recommend that you begin acupuncture treatments 2-3 months before doing any fertility treatments.  This way they have begun to regulate your body and understand your cycle.  It wouldn’t do much good to start acupuncture the same day as you start an IVF cycle and it could hurt the cycle.

I would recommend that you seek an acupuncturist that specializes in fertility issues.  Your fertility clinic might be able to recommend one or you might have to do your own research with local acupuncturists.  Just as you have probably sought a doctor whose sole focus is fertility issues, you should do the same for your acupuncturist.

Two of the women in my support group chose to do acupuncture.  One of the women had had multiple miscarriages in the past.  She used acupuncture throughout her pregnancy and carried her baby girl to term.  Another girl in the group did acupuncture with an IVF cycle and had a successful IVF cycle after having 3 failed cycles.  That was enough to convince me that there was a connection.

Whether or not to use acupuncture in conjunction with your fertility treatments is, of course, a personal decision.  In writing this article, I just wanted to give you another option and another avenue to explore.  I encourage you to do more research online, discuss acupuncture with your fertility doctor and interview an acupuncturist in your area.  I believe that all decisions you make in your process should be informed decisions.  I hope that the information I gave you helps give you to begin to make an informed decision about acupuncture and fertility treatments.

This entry was posted on Sunday, March 12th, 2006 at 5:31 am and is filed under Fertility. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.