Tea Time with Jo | Acupuncture and IVF Transfer Day Treatments

Did you know that Acupuncture performed on the same day of Embryo Transfer can increase the chance of implantation and live birth? A study published in 2002 (https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(01)03273-3/fulltext) stated that patients who received a specific Acupuncture protocol before and after embryo transfer had a 16.2% increased rate of pregnancy (as defined by the presence of a fetal sac during ultrasound at 6 weeks after transfer) over those who did not have the Acupuncture protocol. To put that into perspective, 42.5% of the Acupuncture group became pregnant versus only 26.3% in the non-Acupuncture group. 

An article published in “Acupuncture Today” in 2007 (https://www.acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=31604) provides a lovely summary of several studies conducted in the U.S. surrounding Acupuncture treatments and pregnancy. The overall results conclude that Acupuncture increases pregnancy rates (including in the rate of “take home babies”), reduces the incidence of ectopic pregnancy, and reduced rates of miscarriage. 

IVF is generally a very expensive procedure here in the U.S. Even when the procedure is covered by insurance, often times the medicines are not, and those alone can run upward of $3000 per IVF cycle. For those who do not have any insurance coverage, the whole shebang can cost upwards of $15,000. So now I ask…if you are willing to invest several thousands of dollars in a procedure that does NOT guarantee success, would it not be worth it to invest just a little more in a treatment that has clinically been shown to improve outcomes and, at the very least, reduces stress? 

Even in an ideal cycle, in which Acupuncture is received for 3 months prior to egg retrieval, with 2 subsequent Acupuncture treatments according to the transfer day protocol; the total cost of the Acupuncture is on average 1/10th of an IVF cycle. With a fraction of the cost, and an increase in just about every parameter, it makes sense to protect your financial and emotional investment by considering adding Acupuncture, by a qualified Fertility Acupuncturist, to your IVF prep.