IVF and acupuncture are a powerful combination - just ask Céline Dion! - Portland wellness

Acupuncture &IVP are a powerful combination. -Google Images

Celine Dion is pregnant with twins

Many women undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) turn to acupuncture as a companion treatment. Among those who have combined acupuncture with IVF is Céline Dion. After six IVF attempts, Dion has announced she is 14 weeks pregnant with twins. This welcomed news is bound to focus the world’s attention on the positive connection between acupuncture and IVF success.

What is IVF?

The American Pregnancy Association describes In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) as "the process of fertilization by manually combining an egg and sperm in a laboratory dish.” When the IVF procedure successfully results in an embryo, a procedure known as embryo transfer is used to physically place the embryo into the uterus.

The Connection Between Acupuncture and IVF Success Rates

Is it a surprise that Dion turned to acupuncture to increase her success IVF rate while many pooh-pooh this unconventional treatment? According to Mayo Clinic, this ancient remedy can increase the success rate of IVF. During acupuncture, needles are inserted into key points in the body to improve the flow of energy and the balance of certain body chemicals. Acupuncture also has been shown to increase optimism and reduce anxiety during the IVF process.

Researchers Document a Connection Between Acupuncture and IVF Success Rates

According to a study reported by the National Institutes of Health, German researchers tested the effects of acupuncture on women undergoing IVF. Clinical pregnancies were documented in 34 of 80 patients (42.5%) in the acupuncture group, whereas the pregnancy rate was only 26.3% (21 out of 80 patients) in the control group. The study outcome surprised a scientific community often skeptical of natural infertility treatment methods. Was this study just a fluke? No. Researchers quickly scrambled to repeat the study to test whether or not the results were replicable, and they were.

The British Medical Journal, the London Daily Mail, and the London Times report that numerous additional scientific studies subsequently confirmed that IVF, when used simultaneously with acupuncture, can increase the success rate by 65 per cent.

Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in the US and the VU University Amsterdam published results of seven trials involving a total of 1,366 women undergoing IVF. The study compared acupuncture given within one day of embryo transfer, “sham” acupuncture where needles are inserted away from points used in genuine acupuncture, and no additional treatment. Women of various ages with different causes of infertility were included, and the timing of the acupuncture sessions in relation to embryo transfer differed somewhat among trials. The review found a 65 percent increase in pregnancy rate among those women who received acupuncture compared to those who received sham acupuncture or no treatment.

Why are Acupuncture and IVF Such a Powerful Combination?

Although researchers are not completely certain why acupuncture and IVF are such a powerful combination, they speculate that the IVF success rate may have to do with the ability of acupuncture to lower stress levels in women undergoing IVF treatment. Acupuncture has been found to reduce both stress and anxiety levels, and IVF is an incredibly stressful procedure for women trying to conceive. Stress has been demonstrated to have a negative effect on fertility rates. So it seems obvious that acupuncture, while lowering stress, will subsequently increase pregnancy rates. Another theory about why acupuncture and IVF success rates are so high has to do with hormones. Some believe that acupuncture may help with the production and release of hormones beneficial to fertility.

Acupuncture combined with IVF definitely worked for Céline Dion! The news that Dion and her family will soon be welcoming twins is certain to increase the popularity of acupuncture among those undergoing IVF treatments.

How to Find a Portland Oregon Acupuncturist Specializing in Fertility Issues

Many acupuncturists in Portland, Oregon specialize in fertility issues. To locate an acupuncturist with a fertility specialization, visit the website of the Oregon Association of Acupuncturists and Oriental Medicine and qualify your search with the search term “fertility.”

Resources:

American Pregnancy Association
British Medical Journal
CNN
Daily Mail - London
Mayo Clinic
National Institutes of Health
Oregon Association of Acupuncturists and Oriental Medicine
People magazine
Times - London