Infertility affects more than 15% of American couples today. Here at Fertility & Gynecology Center - Monterey Bay IVF, our empathetic team of fertility specialists, led by Dr. Edward J. Ramirez, offers the most up-to-date Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) services to help our patients become parents.
We have some of the highest success rates in the country for vitro fertilization (IVF). Dr. Ramirez and our team are proud to use the most advanced technology within our embryology lab and surgery center, but that’s just the start of what we offer.
We cultivate a welcoming and highly supportive environment to make our patients comfortable. We want to give you every possible tool to have a successful pregnancy, and that’s why we embrace alternative therapies like acupuncture and yoga as supplements to our ART services.
Today we’re exploring the connection between acupuncture and pregnancy. Can it help you? It just might. Read on to learn more about the acupuncture-pregnancy connection.
Some studies show very promising results for women who try acupuncture, especially when it’s part of a comprehensive plan including IVF.
One study cited by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) compared pregnancy rates of women who had embryo transfers after IVF.
The first group had acupuncture treatments both shortly before and after their embryo transfer, while the second didn’t undergo acupuncture treatment. The pregnancy rate for the women who had acupuncture was 42.5%, while the women who did not had a far lower (26.3%) pregnancy rate.
Another study compared pregnancy rates in non-acupuncture and acupuncture groups. Nearly 70% of the group that had three total acupuncture sessions around the time of their embryo transfer had a positive beta HCG (a key indicator of pregnancy). In contrast, only 33% of the non-acupuncture group had a positive beta HCG level.
Overall, the ASRM concludes that acupuncture appears to be helpful in improving pregnancy rates following IVF transfers. At The Fertility & Gynecology Center - Monterey Bay IVF, we agree. Many of our IVF and intrauterine insemination (IUI) patients tell us that they found the acupuncture experience extremely helpful in coping with infertility.
Research shows that acupuncture may help IVF and IUI patients in multiple ways, including boosting blood flow around reproductive organs and calming the nervous system. Essentially, this means that acupuncture may help you feel more relaxed while helping your body become as receptive as possible to treatment.
We’re such strong believers in adding alternative therapies to ART treatments that we’ve developed relationships with leading local acupuncturists as a resource for our patients. If you’re interested in trying acupuncture, we’re happy to refer you to a talented and experienced specialist in the Monterey area.
Want to maximize your chances to conceive? We’re happy to help customize a plan for you, from acupuncture to the most advanced ART treatments. Call our office in Monterey, California, or reach out online to speak to one of our knowledgeable fertility experts.
