Accupuncture- Pros/Cons

[jen8675309]

Hi Girls ~

I have read that some people do accupuncture and some don't with IVF. Does anyone know the pro's and con's?? Did you do it and when did you do it in respect to your IVF cycle? I have never had accupuncture but am very open to the idea. How long do you actually sit there with needles in your skin? How long did the relaxation effects last after treatment?

Thanks for your input! I want to do everything I can to help my little embabies!!

[Anie]

Hi.

I've never done it yet but will do it for my next FET cycle.

It just came on the news few days ago that acupuncture increases the chances by 65%.

I think each session is about 30 to 45min.

This is the article about the Acupuncture:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_a ... 327648.ece

Good luck

[Ghost]

I'm not sure what it achieves. I've seen reports suggesting it reduces uterine contractions, which might help reduce the frequency of ectopics. It just might be a placebo effect, where the treatment psychologically gives the patient more confidence so they stress less.

A 65% improvement is extremely difficult to believe. We never use acupuncture. Our donor cycles achieve pregnancy about 90% of the time and live birth about 70% of the time. Now if we improved that by 65%, we'd be well over 100%... Many of these claims of improvement in any marketed product, like IVF, should be viewed skeptically until confirmed by multiple independent prospective trials.

[suzhan]

I did acupuncture, but it was in combination with a whole host of other 'natural' approaches to improving conception - diet, stress reduction, visualization, vitamin/herbs, etc. I personally found it to be a good complementary approach to IVF.

To answer your questions, generally my acu sessions last from 45-55 minutes. The needles actually are done twice - once on the front (wait) then roll over and again on the back (or vice versa.)

I actually have also used acupuncture for other non-fertility related reasons and have found it helpful. DH had great success with acu for sciatica (low back pain) and there has been some research showing positive results there as well.

I found "The Infertility Cure" by Dr. Randine Lewis to be a good resource on the eastern view of reproductive health overall, including the roll of acupuncture, which is just one of the interventions discussed.

If you can afford it and find it relaxing or a helpful supplement, I'd recommend it. But some find it nerve-wracking or another financial stressor during what is already a stressful process, which certainly can't be helpful.

Good luck.

[karia]

i have done ivf 4 times and on the last cycle i did acupuncture and i was amazed at how it made me fell i was so relaxed i had more eggs and the quality was the best i ever had and out of 4 cycles that was the only time that i had any left to freeze now i still got a bfn but i am going for num 5 soon and i will defiantly do it again if for nothing else than to relax me

[JustinesBaby]

*

[kbat]

I can tell you that accupuncture is very relaxing at the very least. At first my sessions lasted about 35 minutes, but lately they have been about 45-50 minutes. You only feel something for a few seconds while they are putting the needles in, and they aren't very sharp, so it doesn't hurt at all.

I can tell you that it seemed to help me out because For the first 4 treatments, I either got BFN or didn't get as far as the e/t either due to no fertilization or poor quality. I can say that I didn't get more eggs, but seems like they were definately better quality eggs. In the end, I had an etopic pregnancy, but never before did I acheive it this far. Because of this glimmer of hope, I have decided to go back for IVF #6 and I will do accupuncture again--actually started about 3 or 4 weeks ago.

I know that there are studies out there that seem to support the fact that it does help, but don't know how big the studies are. I've seen some clinics that have acupuncture as an option at their clinics (the main office of the clinic offers this at an extra cost, but it's an hour away, so I do mine locally at $20 less a session), while others don't. If there wasn't some sort of positive result from it--even if it's just less stress--then why do some of these clinics support it. I think it can only help--and if you can afford it, i think it would be worth it.

My uncle does acupuncture (his insurance covers it) for back problems and it has helped him w/ his pain. But it's not a quick fix either. The first time I did it for cycle #5, I started about a month before my cycle and did it 2 times a week...

[Love Bug]

I LOVE my acu!!! I told my husband today I invited him home with me

Not only am I mire relaxed, but I sleep better at night and I feel AMAZING! I feel like my mody is more in tune with what I am tyring to do.

In todays session, I got a 30 min back massage before the needles, and then I laid there in bliss for about 30 min after.

I was so worried about it all, but I feel really glad I did it. I have 3 more sessions paid for, and I might add some more-- I just have to sneak money out without DH knowing

Best of Luck!!

[Rinnie]

I am doing the whole shebang Acupuncture twice a week and nasty tasting chinese herbs boiled & drunk like tea.....along with the correct foods. I had poor quality eggs the first time and am doing a second round in May, so that will mean 3 months of this.
I'm really interested to see if it makes a difference.

I love my Chinese doctor & I feel so wonderful after treatment. He has a book coming out in April published by Harper Collins all about the Chinese treatment for infertility.
He claims he can take 5 years off biological age with regards to eggs.
Acupuncture also helps thicken the uterus lining which is vital since the stims really thin it out & done close to ET it calms the uterus so implantation is easier.

IVF is so expensive, I feel I want to do as much as I possible can to help. You should go to somebody who specializes in fertility too, not just any practioner.


Rin

[deblawson]

HI there-- i love accupuncture for my neck issues. I'd heard it helped with pregancy rates & IVF, so i did it right before and right after my ET. BFN.

This time i am trying it without accupuncture....FET.

Accupuncture is totally relaxing and you usually hang out for about 30 min (i ususally fall asleep)

good luck!

[2ndtimer]

Hi,
I tried acu on my last 2 attempts: a FET & an IVF cycle. It helped relax me tremendously. I just plain felt better during both of those cycles -slept better at night, had less bloating, less medicine side effects. For the FET I got a positive on a HPT but then it turned out to be a chemical preg. For the IVF cycle I had acu twice a week during stims and then an hour before the transfer. I'm now pregnant after years of TTC, 3 IVF's, & 2 FET's. I strongly recommend acupuncture for IVF.
2ndtimer

[seejae]

I'm sitting on the fence, having had acupuncture for 3 months.

There are so many things out there to try that I tend to only go for those that have scientific research to back up the claims. Numerous studies have shown acupuncture to be helpful, mainly in terms of treatment before and after embryo transfer. My practitioner wasn't really comfortable with this, and nor was I. The only thing I wanted after the transfer was to go home and be comfortable! I did feel some cramping, but they say it's impossible for this to 'expel' embryos anyway.

I started off with electro-acupuncture but it became really painful so I changed practitioners. This time I find it very relaxing and gentle - thankfully! Still, in the 3 month period my FSH went from 8 to 5 (and I'm 41). We also got four excellent quality embryos from our IVF cycle - but as it's my first cycle I don't have a before and after experience.

Basically, I think it can help but is no miracle cure. My main advice is to find a practitioner you feel comfortable with.

Good luck!