What is The Importance of Acupuncture in IVF Treatment?
The role of acupuncture method in increasing the success in IVF treatment is related to decreasing the stress that occurs in the treatment process. Having been used as a stress therapy for thousands of users, acupuncture method could increase the chance of success thereby being applied before IVF treatment. IVF treatment and particularly donation treatments are the ones with the highest stress. Is the donor appropriate for us? Will I be able to accept my baby? Will my treatment be successful? These questions are the most fundamental sources of stress. Besides stress, another factor that affects the success in IVF pregnancies is that the endometrium layer where the embryo will hold to after the embryo transfer fails to reach the sufficient vascular size and thickness. There are studies that show the acupuncture application promotes the endometrium layer to reach the desired size. Having such effects, it becomes natural to consider acupuncture a complementary medicine method for IVF treatment. It was found that acupuncture had a stress-reducing effect on the patients up to 70% to 80% and that the success of treatment increased up to 30% to 40% in the patients who were applied acupuncture. In the several researches conducted in the USA and articles published in medical journals, it is reported that acupuncture enabled increase in the pregnancy rates expected in IVF.
When to Apply Acupuncture?
Our centre prefers 2 times application method, one 30 minutes before the transfer and the other 30 minutes after the transfer on the day when embryo transfer is made. Acupuncture method is applied painlessly. Pre-acupuncture that is made before the transfer relieves the patient. Thus, the patient is free of nervous mood and negative thoughts, and the patient’s stress level is reduced and expected pregnancy rate increases. In particular, we definitely recommend our patients with panic attack to start acupuncture treatment before starting IVF.
How to Apply Acupuncture?
Ear acupuncture is one of the most important methods in acupuncture treatment. All organs in human body have their equivalents in the ear. Combined application of ear acupuncture together with body acupuncture gives faster results. Determination of the correct point and depth of the points during the application of the treatment is quite important for the acupuncture treatment to be successful. Therefore, it would be better to have doctors who are experienced in the field of acupuncture to apply this. Here, what matters is correct diagnosis and the determination of the correct point. There are significant differences between the points which are mentioned as Acupuncture Points and randomly selected points as a result of the skin cuts. The doctor, who is going to apply acupuncture treatment, should find the suitable areas for IVFand make acupuncture inside that region.
Does it Have a Side Effect?
There are no side effects of acupuncture treatment on the patients.
