accupuncture during ivf/icsi

shmuck9681 · 10-12-2008, 04:30 PM

hi i am downregulating at the moment for second attempt at ivf/icsi and someone has reccomended accupuncture has anyone tried it and what were the results?

LuvLuv08 · 10-12-2008, 05:03 PM

Shmuck~ I tried acupunture after my 2nd bfn with iui. I was frustrated that everything was "perfect" but I was still getting a bfn. I tried one more IUI with my RE and acupunture. Again... bfn. So I took a break. I continued acupunture for 8 months total. I never felt better! She helped me clear up many issues I was having and after a 6 month break I found a new RE and geared up for my first IVF. I continued my treatment through stimming and even right before my ER and ET. Acupunture really helped me prepare for the whole ivf process, phsically and mentally. I would recommend it to everyone.

mommy1 · 10-12-2008, 08:25 PM

I just started stims yesterday for IVFw/ICSI and have been doing acupuncture too. I find it very relaxing and stats say that adding acupuncture can increase your chances of success. I figure it can't hurt.

geomark · 10-13-2008, 12:00 AM

There was a double blind study done some time ago on the effectiveness of acupuncture with IVF. I haven't seen the results but there is some info on the study at ivfinfo.blogspot.com/search?q=acupuncture Sorry, I can't post live links yet.

LadyBug78 · 10-13-2008, 07:05 PM

The study that I read about the success of accupuncture seemed to conclude that it might not be the actual accupuncture that was leading to the higher success... but rather the fact that clinics that offered accupuncture generally seemed to promote an atmosphere of heightened relaxation during the IVF procedures..
My conclusion after everything that I've read is that if accupuncture helps you relax... then go for it... but if you can't afford it.. it's probably just as good to find something else very relaxing to do before/after the IVF retrieval/transfers! It looks to me like the relaxation is the important part! ... Like when I used to go to a chiropractor, I found that after a while, it wasn't so much the manipulation that was helping me.. as just the fact that beforehand, she would have me lie in a relaxing room with a heatpack on my back for 20 min... and THAT was what was helping.. so I started just sitting at home with a heatpack on my back and a relaxing eyemask on (to keep me from being tempted to get up or work or look at anything that might stress me out!) ..and that was enough to "force" myself to relax for 20 min!..
So I think that's what I'm going to do before/after my IVF/ICSI procedures!.. just try some homemade relaxation therapy

jessie_vp · 10-15-2008, 11:07 AM

I did acupuncture weekly leading up to my transfer and then again after my transfer for both of my FET cycles. The first FET was a chemical pregnancy, but the second was successful and resulted in twins. I say, why not give it a try? It certainly didn't hurt. The other thing that was different during my successful cycle was for the first time during the transfer I had a valium which relaxed me, and allegedly is good for relacing the uterus as well. Good luck!

LadyBug78 · 10-15-2008, 12:21 PM

jessie,thanks for sharing about the valium thing! if they offer, I'll take them up on that..
From everything I've read.. it really just seems that relaxation is key! so if accupuncture helps you relax.. it'd be worth it :-) whatever it takes. My nurse told us a story about a women who was in a rush to get out of the office after her transfer.. they asked why.. she said she had tickets to a Mets game!.. the nurse checked up on her later and saw that she did get pregnant off of that transfer ;-).. so leaping up asap and going to the game didnt hurt her!.. hehe.. and might've helped if that's how she unwinds!

jessie_vp · 10-15-2008, 01:00 PM

Good luck ladybug! My clinic also had me on antibiotics and steroids for 4 days prior to the transfer. It's standard for them to do. I don't know if it helped but I am guessing it must have. I looked at your signature and it looks a lot like my situation. I tried clomid once, had no luck, and moved onto IVF. It took me one fresh cycle and 2 FETs for success. I agree with moving to IVF as quickly as possible, it definitely has the best odds. Wishing you the best!

jessie

LadyBug78 · 10-15-2008, 05:44 PM

Thanks for the encouragement, jessie :-) It's soooo nice to hear about fellow cysters getting pregnant from IVF! I just got my approval to start medication for this cycle tomorrow night - Looking at possibly retrieving/transferring the 2nd week of November! I'm very excited. I'm hoping to at least get enough embryos for freezing a few if I don't get lucky with the first transfer :-) It really is awesome to go from a dud clomid cycle to having such better odds.. I'm not getting my hopes up too high... but being happy makes me more relaxed ;-)

YahishaTQ · 10-20-2008, 06:55 PM

I have been going to accupuncture and it has done wonders for my stress level. I just feel good afterwards and the feeling goes on for days. I hope to continue it during my IVF cycle in December.

sarahjean · 10-20-2008, 08:04 PM

Here were my results so far with an acupuncture vs. non acupuncture IVF:

1st IVF WITHOUT acu.: 30 eggs retrieved, 19 mature, 18 fertilized and 2 made it to blast, BFN (none left to freeze)

2nd IVF WITH acu.: 30 eggs retrieved, 24 mature, 17 fertilized, 2 made it to blast (transfer was yesterday and they were better quality than last time) and we had 3 to freeze!

SO FAR, knock on wood, I feel like this cycle is going much better than the first. I do think that the acupuncture is helping and i agree with ladybug that a huge part of it is probably the relaxation factor that comes along with acupuncture. GOOD LUCK to you. If you can afford it, I recommend it!

jessie_vp · 10-22-2008, 12:25 PM

Good Luck Sarah Jean! Last year on 10/19 I did my FET of 3 blasts and ended up with twins! So I am sending you good vibes, it's a lucky date

sarahjean · 10-22-2008, 12:31 PM

Jessie- THANK YOU!!!! You are such a sweetheart. 10/19 is also my dear little brother's birthday!! He just turned 12 (there's a big age difference, my mom never had trouble ttc, I'm a twin, lol). You are so sweet, and your twins are SO cute!!

LadyBug78 · 11-10-2008, 01:04 PM

Hey, My transfer date is hopefully coming up this week and I wanted to say that I've changed my mind about accupuncture. I talked to my RE about it and apparently my clinic has recently conducted a study in my office.. using laser accupuncture immediately before and after ET.. and they've found that it helps.. so I can't really say that $200 for that is too much to pay if it'll boost my odds a little :-)

next week they're presenting it at a fertility conference in san francisco. This is the title of their presentation.

O-285 3:00 PM
LASER ACUPUNCTURE BEFORE AND AFTER EMBRYO TRANSFER
IMPROVES ART DELIVERY RATES: RESULTS OF A PROSPECTIVE
RANDOMIZED DOUBLE-BLINDED PLACEBO CONTROLLED FIVEARMED
TRIAL INVOLVING 1000 PATIENTS.
J. L. Fratterelli, M. R. Leondires, K. Fong, A. Theall, S. Locatelli, R. T.
Scott. Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey, Morristown,
NJ; Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut, Morristown,
NJ.

Hey :-) editing to add that I found the published study too :-)

Laser acupuncture before and after embryo transfer improves ART delivery rates: results of a prospective randomized double-blinded placebo controlled five-armed trial involving 1000 patients .
Fertility and Sterility , Volume 90 , Pages S105 - S105
J . Fratterelli , M . Leondires , K . Fong , A . Theall , S . Locatelli , R . Scott

Based on the study, what they do is laser accupuncture for 25 minutes before and after ET. They had several control groups. I don't know if I really buy the significance of the results.. since they seem to show higher pregnancy rates in the laser accupuncture group.. nearly equal pregnancy rates in the "no treatment" and "normal accupuncture (needle)" groups.. and actually lower pregnancy rates in the groups that recieved fake accupuncture or extra relaxation time :-/ Which doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me and kind of makes me think that it's random.