Fertility Acupuncture Can Be Used as Complimentary Therapy for IVF Preparation

In vitro fertilization (IVF) was first performed successfully in 1978 when Louise Brown became the first “test tube baby” born from the process. Test tubes are no longer used and the term “in vitro” that means “within the glass” is technically inaccurate. IVF is done in a Petri dish, which is made of resin, or on an organic surface in a procedure called Autologous Endometrial Coculture. The procedure has evolved and so has the preparation process that is necessary for any potential candidates.

Fertility acupuncture is one of the additions to that preparation process that has become a regular element recommended by both holistic and medical professionals. The first step in IVF is the stimulation of the ovary to produce the follicular maturation necessary to produce healthy eggs. The eggs are then removed, stripped, and placed in a Petri dish where they are fertilized and cultured for about eighteen hours.

This is a basic explanation for what is a complex procedure that has been refined and improved dramatically over the past thirty years since it was invented. The success of it is not guaranteed, but without it many couples would not be able to conceive at all. The human body, particularly in the reproductive cycle, still has many mysteries to it that have been only partially solved.

One of the solved mysteries is the importance of blood flow and relaxation in the conception process. Reproductive acupuncture can help with both of these. The insertion of the needles into key places in the body opens up blood vessels and arteries by relaxing the tension of the muscles and tendons around them. When combined with Chinese medicine, vitamins and nutrients, this enables the body and all of the physiological functions necessary for conception to work better.

Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), also known as artificial insemination, is another assisted reproductive technique that can be aided by the use of infertility acupuncture. With IUI, semen is inserted into the uterus using a catheter, a procedure that needs to take place at a time when ovulation is occurring. Acupuncture can be used in the time leading up to the procedure to ensure that the eggs produced by the ovary are more sensitive. The male donor can also use acupuncture to increase the density of his semen and raise the odds of conception on the first attempt.