Traditional Chinese Medicine & IVF Success Rates +

A 2015 study looked at the effects of “Whole Systems Traditional Chinese Medicine” (WS-TCM) Modalities including Acupuncture, Herbal Therapy, and Diet and Lifestyle recommendations on success rates of IVF. They compared live birth rates in three groups: Women undergoing IVF only Women undergoing IVF with only 1 Acupuncture treatment on the day of embryo transfer Women undergoing IVF as well as receiving WS-TCM (WS-TCM) was defined as 11-12 acupuncture treatments in the 2-3 months leading up to embryo transfer, and 1 treatment on the day of transfer, with additional herbal/dietary/lifestyle recommendations. Results: IVF-only group had a live birth rate of 48.2% With 1 treatment on transfer day, the rate rose slightly to 50.8%. The group receiving WS-TCM treatment had the highest live birth rate at 61.3%, a 13-point increase in success.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25911598/

Chinese Herbal Medicine and Fertility +

Chinese Herbal Medicine and Fertility A meta-analysis of 40 randomized controlled trials, including over 4000 women, found that women with infertility were nearly twice as likely to become pregnant with the help of Chinese Herbal Medicine than with western fertility drug therapy alone. This included women with PCOS, endometriosis, anovulation, fallopian tube blockage, or unexplained infertility. They also found ovulation rates, cervical mucus score, biphasic basal body temperature, and uterine lining thickness to be positively influenced by Chinese herbal medicine.

www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0015028201032733

The effectiveness of Acupuncture & Embryo Transfer +

Another well-known prospective randomized study found the clinical pregnancy rate for their group that received acupuncture shortly before and after embryo transfer to be 1.6 times as effective than for the control group who received no acupuncture. In the Acupuncture group, Acupuncture treatment was performed 25 minutes before and after embryo transfer. In the control group, embryos were transferred without any supportive therapy.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11937123/

Acupuncture to Support Declining Ovarian Reserve +

One randomized clinical trial used Acupuncture in patients with a decline in ovarian reserve that were undergoing IVF treatments. If you have diminished ovarian reserve, this means that the number and quality of your eggs is lower than expected for your age. Diminished ovarian reserve can affect people of all ages. This study found that acupuncture increased estradiol, antral follicle count, number of follicles retrieved, number of high-quality embryos, and fertilization rates. They also observed an improvement in implantation rate and clinical pregnancy rate, as well as a decrease in cycle cancellation rate.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8412285/

Why Postpartum Care? +

In many Eastern cultures and lineages of medicine, it is recommended that women rest for 40 days after childbirth. They believe that ‘how we spend our first 40 days postpartum is how we spend our next 40 years’ - we can chose depleted, or nourished and thriving!

“The natural rhythm of the Earth and Life—is that there is a period of growth and a period of rest. This is how balance is created. Pregnancy represents the time of growth, and therefore the postpartum period represents the time of rest. In the modern world, there is no value given for rest—modern culture is focused on constant growth. To reset in the postpartum time, is to be in harmony with the natural rhythms of Life. To be in harmony with the natural rhythms of Life is our path to health” —Rachelle Garcia Seliga, CPM

In many worldwide postpartum traditions, it is inherently understood that in the time following childbirth, the mother is more open than ever before. If she takes this time to care for herself, she stands to strengthen her body, mind and heart in profound ways that will benefit her for the rest of her life. Simultaneously, this will address and mitigate any weaknesses, imbalances or ailments that had been prevalent prior to birthing. Conversely, ignoring this critical period of self care and rest can cause pre-existing imbalance to worsen and new health problems to arise. Postnatal care also promotes hormone health and fertility for future pregnancies.

Studies have shown that mother’s who have support in this time are more likely to thrive and specifically less likely to experience postpartum anxiety, depression and difficult breastfeeding.

Why Pre-Conception Care? +

Because it takes three months to grow a follicle that will become the egg (oocyte) at ovulation, it is ideal to start treatment three months before you are hoping to conceive. This gives us time to work with the follicles from the very beginning of their cellular growth, ensuring optimal quality and health of the oocyte released at ovulation, and therefore increasing chances of successful conception.

Sperm production also occurs in 3 month cycles, so for optimal sperm health the same treatment timeline is recommended.

Male Fertility +

Male infertility is implicated in about 30% of cases where couples cannot conceive. Research has also shown acupuncture can boost fertility in men. A number of studies demonstrate the benefits of Acupuncture on sperm health, quality and motility:

• A 2005 study published in Fertility and Sterility showed acupuncture treatments increase the number of normal sperm and decreasing the number of defective sperm.
• When a group of infertile men received twice weekly acupuncture for 5 weeks, they observed a significant increase in the percentage and number of sperm with no structural defects, and there was a notable improvement in the sperm’s structural integrity. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16009169/
• In a randomized trial of 57 patients with very low semen parameters, those who received twice weekly acupuncture for 6 weeks showed significantly improved sperm motility as compared to the sham (fake) acupuncture group. www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0015028209004312
• A before and after study looked at the change in fertilization rates for IVF/ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) procedures involving men with semen abnormalities and at least two previous poor outcomes with IVF/ICSI. After 8 treatments of acupuncture, their fertilization rates increased from 40.2% to 66.2% - that’s a 165% increase! pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12658811/

Necessary nutrients for sperm production: selenium, zinc, L-carnitine, CoQ10, omega-3 fatty acids, lycopene, and Vitamins A, B, C, and E.

Male fertility support: Ubiquinol: supports energy production in reproductive cells L-Arginine: benefits sperm formation and motility Acetyl-L-Carnitine: benefits sperm formation and motility Omega 3s: reduces inflammation, supports health cell growth and hormone production Vitamin C: supports healthy sperm cell growth Vitamin E: improves sperm motility and overall quality Selenium: lost in semen and deficiency is linked to poor sperm count, motility, & morphology Zinc: supports sperm production and testosterone metabolism Vitamin B12: promotes healthy cell replication