Complementary medicines and therapies including fertility acupuncture are widely used by patients who are trying to conceive. This is a conclusion of a study published in the current issue of the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

The researchers insist that health care practitioners and fertility specialists need to be proactive in acquiring and documenting the use of these practices. Additionally, they need to provide further information to patients on the use of complementary medicines and therapies.

Why does your IVF specialist need to know about acupuncture?

Just as you’d inform your doctor that you’re taking folic acid, sharing information about acupuncture is essential because it plays a part in your overall treatment plan.

And it’s not only about acupuncture. It is equally important when your naturopath prescribes tinctures you know what it is in them. Ensure you’re well-informed about the contents of any supplements you take, so you can communicate clearly with your specialist. This knowledge will also come in handy if you experience any adverse reactions.

There is currently no evidence that acupuncture can harm your IVF cycle. In fact, we’ve seen incredible results in some cases and we also prefer that they are documented by your specialist.

For instance, one of our patients had high follicular stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, preventing her from doing IVF. FSH levels dropped from over 40 to 10 after a couple of months of acupuncture. And you should share this with your specialist. Such successes should not be kept secret from your doctors.

And don’t just take my word for it: research has demonstrated the numerous benefits of acupuncture on fertility. It has a potential to improve egg quality, uterine lining, increase receptivity, reduce fertility stress, the risk of miscarriage. Furthermore, in combination with IVF it has been shown to improve live birth rates.

If the male partner takes herbs or has acupuncture to improve his sperm quality, your specialist needs to know this.

You can see fertility acupuncture as a lifestyle factor and as IVF add on. It has to be researched and studied like all IVF components, but first it has to be the part of the treatment plan.