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IVF, Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
Whether you are a current patient of Toronto Total Wellness Centre or not, we would be happy to assist you with an acupuncture treatment on the day of your IVF transfer. Recent studies suggest that having acupuncture treatments, administered by a qualified and experienced Doctor of Chinese Medicine , as an adjunt therapy to your IVF or other assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments can improve the success rates by 65%.1
Patients attend Total Wellness Centre for a variety of reasons, for varying lengths of time, and with varying frequency. Treatments over several months allow the Doctor to observe several menstrual cycles, and to fully address any underlying causes of infertility. However, recent studies have clearly shown that most patients will benefit from even just one or two treatments of acupuncture around the period of time of their IVF treatment. Review a recent Associated Press article on one of the latest areas of research, combining acupuncture with IVF.
Acupuncture can both increase the efficacy of IVF leading to a better success rate, and reduce the pain associated with IVF. Reducing the pain leads to lower stress associated with the IVF procedure and in turn to a higher success rate. While we firmly believe natural healing techniques like acupuncture, herbal medicine and traditional Chinese medicine work best over the long run, any studies which show how acupuncture can help our patients must be considered.
Benefits of Acupuncture for the IVF or IUI Patient Include:
- Relaxing the patient, decreasing stress, and taking individual time with patients
- Regulating hormonal imbalances resulting in a larger number of follicles
- Strengthening the immune system
- Lessening the side effects of drugs used in IVF or other western productive techniques
- Improving the function of the ovaries to help produce better quality eggs
- Increasing blood flow to the uterus and increasing the thickness of the uterine lining
- Preventing the uterus from contracting
- Improving semen and sperm to create a better quality and quantity of embryos
- Decreasing the chances of miscarriage
Although some patients attend our clinic beginning just prior to transfer, we recommend for those patients undergoing IVF to commence treatment ideally at least three months in advance of the transfer. The more time you have to treat the underlying cause of infertility, the more prepared you will be physically, mentally and emotionally to deal with IVF or IUI. In addition, having acupuncture as soon as possible after the transfer has been shown to help the odds.
Total Wellness Centre is ideally located close to many western fertility clinics. The following fertility centres are located within a few minute drive of Total Wellness Centre:
- Hannam Fertility Centre
- Toronto Centre for Advanced Reproductive Technology (TCART)
- CReATe (Canadian Reproductive Assisted Technology)
- LifeQuest Centre for Reproductive Medicine
- Reproductive Biology Unit, Mount Sinai Hospital
- St. Michael's Hospital, Fertility Clinic
- Toronto Fertility Sterility Institute
Total Wellness Centre maintains a referral relationship with LifeQuest, IVF Canada and Astra Fertility Clinic.
In addition, many other fertility centres are located across Toronto and the GTA including:
- Astra Fertility Clinic
- IVF Canada
- Markham Fertility Centre
- ReproMed, The Toronto Institute of Reproductive Medicine
To make an appointment, please call us at 416-532-9094. Please indicate whether you are seeking an acupuncture appointment on the day of your transfer so that we can schedule you appropriately.
References
1.Manheimer E, Zhang G, Udoff L, Haramati A, Langenberg P, Berman BM, Bouter LM., Effects of acupuncture on rates of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in vitro fertilisation: systematic review and meta-analysis., BMJ. 2008 Mar 8;336(7643):545-9. Epub 2008 Feb 7.
