Acupuncture significantly increases pregnancy rates for women with repeated IVF failure

A recent study led by professor Caroline Smith of Western Sydney University found that acupuncture increased pregnancy rates and reduced miscarriages in in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients. This systematic review and meta-analysis of 20 trials, involving 5130 women in Italy, Germany, Australia, USA and more, showed that 3 or more acupuncture treatments before an IVF transfer produced more pregnancies compared to no acupuncture (standard of care). The findings suggest that “acupuncture may have a significant effect on clinical pregnancy rates, independent of comparator group, when used in women who have had multiple previous IVF cycles, or where there was a low baseline pregnancy rate.”

But not all IVF acupuncture treatments meet the minimal threshold to be effective. What recent studies and our own clinical experience are showing us is that IVF acupuncture is dose dependent and a series of acupuncture sessions leading up to the IVF transfer is critical to increasing the chances of a successful pregnancy. According to co-author Mike Armour, “Our comprehensive meta-analysis shows that while treatment on the day of embryo transfer (ET) only, may not show significant benefit, regular treatment delivered outside just the time of ET shows significant benefit, especially in those who normally respond poorly to IVF.”