Study shows acupuncture facilitates IVF conception
A controversial new study measuring the degree to which getting acupuncture during IVF treatment increases a woman's chance of a successful pregnancy, has found this to be the case to a significant degree.
Acupuncture administered for 25 minutes both before and after an embryo is transferred to the uterus improves the likelihood of a live birth, a review presented at a medical conference in Brisbane has shown.
"On the basis of the current level of evidence we have, if nine women have acupuncture around the time of embryo transfer with IVF there will be one extra live born baby," said Professor Neil Johnson, lead researcher of the New Zealand study, and medical director of Fertility Plus in Auckland.
"That figure looks pretty good, especially to women wanting to do all they can to have a baby."
But Johnson's Australian counterparts have applied caution and skepicism to the findings, labelling the statistic as stretching "the current scientific data too far".
However, Professor Johnson has reviewed the latest major studies on the benefits of this ancient Chinese therapy regarding reproductive technology, and fertility in general, to a definitive degree.
"In a nutshell there is evidence that acupuncture administered around the time of embryo transfer really does help," he said.
"But doing acupuncture at other times in IVF treatment doesn't appear to be helpful, and there's no really robust evidence about the effectiveness of acupuncture for couples trying to get pregnant naturally."
Johnson explained that acupuncture has traditionally been believed to be effective because it improves energy flow through pathways in the body. However the conventional medicine take is that it inhibits the nervous system, which improves pelvic blood flow or makes the uterus "quieter".
"It might just be that relaxing and having some TLC at this stressful time is where the benefit comes in, but it would seem there's something more at work," Professor Johnson said.
Whatever the reason, the therapy has been widely embraced by IVF patients in Auckland, often those with the poorest pregnancy outlook deriving the most benefit.
It still may be a while however, before doctors and medical professionals embrace the method.
IVF Australia's Professor Michael Chapman said acupuncture had the strongest evidence of any alternative therapy for use in fertility, but the studies were small and "relatively inconclusive".
"The evidence to date would suggest it's not harmful but I certainly wouldn't recommend every IVF patient rush out and get it," Prof Chapman said.
