For many couples who experience major fertility impediments e.g. blocked fallopian tubes or very low sperm counts IVF (in vitro fertilization) may be the most viable option.  If you are trying to make a decision whether IVF is a right treatment approach for you, you should take into account several factors which include your physical, emotional as well as financial health.  If a couple decides to utilize IVF treatment in order to get pregnant, acupuncture should be used as an adjunct therapy that can not only increase your odds of conception but help you go through the whole process more smoothly.

A study published in the journal, Fertility and Sterility, in February of 2002 talks about the success rates of people using acupuncture in order to increase their rate of conception. In this study, 160 women underwent routine IVF. Half of them were randomized to have acupuncture both before and after the embryo transfer and half were not. The results were also blinded to those who had acupuncture and those who didn’t. Randomization and blinding make this study a good quality study. The acupuncture group had a pregnancy rate about 40% higher than the group that did not have acupuncture. While this study shows very promising results when acupuncture is combined with IVF, I believe that patients would experience even better results if acupuncture treatments are started at least 3 months before the actual IVF embryo transfer.  It only makes sense to me to think that if a person can increase their overall health and decrease stress levels (all achievable with acupuncture treatments) before the procedure that their odds of success would be even better.  In my practice, I have noticed that patients who prepare their bodies for 3 months before the IVF have better outcomes than the patients who utilize acupuncture only pre and post embryo transfer.

You can not force a pregnancy, you can only allow it to happen.  By creating optimal conditions within your body and increasing your health you will definitely increase your chance of succesful conception and healthy pregnancy.

More info: BBC article