Can I do Acupuncture With IVF?
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YES !!! Absolutely. We treat patients who are undergoing IUI or IVF all the time in our clinic with Acupuncture. The treatments are designed to support whatever phase of the cycle you are in at the time.
It is ideal to start treating 1-3 months prior to an IUI or IVF cycle to prep the body and improve egg quality, but we often get patients who reach out to us for treatment right before starting a cycle.
If we are starting treatments during the IUI or IVF cycle, it would look something like this:
1st Acupuncture Treatment: Week 1 of cycle
- relax the body, mind and nervous system
- improve egg quality
- support medication effects & reduce side-effects
- improve blood flow to uterus
2nd & 3rd Acupuncture Treatments: Pre & Post IUI or IVF Transfer
- Ideally we would do a treatment 24 hours prior to the procedure
- Important to get a treatment within 24 hours after the transfer/procedure (some IVF clinics even have in-house acupuncturist so that you can go straight to a treatment after the transfer)
- Relax the mind and body
- Support ideal hormone balance
- Improve quality of uterine lining
- Improve blood flow to uterus
4th Acupuncture Treatment: the week after transfer or IUI
- promote implantation
- relax mind (the waiting period before testing can be really difficult for patients)
- promote ideal balance of hormones (eg. progesterone)
- relax uterus
Acupuncture Treatments During Pregnancy:
If you get a positive pregnancy test (whoohoo!), we can support you during this phase with acupuncture treatments. Often patients will opt to do treatment through the first trimester, and return for treatments in the last trimester to prepare for labor and birth.
For a personalized approach, contact us at Inner Sage Boston Acupuncture: (617) 281-8532, or email us.
Nicole Brown
Acupuncturist Brookline
Acupuncturist Needham
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