Patients planning for a future IVF cycle should ideally begin preparatory treatment with Chinese Medicine three months prior to beginning their hormonal treatment. Chinese Medicine can greatly help to prepare the body in the areas where Western Medicine offers few treatment options. Improving the health of the parent’s gametes prior to IVF can contribute to successful pregnancy and a decreased risk for early miscarriage.

For the woman, treatment is directed towards improving the functioning of her ovaries, and regulating the reproductive hormones in her body. Herbal treatment contributes to the quality of the developing eggs and the thickness of the endometrium. Pre-existing menstrual irregularities and other factors affecting her fertility can be treated during this time to maximize her natural reproductive health. The better prepared her body and mind are for the procedure ahead, the more chance she has in achieving a future healthy pregnancy.

For many couples choosing to undergo an IVF cycle, male fertility factors also play a role. In the three months prior to IVF, Chinese Medicine can be utilized to improve upon the quality of the man’s sperm. Treatment is aimed at improving sperm count and motility. As with the woman’s eggs, healthier sperm contribute to healthier, more viable embryos.

Complementary treatment with Chinese Medicine during the IVF cycle helps to increase the woman’s appropriate response to hormonal stimulation. Treatment varies dependent on the phase of IVF: down-regulation, ovarian stimulation, ovulation, egg retrieval, and embryo transfer. Acupuncture treatments are designed to support these different phases while decreasing the side-effects often experienced from the medications.

Recent research has shown acupuncture treatment to increase the success of implantation by 40-60% when given before and after the embryo transfer. The acupuncture points were chosen according to the principles of Chinese Medicine to relax the uterus and improve blood flow. The study concluded that Acupuncture may also affect the autonomic nervous system, and thus may make the lining of the uterus more receptive to receiving an embryo.

Treatment with Chinese Medicine can be continued throughout the first trimester to protect early pregnancy and prevent miscarriage. In women with a history of recurrent miscarriage, Chinese Medicine offers natural treatment options to help maintain a healthy, thriving pregnancy.