Treatments & Fees

There are a number of acupuncture treatment options available to support you during your IVF cycle, to increase your chance of success and to improve how you feel. These range from just one or two treatments on the day of embryo transfer to a course of treatments leading up to that day, and beyond.

Below are some of the suggested treatment options. Many of these can be combined or altered to accommodate different situations and needs.

Treatment for women doing IVF

Acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer
These treatments are based on protocols used in clinical trials showing up to 65% increase in pregnancy rates. (You can find the references for these trials here )

Schedule:
a – before or after transfer …… one treatment
b – before and after transfer …… two treatments

Acupuncture before and during the medication phase of IVF
This treatment schedule is based on protocols used in clinical trials which demonstrate increased blood supply to uterus and ovaries (reference) and a beneficial regulation of hormones which may be important to follicle development and implantation (reference). A significant increase in pregnancy rates was reported in these trials also.

Schedule:
2 treatments per week for 4 weeks (optimal) plus treatment at time of embryo transfer.

Acupuncture at any phase of the IVF cycle
Acupuncture can be used to manage any side effects you might experience and reduce anxiety. These treatment protocols are based on the clinical experience of many acupuncturists and their patients. Reduced fatigue, moodiness, abdomen swelling and discomfort and other side effects are reported by many women using acupuncture during their IVF cycle. In addition women report greater relaxation and control of anxiety (reference). The acupuncture treatment will be different for each patient and depends on your symptoms. These treatments can be combined with Schedule 2 above.

Schedule:
1-2 treatments per week as needed.

Acupuncture after egg collection
IVF patients are recommended to have an acupuncture treatment after egg collection, to reduce any local tissue trauma or bleeding, and help prepare a calm environment for the arrival of an embryo. This treatment can be combined with Schedule 2 or 3 above.

Schedule:
1 treatment just after the procedure itself or within the following 2 days.

Acupuncture for frozen embryo transfer, with or without medication
These treatments are similar to those used in schedule 2, designed to increase blood flow to uterus and improve implantation and pregnancy rates.

Schedule:
2 treatments per week for 2 – 4 weeks before embryo transfer plus treatment on day of transfer.

Acupuncture during the first few weeks of pregnancy
Acupuncture has been demonstrated to have significant immune-modulating effects. This effect may be important in reducing the risk of rejection by the mother’s immune system in the early days as the embryo implants and a pregnancy is established.

Acupuncture can be used to enhance microcirculation in the uterine lining and the newly developing placenta. This may have particular importance if you have a tendency to produce clotting factors but could also be useful where that is not the case.

In addition regular monitoring of the pulse (a TCM diagnostic technique) and regular treatment with acupuncture designed to reduce anxiety offers you important and reassuring support during these first few weeks of pregnancy. Clinical trials have shown that regular monitoring and reassurance reduces miscarriage rates.

Schedule:
1 treatment per week until week 12 of pregnancy.

Pre birth acupuncture
Acupuncture treatment applied in the 4 weeks before the due date for delivery has been shown to reduce the chance of being “overdue”. It also has been shown to encourage cervical ripening and shorten labour time.

Schedule:
1 treatment per week from week 36 of pregnancy.

Treatment for men for IVF

Acupuncture for poor sperm morphology and motility.
These treatments are based on protocols used in clinical trials which demonstrate increase in sperm motility and decrease in abnormal forms after a course of acupuncture (reference).

Schedule:
2 treatments per week in the 5 – 6 weeks prior to IVF.

Acupuncture for TESE (testicular sperm extraction) candidates
These treatments are based on protocols used in clinical trials which investigated men whose semen had no sperm and would require testicular biopsy as part of the IVF procedures. This trial showed that production of sperm, easily detectable in the semen, occurred in half of the men treated with acupuncture. These sperm could then be used in IVF/ICSI cycles and TESE avoided (reference).

Schedule:
2 treatments per week in the 5 – 6 weeks prior to IVF.

10	Acupuncture on day of sperm donation Sometimes the pressure to produce a sperm sample on the day of egg collection can be significant enough to cause a problem. Acupuncture reduces anxiety and can increase blood flow to the genital area. Schedule: 1 treatment before sperm donation.

Before and beyond IVF

If you have had a number of failed IVF cycles you may wish to consider the use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to enhance reproductive health before you attempt IVF again. Or if the end of the IVF road has been reached, Chinese medicine may provide you with another way of treating infertility.

Some of you might choose to try a TCM approach to infertility treatment from the beginning and save IVF for last. This approach is appropriate if you have intact fallopian tubes and the sperm are healthy (unless treatment for sperm is also sought).

A specialist experienced in Chinese medicine and infertility will make a detailed diagnosis and will formulate the appropriate treatment plan. (Please refer to 'other things you can do - Chinese Medicine Treatment for infertility ')

Fee Schedule

Acupuncture treatment per session $90 (Melbourne $75)

Embryo transfer treatment $150, 2 sessions (Melbourne $130)

Concession
Acupuncture treatment per session $65
Embryo transfer treatment $95 (2 sessions)

All private health insurance funds cover acupuncture depending on your level of cover.