Reproductive Enhancement With Traditional Chinese Medicine

Which includes individual medical diagnosis and treatment

The use of acupuncture to improve the outcome of in vitro fertilization (IVF) has become widespread over the past few years. Three of four randomized controlled trials (RCT) published since 2002 have shown that acupuncture significantly increases pregnancy rates.

Therefore strongly endorsing the use of acupuncture during IVF. Protocols for IVF are complex, involving multiple phases with specific physiological aims. Correspondingly, acupuncture treatments before and during IVF need to be carefully considered in relation to the biomedical aspects that are being manipulated.

What is the Paulus Protocol ?

The Paulus Protocol is a landmark study that paved the way for further studies involving acupuncture and fertility treatment. This study looks at the effect of acupuncture at the time of embryo transfer during IVF treatment. It is important to note that traditional Chinese acupuncture has many applications for fertility; it is not just used for embryo transfer.

Study by Paulus, WE ET AL.

One hundred sixty patients who were undergoing IVF and who had good quality embryos were randomly divided into the following two groups: embryo transfer with acupuncture (n = 80) and embryo transfer without acupuncture (n = 80).

Each patient in the experimental group received an acupuncture treatment 25 minutes before and after embryo transfer. The needles were left in position for 25 minutes and then removed.

Their results showed that clinical pregnancies were documented in 34 out of 80 patients (42.5%) in the acupuncture group, whereas pregnancy rate was only 26.3% (21 out of 80 patients) in the control group.

Despite the less than impressive follow-up data since the highly publicized initial study by Paulus, et al.,1 the German protocol has been widely used among

acupuncturists. In fact, it has become a “gold standard” acupuncture protocol during IVF cycle.

Treatment Pattern:-

Depending on Chinese Diagnosis we offer individualized acupuncture treatment plans or even simple pre and post IVF/Embryo transfer treatments at your place of convenience/hospital after permission from your treating Obs/Gynae Consultant.