How does acupuncture assist fertility-IVF success?
Infertility is defined as failure to achieve pregnancy after 12 months of regular and unprotected sexual intercourse. Approximately 15% of couples worldwide are affected by infertility which is caused by various factors. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is one of the therapeutic options for couples with infertility, however IVF success rate is not 100%. Acupuncture can activate nerve fibers and peripheral afferent receptors, produce sensory interactions at various levels of the central nervous system, and release various transmitters and modulators, thus producing anti-inflammatory signals as well as neuroendocrine and neuroimmune signals. Acupuncture is one of the candidates that applied during IVF procedure to increase its success rates. The mechanisms of acupuncture related to application of IVF is 1, modulating neuroendocrine factors. Acupuncture improves female infertility through modulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary– ovarian (HPO) axis, estrogen regulation, and increased ß-endorp...