Acupuncture to support IVF at the YinOva Center in New York City
By: Jill Blakeway, M.S. L. Ac. | Author's Archive | Bio
Jill Blakeway is the Clinic Director of the YinOva Center. She is an acupuncturist, author and speaker who makes regular media appearances to talk about natural health care for women. Here she writes about how acupuncture can help women undergoing IVF.
For the past 12 years here at the YinOva Center we have used traditional Chinese medicine to support women during fertility treatments. As one of New York’s largest and most well known acupuncture practices we currently treat thousands of women a year, using acupuncture to support them as they go through IVF. We also take care of couples in the run up to an IVF cycle to make sure that they are in an optimal position to succeed.
My book Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility
When choosing an acupuncturist to treat you before and during IVF it’s a good idea to seek out a practice with a specialty in fertility as well as one that has sufficient acupuncturists that there will always be someone on duty when you need to time a treatment with your cycle.
Here are the questions our patients most frequently ask about using Chinese medicine during an IVF cycle.
Does having acupuncture increase the likelihood of success with IVF?
Clinical research seems to suggest it does. One German study took 160 women undergoing IVF and split them into two groups. One group combined acupuncture with IVF and one group did not. Interestingly the group that did the acupuncture had a 50% better outcome than the group that did IVF alone. You can read a BBC article about this study here. In 2008 research published in the British Medical Journal showed that women doing IVF who underwent acupuncture were 65% more likely to have a successful embryo transfer compared with those who underwent a “sham” version of the treatment, or no extra treatment at all. You can read about this study here.
How does acupuncture help an IVF cycle be more successful?
Here at the YinOva Center we use acupuncture every day to treat those of you who are undergoing IVF and we are proud of our success rates. Our positive experiences are echoed by recent research which shows that acupuncture can promote the circulation of blood in the pelvic cavity and improve ovarian function. Acupuncture may also be beneficial in promoting follicle production, enhancing uterine blood flow and thus improving uterine lining thickness and decreasing uterine contractions after embryo transfer.
How does IVF support at the YinOva Center work?
Whilst acupuncture works for some people straight away, it doesn’t necessarily work over night and the effects tend to be cumulative so, ideally, we would like to see our patients once a week in the three months leading up to IVF. If this isn’t possible, we recommend coming in to see us when you start your IVF cycle. We see our patients twice a week when they are taking the follicle stimulating drugs and we like to schedule a treatment before egg retrieval as well as another before embryo transfer. Finally we ask our patients to come in for treatment 24 – 48 hours after embryo transfer so that we can do an acupuncture treatment to prevent uterine spasm.
Should I take Chinese herbs during IVF?
The quick answer is no. Very occasionally, here at the YinOva Center, we do prescribe herbs for a patient going through IVF if she has a history of poor response to the stimulating drugs and if her doctor agrees. However, for most people the herbs can make your response to stimulating drugs unpredictable and we have found that most reproductive endocrinologists would prefer you not to combine them with IVF treatment.
How can I find out more?
Feel free to call us at the YinOva Center on 212 533 2255 and ask to speak to an acupuncturist. All of us have years of experience in women’s reproductive medicine and we all treat women undergoing IVF on a daily basis. We are always happy to talk to you about your concerns.
To schedule an appointment online click here
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. • The information on this website is designed for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your doctor. Please consult a doctor with any questions or concerns you might have regarding your condition. • Jill Blakeway, M.S. L. Ac. © August 2009
19 Responses to “Acupuncture to support IVF at the YinOva Center in New York City”
Leave a Reply
The YinOva Center
Recent Posts
- What Type Are You? The Five Elements.
- Gung Hay Fat Choy!
- Prenatal Pilates
- “We’re Pregnant, Now What?” – Changes in Elimination Patterns
- Practicing Meditation
- Can Acupuncture Help Me To Stop Smoking?
- Going Gluten-Free
- Pilates for Stress and Anxiety
- “We’re pregnant, now what?” – Morning Sickness and Heartburn
- Menstruation 101
I was wondering about the use of Chaste Tree and False Unicorn during my tww and beyond. Are these two items still safe while I’m pregnant?
Thanks, Alexis
Alexis at the YinOva Center we only use chasteberry for specific issues such as luteal phase defect or a slow hormonal transition post ovulation. Likewise we use false unicorn only for specific diagnoses related to yang deficiency. You should stop both these herbs when you find out your pregnant and ask whoever prescribed them for further advice.
My last acupuncturist only worked 3 days a week which meant I had trouble scheduling my pre-retrieval treatment. Do you work 7 days a week. That’s want I want out of an acupuncturist.
We have 8 acupuncturists here at the YinOva Center so as long as our patients are willing to be flexible and see whoever is on duty we are able to accommodate all our IVF patients at the appropriate times. Let our front desk know when your retrieval and transfer are and they will make sure that you are scheduled in the 24 – 48 before retrieval and the 24 – 48 hours after transfer. All of our acupuncturists are very good and have a great deal of experience so no matter who you see you’ll be in good hands.
i need to know location.
do you ivf program there?
Just wanted to thank you guys for helping me through my IVF. I met you once Jill for my initial consult (I don’t know if you remember me) and I found you so knowledgeable. I’d read your book and loved it which is why I came to your center. All your staff were very kind. Logan and Sarah your receptionists made sure I had appointments at the right time. I found the treatments really relaxing and your center a haven during a stressful time. Also had fertility massage with your massage therapist and can’t say enough good things about her. I found myself looking forward to my treatments and felt great afterwards. I’m not sure what worked but something did because I got pregnant! I’m so happy and want you to know that I credit YinOva (along with Dr. Grifo at NYU) with helping me to achieve my dream. Thank you – all of you. I’ll be back for some prenatal massage.
Dear Lufta,
We don’t do IVF here at the YinOva Center. we’re a complementary medicine center using Chinese medicine to enhance fertility. So we use acupuncture, nutrition, massage, lifestyle advice and sometimes herbal medicine to support women as they do IVF.
Jill
Dear Lufta,
We’re at 80 E 11th St # 101, New York (3 blocks south of Union Square) 212 533 2255
Hi Kerry,
I do remember you! Congratulations. I’m so glad you had a good experience at the YinOva Center. We all wish you well and are looking forward to seeing you when you come in for prenatal massage.
I saw a link to this on facebook and wanted to let you know I love your book. My husband bought it for me and I read it in one sitting. So helpful. I’m currently doing the 3 month program for my type (tired) and if that doesn’t work then I’ll move on to IVF. I’d love to come and see you for acupuncture but I’ve heard it takes a while to get a first appointment with you. How far ahead should I book?
Hi Brooke,
I’m glad you found the book helpful and that you are following the 3 month program. You can see a YinOva acupuncturist straight away for an inital appointment and then have a follow up appointment with me whenever you want. If you want to see me for an initial appointment there is a bit of a wait but its not too long. I think at the moment its about 5 weeks. I’m looking forward to meeting you.
I saw this link on Face book. Do you take insurance? My insurance company cover acupuncture for pain so if you tell them that you’re treating me for pain they should cover it.
Hi Gittel,
Thank you for your question. Here at the YinOva Center we don’t process insurance claims although we can give you a form with the correct codes on so that you can submit it to your insurance company. If your insurance company covers you for out of network acupuncture then you will probably be reimbursed but I would check with them first. We will circle the diagnosis codes that are appropriate for your treatment so if we are treating you for pain then that is what we will record.
Hi Jill,
Love your book and have been following your plan for 2 months along with accupuncture and IUI. Recently found out I have endometrioma (2.5 inches) in my left ovary and my Dr. is reccomending IVF as our next step. In your experience, is it possible to conceive naturally with endometrioma or do you think IVF is our best option?
Thanks so much!
Hi BAL – Thank you so much for getting in touch and for reading our book. I do think some people can conceive naturally with an endometrioma however I think you need to be guided by your doctor here. It may well be that IVF is your best option and if it is then please consider combining the IVF with acupuncture because I’ve really seen the combination work wonderfully. Feel free to get in touch if I can be of any help. You can contact me through our YinOva front desk on appointments@yinovacenter.com
this has helped with my chronic pain so much. even skeptics should give it a try!
Hi Jill, I started reading your book 3 month program and got to your cycle type. I’m not sure which of the types I am. How can I figure it out in order to follow the program. I also had hernia surgery (right pelvic area) and the surgeon found some endometriosis logged in my hernia. Should I be worried that I may have this elsewhere in my body? Thanks. JHM
Hi Julie,
You can work out your fertility type by taking this quiz http://yinovacenter.com/questionnaire/
Most people are a combination but the quiz tells you which program to follow.
It’s hard to answer your question about endometriosis not having met you but I do think you should bear in mind that you may have endo elsewhere in your pelvic cavity.
This article on endometriosis may be helpful http://www.yinovacenter.com/blog/archives/7497/
Good luck!