Acupuncture on weekends for IVF (embryo transfer)

[totallynaive]

Just thought I'd contribute this info because the latest statistical evidence shows that having acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer increases the likelihood of conception by 65%, but it is desperately hard to find any acupuncturists who provide out of hours sessions at short notice to link in with embryo transfer...

In London, I have found two: the Helix Clinic, which has various branches, and the London Acupuncture Clinic on Harley Street. The latter requires you to have a consultation first, which must be within normal clinic times, so it is advisable to phone them the morning after egg collection, i.e. when you find your likely embryo transfer date is on the weekend . I would imagine you'd need to get in touch with the Helix Clinic asap too.

Unfortunately, most other specialist fertility acupuncturists don't operate on Sundays, or even Saturdays. This is the case even if you've been their patient for months.

I had ET on a Sunday and my amazing accupuncturist let me come to his home for the before/after sessions. He had been amazing throughout my treatment and went above & beyond that day. It was Ian at the balance clinic (can't link as on my phone).

I had acupuncture with 2 other practitioners while ttc and Ian was better (v experienced with fertility/ivf). Highly recommend him!

The result of that ET is now a 3 year old sleeping peacefully in bed...

Reflexology also has excellent success rates for likelihood of conception if you have it either the day before or on the day of ET.

OP is this a very recent study? Just wondering because I'm considering acupuncture for fertility reasons (although not near IVF stage yet) and am also a medical statistician so like to read all the evidence :-D Have read a few often-cited papers but if there's something new I would appreciate the link. Thanks!

You'd think they'd at least give the option of an out of hours consultation, even if they charge a whole whack more; considering how many people are paying thousands privately for their IVF another few hundred quid on an out of hours acupuncture appointment would barely be given a second thought if they are already a client.

Moggle, this is the paper:

Manheimer E, Zhang G, Udoff L, et al. Effect of acupuncture on rates of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in vitro fertilization: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ. 2008; 336(7643):545-9.
Publication Date:
March 8, 2008

It's quoted widely in different sources throughout the internet, and hasn't been superseded to my knowledge.

As to your last paragraph: quite.

One acupuncturist told me that few of her profession have caught up with the decision of a number of IVF providers to carry out embryo transfers when most appropriate during the patient's cycle, rather than close throughout the weekend and do the et when the eggs are too immature/out of date. If you do end up going for IVF (let's hope not) make one of your first questions: does your clinic carry on throughout the weekend?