New study supports acupunture and IVF

A new study is helping to show the effectiveness of acupuncture’s to help women undergoing IVF get pregnant.  The analysis was lead by Eric Manheimer, a researcher at University of Maryland School of Medicine, and funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

 The study combines the results of seven smaller studies from the United States, Germany, Australia, and Denmark involving 1,366 women.  All the women were undergoing in vitro fertilization.  The study suggested that acupuncture boosted chances of pregnancy from 45-65%.  The study was published 2/8/2008 in the British Medical Journal.

An IVF cycle can cost up to $15,000 in San Diego.  The researcher said acupuncture could save money in the long run by increasing the chances of success.