How To Get Pregnant Sooner AND Save Money – Using Both IVF And Acupuncture
Modern medicine has all the answers, right? Surely medical breakthroughs and the latest new technology have contributed greatly to our well-being. And IVF, foremost among the ART processes, has been the best answer for couples dealing with infertility. However ART is not always the answer to those prayers and other methods are needed.
Acupuncture, a 2,500 year old Chinese medical science, has also been used to treat infertility. But how could poking with needles possibly help anyone conceive a child? It’s nearly unexplainable and skeptics dismiss it, but acupuncture for infertility and many other medical problems has been proven effective. And it is now used widely in the US and Europe, together with ART, to treat infertility. Infertility clinics often provide referrals to acupuncturists specializing in infertility.
How Infertility Acupuncture Works
In acupuncture, a state-licensed specialist inserts ultra-thin needles into pressure points on the body. Using his knowledge of acient Chinese medicine, the acupuncturist knows exactly how and where to place the needles. The needle contacts control physical body problems such as infertility. Acupuncture has been used, often combined with herbs, to treat elevated follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and multiple miscarriages.
In many cases, acupuncture is applied in combination with IVF, interuterine insemination (IUI) and donor-egg transfers with demonstrable success. A recent study showed combining acupuncture with IVF resulted in 65 percent improvement in pregnant rates.
Treament with acupuncture must be timed perfectly. It is most effective when begun about three months before the first ART infertility procedure and continue for about three months after pregnancy begins to protect the fetus during the first trimester.
Cost Savings Are Possible
Infertility cost is an important consideration, especially because treatment is not covered by most group medical insurance plans. It’s likely that acupuncture for infertility will also not be covered by insurance. But it could be money well spent as a means of short-circuiting additional ART treatment cycles.
In a typical case, every cycle of IVF would cost $8,000 to $12,000. So for this example, lets say $10,000. And typically three or more cycles will be needed, based on statistics for same age women. If they decide to spend $1,000 for each cycle of acupuncture, that would seem to increase their cost by 10% to $33,000 for three cycles. However, acupuncture treatment could eliminate the need for a third cycle, producing net savings of $8,000. And if only one cycle is needed, the couple would spend $11,000 rather than the $30,000 cost projected if no acupuncture was to be used, a $19,000 difference.
Of course it is impossible to predict outcomes with certainty, but acupuncture is worthy of consideration on two counts: effectiveness and possible cost savings.
