Acupuncture may increase chances of success in IVF

London, Feb 9 (UNI) Acupuncture may boost success rates in fertility treatment, latest research says.

Acupuncture stimulates the blood flow to the uterus and boost the production of endogenous opioids, inducing the body to relax, according to the study.

Women undergoing Invitro Fertilisation (IVF) were 65 per cent more likely to become pregnant after combining the procedure with the ancient complementary technique using needles, The Independent reported.

The study involved 1,366 women after seven acupuncture trials, which were delivered either just before or just after embryo transfer-- when the embryo fertilised in the laboratory attaches itself to the wall of the womb to establish a pregnancy.

Acupuncture stimulates the neurotransmitters that trigger the production of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone, which controls the menstrual cycle and a woman's ovulation.

The research carried out by scientists from the University of Maryland in the US and the VU University Amsterdam in Holland claimed acupuncture to be cost effective as it costs only about 50 pounds per session compared to 6,000 pounds per cycle for IVF, offering cheap, safe and efficient fertility treatment.

It has been used in China for centuries to regulate fertility and has also been shown to be an effective treatment for chronic pain.

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