Karisa Grudi, one of our licensed acupuncturists at Pulling Down the Moon Shady Grove, sat down with us to discuss a little bit about the German Protocol and why it is so important for women who have embryo transfers:

Q. Karisa, can you give us an idea of what the German Protocol is?

A. The German Protocol is a series of two acupuncture treatments that are performed on the day of IVF transfer.  The treatments are scheduled before and after the embryo transfer on the same day.  The German Protocol is based off of a study that was performed in Germany, 2006.  In the study of 160 participants, one group received IVF transfer only while the second group received IVF transfer with two acupuncture treatments (before and after transfer).  The pregnancy results showed 42% in the acupuncture group compared to 26% in the control group.

Q. How does this particular type of acupuncture help increase a couple’s chances of conceiving?

A. In the German study, a select number of acupuncture points were used to help with the efficacy of pregnancy.   Those same points from the study are used in the clinic.  Certain points on the leg have a direct connection to the uterus and ovaries.  Those points help to bring blood flow locally to the uterus to help lessen contractions associated with the actual implantation of the embryo.  Points are also selected to decrease stress and help relax the body and mind.  In addition, points are selected on the ear to further help with relaxation, uterine blood flow and endocrine functioning.

Q. Is it helpful for all types of cycles in which an embryo transfer is taking place?

A. Yes, it is definitely helpful for all IVF cycles, including those with donor egg and/or donor sperm.  Again, the focus is the same on the day of IVF transfer – to bring blood flow locally to the uterus, to help relax the body and mind, and to help with endocrine functioning.

At Pulling Down the Moon Shady Grove, Karisa and our other licensed acupuncturists strive to provide everyone with individualized care, whatever their circumstances may be. The German Protocol is just one of the many ways acupuncture can help you on your journey. We hope you will join us!

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Anna Pyne, LAc, MSOM, FABORM

Inflammation is a common disorder which can be a contributing factor or sole cause of infertility.  Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has many treatment options that may be used exclusively or in conjunction with Western medical therapy.  Inflammation of the pelvic organs can occur in diseases such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), endometriosis, and salpingitis (inflammation of the fallopian tubes).  I have successfully treated many patients with these conditions that are in the middle of or are about to go through a medicated fertility treatment cycle, as well as those trying to conceive naturally.

According to TCM there can be a number of different causes for inflammation to occur in the body and each can manifest in very individual ways.  Not only will PID, endometriosis, and salpingitis be identified and treated separately, but each one on its own has a number of different potential causes.  I will be able to assess the specific cause of the disorder by observing the tongue, feeling both wrist pulses, and reviewing the intake form with the patient.  By gathering all this information together I am able to then discern the TCM pattern and treatment plan going forward.  If you have any questions about TCM’s treatment options in regards to inflammation hindering fertility, please feel free to email us or if would like to make an appointment please call the office.

We are thrilled to announce that TCM fertility and women’s health specialist Pamela Policastro LAc has expanded her hours to see patients at our River North center.  Pam will be working on Mondays and Saturdays in the City.  Pam has been a star practitioner at our Arlington Heights location for many years and we are excited to bring her strong clinical presence to our Chicago location.  Pam will continue to treat patient in Arlington Heights on Thursdays.

“There is a soul force in the universe which, if we permit it, will flow through us and produce miraculous results.” Ghandi

This beautiful quote is Pam’s motto.  Pam received her Masters Degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Southwest Acupuncture College in Santa Fe, N.M. She is nationally certified by the NCCAOM (National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine), and is a licensed acupuncturist in the state of Illinois. She received her Bachelors Degree in psychology from SUNY (State University of New York) at Stonybrook, N.Y. Additionally, Pam has studied Chinese Herbal Medicine, Oncology Acupuncture at Memorial Sloan Kettering, N.Y.C., and fertility with Dr. Berkley from The Berkley Center for Reproductive Wellness, N.Y.C.

Pam is also nationally certified in Chinese Herbal Medicine. Combining herbs with acupuncture, Pam strives to attain the best possible results with all her patients. She specializes in all aspects of fertility and pregnancy; female and male infertility, menstrual irregularities, pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS), polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and endometriosis. Pam works with each person’s individual needs to provide a personalized treatment plan to optimize natural conception and/or assisted reproductive therapy. She is also affiliated with Mercy Hospital.

Read some of Pam’s contributions to our blog here:

TCM Perspective of Physical Exercise

Acupuncture and Miscarriage Prevention

Fire Cupping and Fertility

What Are You Smoking??? Moxa and Fertility

PDtM Acupuncturist Anna Pyne has this fabulous self-care suggestion for fertility.  Read her post on Pulling Down the Moon’s blog at Fertility Authority!

And for more about those sweet little piggies…check out this previous post on our FA blog about the importance of feet for fertility.

By Anna Pyne LAc MSOM

You may have read my recent post about an Ann Arbor study* that found electro-acupuncture, in conjunction with Traditional Chinese Medicine pattern diagnosis, achieved IVF success rates double that of the national average.   Because the results of this study are so striking, we wanted to take a closer look. 

What makes this study interesting is that it adheres to a main tenet of Traditional Chinese Medicine – that treatment is individualized according to a patient’s specific diagnosis, rather than a standardized protocol.  In this study, acupuncture points, chosen according to a patient’s traditional Chinese medicine pattern, were combined with electro-acupuncture and the researchers found the likelihood of a conception was greatly improved.  

The study compared three different groups of acupuncture patients all going through a typical medicated IVF cycle.  The first group was a traditional Chinese acupuncture (TCA) group, which used selective points based on the individual’s presenting pattern.   There were five different Chinese medical diagnostic patterns recognized and three to five points were selected for treatment based on each patient’s specific pattern.   The second group used electro-acupuncture (EA) based off of points used in a previous Swedish study done by Stener-Victorin et al which was published in Human Reproduction**.  The third group used a combination of both TCA and EA. Acupuncture intervention for all groups consisted of a minimum of 12 treatments, two per week, prior to embryo transfer.  

The frequency of treatment in this study is higher than many other studies (including the Sterner-Victorin study which used 8 sessions)  looking at acupuncture and IVF.  Patients had a minimum of 12 sessions (2 per week) prior to transfer and about half of the patients had more than 13 treatments.   All groups had IVF conception rates higher than the national average, but it was the third group that had the best outcome with an 81% success rate. The first group (TCA only) had a 64% success rate and the second group (EA only) had a 63% success rate.

Now, in case you’re a bit freaked out by the term “electro-acupuncture,”  I’d like to take a moment to dispel your fears.  Electro-acupuncture is a technique where a TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) machine is attached with small clips directly to acupuncture needles. When electricity is applied to the needles, the sensation is that of a light tapping.  Some patients have even asked me if I’m tapping them with my finger when I’ve used EA on them, but I’m not, that’s simply the sensation caused by the TENS machine.  It’s a comfortable feeling that is kept constant during the entire treatment session. By stimulating the points we are further enhancing their function, thereby intensifying the effect of treatment.

These results from the Ann Arbor study show the importance of using a differential traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis with the benefit of the added stimulation from the electro-acupuncture. I have seen this to be true empirically in my fertility practice so when this study came out it was especially exciting to see that it affirms my practical experience.

Please feel free post your comments and questions! 

http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/acu.2009.0692* http://humrep.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/11/6/1314**

By Anna Pyne LAc MSOM

A recent study entitled “Acupuncture as an Adjunct to In Vitro Fertilization: A Randomized Trial” was published in the journal Medical Acupuncture showing that electro-acupuncture used in conjunction with Traditional Chinese Acupuncture doubled the pregnancy success rates of IVF patients as compared to the national average of patients undergoing IVF.*    The study was conducted at Acupuncture and Chinese Medical Center in Ann Arbor Michigan using a total of 52 IVF patients with the average age of 38 years.  The patients in the study were randomly divided into three different groups:  1) traditional Chinese acupuncture (TCA) plus electro-acupuncture (EA), 2) TCA-only, or 3) EA-only.   All patients also underwent “standard IVF medication regimen.”   The authors of this study did not include an IVF-only control group and compared their treatment outcomes to average U.S. IVF success rates. 

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention the average success rate of IVF alone is about 40%.  In this study all groups had higher IVF success rates than the average U.S. success rate, and the improvement was greatest when TCA and EA were used in conjunction.  The authors conclude a “marked increase with the combination of TCA and EA (81.8% success rate)”!*  The TCA alone group had a 64% success rate, and the EA alone group had a 63% success rate.  The points used in the TCA and EA group were determined based upon the patient’s individual traditional Chinese medical diagnosis.  This study proves that traditional Chinese acupuncture in combination with electro-acupuncture “…is a promising new technique for the treatment of infertility with a higher IVF success rate than that of TCA or EA alone.”*   

While this study would have been strengthened by the addition of an IVF-only control group, the findings of this study are supportive of the growing body of evidence that treatment with Traditional Chinese Acupuncture does increase a woman’s chances of conception with IVF. 

*Medical Acupuncture Volume 21, Number 3, 2009 “Acupuncture as An Adjunct to In Vitro Fertilization: A Randomized Trial”