Body & Mind
In addition to the medical treatment offered through the Centre, we recognise the part played by other more general health concerns. Certain lifestyle decisions may contribute helpfully alongside this treatment.
Smoking
There is compelling evidence that smoking can adversely affect the fertility of both men and women. Male smoking can lead to lower sperm quality and sperm DNA damage.
We strongly recommend that patients do not smoke.
Women: 'Smoking cuts IVF success rate' at BBC News Click Here >>
Men: 'Smoking damages IVF chances' at BBC News Click Here >>
Diet
A poor diet can also have adverse effect on male and female fertility, whereas a healthy diet rich in antioxidants such as vitamins C and E is recommended.
There is evidence that obesity can reduce the chance of getting pregnant. In addition, the response to fertility stimulation is also reduced in obese patients.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is one of a group of therapies which comprise traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). An empress of the Western Han dynasty (206 BC-AD 24 [1] ) was treated by the earliest recorded gynaecologists, Yi Xu and Chun Yun Yan.. Since then, over two thousand years of tried, tested and documented techniques have increased the sophistication of TCM obstetrics and gynaecology techniques.
Research trials from the beginning of this century have shown that having acupuncture treatments during the process of IVF can increase the chances of conception. Other research trials have shown no significant increase in success rates in IVF treatment.
Paulus, Zhang et al (2002) [2] were the first group to evaluate the effect of acupuncture. Published in 2002, the randomised controlled trial evaluated the effect of having acupuncture treatments immediately before and after embryo transfer. The results showed a significant increase in pregnancies; the control arm (normal IVF) was 26% whilst the intervention arm (acupuncture + IVF) was 42%. Since then there have a number of research trials. Most recently Manheimer et al (2008) [3] published a meta-analysis of 7 trials with 1366 women undergoing IVF. The results of this analysis led the authors to conclude that integrating acupuncture with IVF can increase chances of conception by 10%.
[1] Maciocia G; Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Chinese Medicine; Churchill Livingstone; 1998; p3.
[2] Paulus, Zhang, et al; 2002. "Influence of acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in patients who undergo assisted reproduction therapy." Fertility & Sterility 77(4): 721-4.
[3] Eric Manheimer, Grant Zhang, Laurence Udoff, Aviad Haramati, Patricia Langenberg, Brian M Berman and Lex M Bouter; Effects of acupuncture on rates of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in vitro fertilisation: systematic review and meta analysis; BMJ published online 7 Feb 2008
