The first IVF baby was born more than 30 years ago. Since then IVF technology has been constantly evolving becoming more and more sophisticated and effective. The greatest discovery of the past decade has been that acupuncture may double the success rate of IVF. However, even with the assistance of acupuncture, the overall success rates are still quite low. How can we further increase the success rates? It may be too obvious, so it has been largely ignored: the male factor.

Approximately 40% of IVF cases are due to male factor infertility. Conventional medicine addresses male factor infertility with surgical procedures and laboratory analysis where they extract and select viable sperms for fertilization through intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ISCI).

Although these laboratory procedures isolate and exclude abnormal sperm cells, they are however, unable to determine whether viable looking sperm cells are genetically strong. When the selected sperm cells are not genetically strong the fertilized egg may become slow to develop or it may stop developing entirely, thereby preventing a successful IVF procedure.

Infertility is a sensitive issue for many men and they are reluctant to seek help or explore beneficial options. In general, most of them believe that modern technology will provide the answer to their fertility problems. This is unfortunate as advances in male infertility research have introduced a number of beneficial choices. Clinical trails for example, are showing that acupuncture may improve various aspects of sperm quality and the success rates of ICSI. Studies have also found that nutritional support, and stress management increase male fertility. Other clinical reports have shown that certain herbs can also support male fertility.

The evidence provided by clinical trials as well as research on male factor infertility has provided the basis for the development of a unique acupuncture based support program for men at the IVF Support Centre. This program is known as Men’s IVF Support Program and it runs parallel to the woman’s Acupuncture IVF Support Program. The program includes a synergistic combination of acupuncture, herbal medicine, as well as nutritional and lifestyle support.

In addition, it can often be challenging for men to see their most special loved ones undergo heavy hormonal medication that carry significant risk and side effects. This is even more so if an unsuccessful IVF procedure is due to male factor infertility. Therefore, an important component of the Men’s IVF Support Program is emotional support.

Men’s IVF Support Program

Preparation Phase

The preparation phase involves weekly acupuncture sessions as well as nutritional, lifestyle and herbal support. It is recommended to start this phase one to three months prior to the commencement of the woman’s IVF treatment.

IVF Support Phase

The support phase starts at the commencement of the woman’s IVF treatment or at the start of her cycle for the embryo transfer. This phase involves having acupuncture sessions twice weekly prior to sperm collection.

Research

Influence of acupuncture on idiopathic male infertility in assisted reproductive technology.
Zhang M et al J Huazhong Univ Sci Tech Med Sci.2002;22(3):228-30
Journal of Huazhong University ( Abstract in Chinese) This trial looks at sperm behaviour in an IVF setting. It was a “before and after” study involving 82 infertile men with pathological semen abnormalities and who’s sperm achieved a poor fertilization rate in at least 2 IVF/ICSI cycles. They were given acupuncture twice a week over 8 weeks and the IVF/ICSI cycles were repeated. The fertilization rates after acupuncture (66.2%) were significantly higher than that before treatment (40.2%) (P < 0.01).

Effects of acupuncture and moxa treatment in patients with semen abnormalities.
Gurfinkel E et al Asian J Androl. 2003 Dec;5(4):345-8.
Asian Journal of Andrology

In a prospective, controlled and blind study, a group of infertile men (married for 3 - 11 years without children) were randomized into two groups, the treatment group receiving 10 acupuncture treatments and the control group receiving sham acupuncture treatments. The patients in the acupuncture group demonstrated a significant increase in the percentage of normal forms compared to the control group.

Does acupuncture treatment affect sperm density in males with very low sperm count? A pilot study.
Siterman S et al Andrologia. 2000 Jan;32(1):31-9.
Andrologia
This pilot study once again showed a positive effect of acupuncture on sperm count - but this time on men with such low sperm counts (or no sperm) that they would usually require a testicular biopsy to extract sperm for use in an IVF cycle. Seven of the 15 men with no sperm at all produced sperm detectable by the light microscope after a course of 10 acupuncture treatments (p < 0.01) ie enough sperm could be produced for ICSI to be performed without recourse to testicular biopsy. The control group with similar semen analysis had no treatment and showed no change after 3 months.

Effect of acupuncture on sperm parameters of males suffering from subfertility related to low sperm quality.
Siterman S et al Arch Androl. 1997 Sep-Oct;39(2):155-61
Archives of Andrology
A group of infertile men with abnormal semen analysis were randomly divided into 2 groups; one group was given 10 acupuncture treatments over 5 weeks, and the other group, no treatment. Significant improvements (p < 0.05) were demonstrated in the acupuncture group compared to the control group, in particular improved motility and morphology.

Quantitative evaluation of spermatozoa ultrastructure after acupuncture treatment for idiopathic male infertility.
Pei J et al Fertil Steril. 2005 Jul;84(1):141-7
Fertility and Sterility
A group of infertile men who had pathological semen analyses according to WHO criteria, were treated with acupuncture twice a week for 5 weeks. A statistically significant increase after acupuncture in the percentage and number of sperm with no structural defects was demonstrated compared to the control group of patients who received no treatment. They concluded that male infertility patients could benefit from having acupuncture. A general improvement of sperm quality, specifically in the ultrastructural integrity of spermatozoa, was seen after acupuncture.