Women's Health Series: Weight Gain After IVF & How Acupuncture Helps Weight Loss After IVF

Why Weight Gain after IVF

Many of my patients that I am seeing for acupuncture for IVF and post IVF have mentioned to me of their worries and concerns of sudden weight gain that are difficult to shed, facial pigmentations, fatigue and other health issues that arise after IVF procedures. Most have suspected that the above conditions, are linked to the IVF procedures, especially so for weight gain. Is IVF really to blame?

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Estrogen flux induced weight gain

During IVF procedures, controlled ovarian stimulation with synthetic drugs induces large increases in estradiol and progesterone and often exceed the normal levels of estrogen in pregnancy. The high estrogen levels during the superovulation phase of the IVF cycle can lead to fluid retention and possibly fat retainment which contribute to weight gain.

Fertility drugs induced weight gain

Fertility drugs such as clomifene citrate, metformin, gonadotrophins, Bromocriptine, Cabergoline modify metabolic and hormonal pathways in the short and potentially long term. This can cause weight gain to result as metabolism may be interfered and dropped and hormones for fat burning may also be affected.

Low activity during IVF procedure

Less activities are preferred during embryo transfer because of concerns of exercise affecting a successful implantation. Less activity during the procedure can lead to weight gain for some women.

Hormone fluctuation induced weight gain according to Traditional Chinese Medicine

With the influx of chemical drugs and sudden fluctuations of hormones during the IVF procedure, the body is knocked out of its regularity and pattern. Burden on the Liver and Kidney will be most prominent with irregularities in hormone which will lead to digestive problems. When that happens, indigestion occurs which can cause fats and undigested food to retain in the body resulting in weight gain.

How Acupuncture helps Weight Loss after IVF

Weight gain after IVF comes from mainly sudden hormonal fluctuations resulting in the metabolic disruptions leading to retainment of fat and retention of fluid.

In my previous blog post on Acupuncture for Hormonal Imbalance, acupuncture can help to rebalance hormone through hypothalamus-pituitary-axis and neuro-endocrine-immune network. Furthermore, in my blog post of Acupuncture for Weight Loss, I have analyzed how acupuncture can achieve that through Western Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine explanations.

Conclusion

All in all, acupuncture for weight loss after IVF is the most holistic and natural way to regain hormone balance and shed the kilos accumulated due to the harsh treatment to the body through forcing unnatural bodily processes with synthetic chemicals.

Read more on how TCM and Acupuncture treat Infertility, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Endometriosis, Fibroids, Recurrent Miscarriage, Menopause.