Laser For Fertility Low AMH and Repeated Unsuccessful IVF Cycles

Low-level Laser Therapy (LLLT) / Photobiomodulation and Fertility

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) continues to show some promise for women struggling with infertility.

The mechanism behind laser for fertility is as follows:

  1. Enhance mitochondrial activity and ATP production
  2. Increase blood flow
  3. Regulate inflammation and help reduce oxidative damage
  4. Softening of scar tissue
  5. Microbiome health
  6. Brain health and well-being

During my literature review on using low-level laser therapy (LLLT) for fertility, I came across the paper below from an infertility clinic in Japan using LLLT with mini-stim IVF cycles.

The laser treatments were performed on patients who were generally older or with low anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) levels and had repeated unsuccessful ART cycles.

Between April 2010 to November 2015, 188 patients received LLLT along with their mini-stim IVF cycles. The average patient age was 38.6+/- 4.1 years old.

Of the 188 patients, 106 patients (56.4%) achieved a clinical pregnancy and 73 patients (38.8%) gave birth.  

I am encouraged by my findings from the literature reviews I have performed to date that shows the benefits that low-level laser therapy (LLLT) can offer infertile women with low AMH or repeated unsuccessful IVF cycles. And these are some of the most difficult fertility cases which the Japan papers call severe infertility. I am optimistic about what LLLT can offer women with less severe infertility diagnoses as well. It is promising that there has been benefit documented for some of the most severe cases. 

The following case histories and stats are taken from a paper presented by the Asada Ladies Clinic in Japan (Yoshimasa Asada MD, PhD) titled Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) in our Infertility Clinic (Page 6 of 6)

Of the 188 patents, the age breakdown with pregnancy rates and live births were stated as follows 

  • Ages 20 to 29 – Six patients; 5 (83.3%) pregnant and 4 (80%) live births
  • Ages 30 to 39 – ninety-five patients; 65 (68.4%) pregnant and 48 (73.8%) live births
  • Ages 40 to 41 – Eighty-seven patients; 36 (41.4%) pregnant and 21 (58.3%) live births

Case example of Mini IVF stim # 1

A patient aged 41 with undetectable AMH level started LLLT treatment after 7 follicular aspirations stimulated with clomiphene. She went through 3 more mini IVF cycles (clomiphene stimulated) and conceived on the second embryo transfer and gave birth.

Case example of Mini IVF stim #2

A patient aged 35 with undetectable AMH level underwent laparoscopic surgery for ovarian endometriosis, hydrosalpinx, and chocolate cyst. She received 8 ART cycles in another clinic. In our clinic, she had 4 follicular aspirations stimulated with clomiphene and 10 LLLT sessions. After one follicular aspiration and the first embryo transfer in our clinic, she conceived and had a live birth.

Patients noticed improvements in cold-sensitive constitution, especially for the feet and stiff shoulders. A patient said she felt she did everything that she could.

More – Laser for Fertility Vancouver

The laser fertility protocol offered at Acubalance was initially inspired by the positive reports for two protocols out of Japan and Denmark.  We have since updated our laser and fertility approach based on current research and our clinical experience. Read more about LLLT for fertility