Fertility Acupuncture

Written By Jeffrey Kehoe

Acupuncture and Fertility: What the Research Suggests

Oct 15, 2026 · @catalystih1

Acupuncture is one of the most common complementary therapies people explore while trying to conceive, whether naturally or with IVF. Research over the past two decades suggests it may support fertility in several ways: regulating cycles, easing stress, and possibly improving IVF outcomes for some patients. The evidence is promising but mixed, so here is an honest look at what studies have found.

This post is for general education and is not a substitute for individualized care. Acupuncture works best as part of a plan coordinated with your fertility team.

How Acupuncture May support fertility

Researchers have proposed several mechanisms, though none is fully established. An overview by Cochrane and colleagues describes acupuncture's possible effects on the hormonal signaling between the brain and ovaries, on blood flow to the uterus and ovaries, and on the body's stress response.¹

Easing The Stress Response

Stress physiology is one of the better-studied pathways. In one study of women undergoing IVF, those who received acupuncture showed more favorable patterns of cortisol and prolactin, two hormones tied to stress and reproductive function, alongside higher pregnancy rates.⁸

Blood Flow To The Uterus And Ovaries

A healthy blood supply nourishes the uterine lining and developing follicles. In an early study, twice-weekly electroacupuncture lowered resistance in the uterine arteries of infertile women who started with poor flow, and the effect lasted into the embryo transfer window.¹¹ A later randomized trial in IVF patients confirmed lower uterine artery resistance after electroacupuncture, though pregnancy rates did not differ between groups.¹²

Evidence for ovarian blood flow comes mainly from animal research. In rats, including a model of PMOS, low-frequency electroacupuncture increased ovarian blood flow by acting on the nerves that regulate the ovary's blood vessels.¹³

Calming Inflammation

Chronic low-grade inflammation is common in PMOS and other conditions that affect fertility. Animal studies have mapped a plausible pathway: electroacupuncture at the point ST36 activates a vagus nerve to adrenal gland reflex that suppresses inflammatory signaling.¹⁴

Human data are emerging. In a recent sham-controlled trial of 120 women with obesity-related PMOS, 16 weeks of electroacupuncture lowered CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α, alongside improvements in hormones, insulin resistance and ovulation rate.¹⁵

Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS/PCOS)

PMOS is a leading cause of irregular ovulation. A 2017 systematic review found that acupuncture may help improve ovulation and menstrual regularity in women with PMOS, though the authors rated the overall quality of evidence as low.²

Benefits may extend beyond the cycle itself. In a randomized trial, women with PMOS who received electroacupuncture or regular exercise reported improvements in anxiety, depressive symptoms, and quality of life.⁵ That matters, because PMOS often carries a real emotional burden.

Acupuncture Alongside IVF

This is the most studied area, and the findings vary with how and when acupuncture is given.

  • Around embryo transfer only. A 2019 meta-analysis found no clear benefit when acupuncture at transfer was compared with sham acupuncture; any apparent benefit was limited to certain comparisons and settings.⁶

  • Women with prior unsuccessful cycles. Another 2019 meta-analysis found a benefit for clinical pregnancy and live birth rates mainly in trials where most women had a previous failed IVF attempt, and suggested the number of sessions may matter.⁷

  • A course of treatment. A 2023 updated meta-analysis of 25 trials and 4,757 women reported higher pooled clinical pregnancy and live birth rates with acupuncture, with positive effects across several methods and treatment timings.¹⁰

  • Whole-systems care. A retrospective study found that women receiving a full traditional Chinese medicine approach during IVF had higher live birth rates than those receiving IVF alone.⁹

The pattern suggests a series of treatments across the IVF cycle, rather than a single session on transfer day, may be most worthwhile.

Male Fertility

Fertility is a shared journey, and roughly half of infertility cases involve a male factor. A clinical study of men with abnormal semen parameters found that transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation, a needle-free form of acupuncture, was associated with improved semen quality.³ A systematic review of acupuncture for poor semen quality also reported encouraging signals, while noting the need for larger, well-designed trials.⁴

Research Limitations

Study design presents the greatest roadblock to greater confidence in the benefits of acupuncture. Heterogeneity, or differences in study design/methods, is common as point selection, number of treatments, timing, and even practitioner treatment style can vary. Many studies, particularly around IVF, only look at 2-3 treatments around embryo transfer. Clinical practice is vastly different with once weekly treatments for 3 months much more common based in part on the time necessary for full development of the sperm and egg. Lastly, sham acupuncture is used for “blinding” whether someone is receiving treatment or not, but it has been shown to stimulate B-endorphins without actual needle insertion. With physical contact on the skin still involved, it could also lead to patient bias if they still think they are receiving treatment.

The Bottom Line

Acupuncture is not a stand-alone fertility treatment, and study results are not uniform. Still, a growing body of research suggests it may help regulate cycles in PMOS, ease the stress of trying to conceive, support semen quality, and improve IVF outcomes for some patients, particularly with a course of care rather than a single session. It is generally very safe in trained, licensed hands.

Your initial visit includes a thorough review of your health history and often includes recommendations for lab testing as well as imaging and provider referrals when necessary. If you are considering acupuncture as part of your fertility plan, we can talk through timing, frequency, and how to coordinate with your reproductive endocrinologist.

References

  1. Cochrane S, et al. Int J Womens Health. 2014;6:313-325.

  2. Jo J, et al. Medicine (Baltimore). 2017;96(23):e7066.

  3. Yan Y, et al. Acupunct Med. 2019;37(1):24-32.

  4. Jerng UM, et al. Asian J Androl. 2014;16(6):884-891.

  5. Stener-Victorin E, et al. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2013;13:131.

  6. Smith CA, et al. Reprod Biomed Online. 2019;38(3):364-379.

  7. Xie ZY, et al. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2019;19(1):131.

  8. Magarelli P, et al. Fertil Steril. 2009;92(6):1870-1879.

  9. Hullender Rubin LE, et al. Reprod Biomed Online. 2015;30(6):602-612.

  10. Xu M, et al. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2023.

  11. Stener-Victorin E, et al. Hum Reprod. 1996;11(6):1314-1317.

  12. Ho M, et al. Taiwan J Obstet Gynecol. 2009;48(2):148-151.

  13. Stener-Victorin E, et al. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2004;2:16.

  14. Liu S, et al. Nature. 2021;598(7882):641-645.

  15. Shao C, et al. Afr J Reprod Health. 2026;30(5).

Jeffrey Kehoe