How Can Acupuncture Support You Through Your Fertility Journey?
By Kailey ChapmanIf you’re currently on a fertility journey whether you’re trying to conceive naturally or going through assisted fertility treatment such as IVF, you may have wondered where acupuncture fits into the picture.
Acupuncture has been used within Chinese medicine for thousands of years, and we’re now seeing more research looking at how it may support people during fertility treatment, from stress and anxiety through to uterine blood flow, endometrial receptivity and the complex processes involved in implantation.
However, one of the beautiful things about acupuncture during this time is that it supports the whole person.
Fertility treatment can quickly become a world of scans, blood tests, medications, appointments, numbers and waiting. Acupuncture gives you a moment to step out of all of that, slow down and allow your body to rest.
And honestly, your nervous system usually loves you for it.
Chef’s kiss.
Let's talk about the window of implantation
One of the areas researchers are particularly interested in is endometrial receptivity.
During a short period known as the window of implantation, the lining of the uterus (the endometrium) undergoes a series of very specific changes that allow an embryo to attach and begin the implantation process.
It is incredibly complex.
The endometrium needs to develop appropriately, blood flow and vascular changes are involved, hormones need to communicate effectively with the tissue, and a whole range of molecular and immune processes need to occur at the right time.
Recent research has been exploring whether acupuncture may have an influence on some of these processes.
A 2025 literature review looked at acupuncture as an adjunct therapy in relation to endometrial receptivity and identified several interesting areas of research, including:
Endometrial thickness and morphology
Blood flow within the uterus and endometrium
Hormonal signalling
Factors involved in angiogenesis—the formation of new blood vessels
Immune and inflammatory activity within the endometrium
Implantation-related markers such as HOXA10 and LIF
What about acupuncture alongside IVF?
This is probably the area most people have heard about.
Acupuncture is commonly used alongside different stages of IVF, including during ovarian stimulation and around embryo transfer, and researchers have been looking at whether it may influence both the experience of IVF and fertility-treatment outcomes.
One randomised controlled trial published in 2020 looked at women with unexplained infertility undergoing IVF.
The women receiving acupuncture had three treatments. One in the week before embryo transfer, one shortly before transfer and another following transfer.
The acupuncture group had higher rates of positive beta-hCG tests, ongoing pregnancy and live birth compared with the group that did not receive acupuncture. They also reported a greater reduction in anxiety following embryo transfer.
It was a relatively small study, so these findings need to be considered alongside the wider body of fertility research, but they are certainly interesting.
Acupuncture and anxiety during IVF
This is another area that I think is incredibly important. Because fertility isn’t just physiological, there is also the emotional side of it.
Waiting for blood results, waiting to hear how many eggs fertilised, waiting for embryo updates, then more waiting. Preparing for a transfer. Then trying to somehow live normally while waiting (again) for the pregnancy test.
It is a lot.
A large Australian and New Zealand randomised controlled trial involving women undergoing IVF found that those receiving acupuncture experienced a small but statistically significant reduction in anxiety immediately following embryo transfer.
And this is one of the areas where acupuncture can be particularly lovely.
For an hour, there is nothing you need to achieve.
There’s no fertility app to update.
No supplement to research.
No appointment to organise. You simply get to lie down, breathe and receive.
Sometimes that space alone can be incredibly valuable during a period where so much attention is being placed on your body.
So what does a fertility acupuncture appointment actually look like?
If you’ve never had acupuncture before, it is usually much gentler than people imagine.
We begin by talking about where you are in your fertility journey.
You may be trying naturally, preparing for IVF, going through stimulation, approaching an egg collection, waiting for embryo transfer or simply needing some extra support during the process.
I also want to know what else is happening.
How are you sleeping?
How are your stress levels?
How is your digestion?
How are your energy levels?
How are you coping emotionally?
Chinese medicine has always looked at the body as a whole rather than isolating one individual system, so your treatment is tailored around you, rather than simply following the same fertility protocol for everybody. We also use a range of diagnostic tools such as pulse taking and abdomen palpation to help understand how your body is feeling.
Very fine acupuncture needles are then gently placed at selected points and you get to rest.
Many patients are surprised by how deeply relaxed they feel once they’re on the table.
Supporting yourself at home
I love keeping things simple.
A fertility journey already comes with enough instructions without adding another enormous wellness checklist.
From a traditional Chinese medicine perspective, we often encourage warmth, nourishment, rest and supporting the body with regular meals and good-quality foods.
A few things you might enjoy incorporating include:
Warm, cooked meals that feel nourishing and easy to digest
Foods such as black sesame seeds, walnuts, kidney beans, tremella mushroom and slow-cooked proteins
A warm foot soak in the evening
Five or ten minutes of slow breathing before bed
Resting your hands gently over your lower abdomen and consciously allowing the area to soften as you breathe
Finding small pockets of time where you are not researching, planning or thinking about fertility
These practices are rooted in traditional Chinese medicine and are intended as gentle ways of supporting your overall wellbeing alongside your fertility care.
They don’t need to become another thing you have to do perfectly.
Where does the research leave us?
The research into acupuncture and fertility is growing, and there are some genuinely fascinating areas being explored.
Studies have investigated acupuncture in relation to:
Anxiety during IVF
Uterine and endometrial blood flow
Endometrial receptivity
Implantation-related signalling
Clinical pregnancy outcomes
Acupuncture used around embryo transfer
At this stage, acupuncture is best viewed as a complementary therapy that can be used alongside appropriate fertility care, rather than as a replacement for medical fertility treatment.
And I actually think that’s a really nice place for acupuncture to sit.
Is acupuncture something you should consider?
If you’re going through a fertility journey and you’re curious about acupuncture, it may absolutely be worth exploring. Some people come because they want support through IVF.
Some want help creating space for their nervous system to settle. And others simply want one appointment in their week where their fertility journey doesn’t feel quite so clinical.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach.
My role is to meet you wherever you are in the process and provide thoughtful, individualised acupuncture care alongside the treatment and advice you are already receiving from your fertility team.
Because sometimes fertility care isn’t just about doing more. It’s also about creating the space to feel supported while you’re going through it.