Fertility Asian medicine is effective as treatment for infertility and in conjunction with fertility medications and procedures. Many people try Asian medicine first, before attempting assisted reproductive therapies. Not only is it a fraction of the cost, but also the body will be more receptive to fertility medications if assisted therapies are needed. For many couples that have unexplained infertility, acupuncture and herbs are very effective with high success rates.

The reason is that a root imbalance can be detected from a holistic point of view and thereby treated successfully. Acupuncture, together with herbal medicine can help regulate the menstrual cycle, invigorate the sperm and create a general sense of well being which aids in conception.

The endocrine system is very delicate and affected by many things that can throw it off, primarily stress. Acupuncture can aid in relaxation, which creates an environment where conception occurs more readily. Research has shown that acupuncture directly affects hormone balance and uterine blood flow, enhancing fertility and improving the chances for conception.
Acupuncture and herbal medicine can treat the following conditions:


Advanced Maternal Age
Amenorrhea
An ovulation
Endometriosis
High FSH Levels
Hormonal Imbalances
Immunologic Infertility
Luteal Phase Defect
Male Factor Infertility (except sterility)
Polycystic Ovaries
Recurrent Miscarriage
Tubal Obstruction
Unexplained Infertility
Uterine Fibroids

Assisted Therapies

If assisted reproductive therapies such as In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) or Intra Uterine Injections (IUI) are needed which are the common assisted therapies many women are trying, acupuncture and herbal medicine can help prepare the body to function optimally so that the best possible outcome is achieved. It does this by assisting the ovaries in producing more follicles and eggs raising the chances of conception, and preparing the uterus and body for pregnancy.


Acupuncture performed before and after an IVF transfer increases the chances of pregnancy by about 50%. In addition, acupuncture can greatly reduce the possible toxic side effects of fertility drugs, making them safer while increasing effectiveness.

With all the stress and anxiety that may accompany trying to get pregnant, acupuncture can relax and balance your body's natural state of well-being.

Weekly treatments are recommended for several months prior and during trying to conceive.  This allows the body to have enough time to "adjust" and "hold" that natural state of health.
There are many articles and recently published research about acupuncture, fertility and IVF.
Below are some relevant articles.
Influence of Acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in patients who undergo assisted reproduction therapy: Paulus, et.al. Fertility and Sterility Vol: 77, No. 4, APRIL 2002
In this study acupuncture was only given just before and after embryo transfer. The group that got the acupuncture achieved 60 % more pregnancies than did the control group that did not get the acupuncture.
Effect of acupuncture on sperm parameters of males suffering from sub fertility related to low sperm quality: Siterman et.al. Arch Androl, 39(2):155-61 1997 Sep-Oct
In this study both sperm quality and quantity were increased by acupuncture.
Effects of acupuncture and moxa treatment in patients with semen abnormalities. Gurfinkel et.al. Asian J Androl. 2003 Dec;5(4):345-8
In this study men receiving acupuncture had significant increases in the percentage of normal-form sperm compared to the control group that did not receive acupuncture.
Acupuncture & IVF Poor Responders: A Cure? P.C. Magarelli, D.K. Cridennda. Reproductive Medicine & Fertility Center, Colorado Springs, CO
Conclusions: Significant increases in pregnancy outcomes were con- firmed by this study and the data uniquely supported the advantage of acupuncture in patients with normal PI. Finally, this study is the first to demonstrate that the use of acupuncture in patients with poor prognoses (elevated Peak FSH, longer history of infertility, poor sperm morphology) can achieve similar pregnancy rates to normal prognosis patient.
A Randomized Study Evaluating Acupuncture as an Adjunct to IVF
Rodolfo Quintero, M.D., Wendy Yu, L.Ac., Brandon Horn, L.Ac., J.D., Daoshing Ni, D.O.M., Barry Schifrin, MD., Brian Acacio, M.D. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Glendale Adventist Medical Center (GAMC) and the Eastern Center for Complementary Medicine, Glendale, CA
Conclusions: Our study shows a significantly lower amount of gonadotropins used when IVF is combined with standard acupuncture. A 70% pregnancy rate was also achieved with standard acupuncture and IVF, compared to 25%. Larger prospective trials are necessary.
Worrying Doesn’t Help Matters:  Women Who Are Very Concerned About Medical Or Professional Implications Of Their IVF Cases Are Less Likely To Get Pregnant
(Klonoff-Cohen and Natarajan, The Concerns During Assisted Reproductive Technologies (CART) scale and pregnancy outcomes, Fertility and Sterility, Vol.81, No.4, April 2004.)