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Acupuncture support for IVF

Updated: Aug 24, 2025

At Linking Path Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture, we provide gentle, supportive acupuncture treatments throughout your IVF journey. Many people choose acupuncture as a natural way to improve wellbeing, reduce stress, and prepare the body for a successful pregnancy.


🌸 How Acupuncture Can Help During IVF


  • Balance hormones naturally to support egg quality and cycle regulation.

  • Improve blood flow to the ovaries and uterus, helping create a healthy environment for implantation.

  • Calm the mind and body during the emotional ups and downs of IVF.

  • Ease side effects of fertility medications, such as bloating, headaches, and insomnia.

  • Support embryo transfer and implantation by relaxing the uterus and reducing stress.


🗓 Suggested Acupuncture Protocol Timeline (common in practice & research)


1. Pre-IVF (3 months to stimulation phase)

  • Regulate cycle, nourish Kidney & Liver, move Qi and Blood.

  • Key principles:

    • Tonify Kidney essence (Jing) → KD3, BL23, CV4

    • Regulate Liver Qi → LR3, GB34

    • Invigorate Blood → SP6, ST36, BL17

  • Goal: Optimize ovarian reserve and uterine environment.

2. Ovarian Stimulation Phase (controlled stimulation meds)

  • Support follicle growth, manage medication side effects.

  • Acupuncture points:

    • ST36, SP6, CV4, Zigong (EX-CA1) → nourish Qi & Blood.

    • LR3, KI3 → regulate Kidney & Liver.

    • LI4 + ST25 (if bloating/constipation).

  • Frequency: 1–2 times per week.

3. Pre-Egg Retrieval

  • Calm anxiety, support ovarian Qi and Blood flow.

  • Gentle tonification (avoid strong moving points immediately before retrieval).

4. Post-Egg Retrieval

  • Relieve abdominal discomfort, move Qi/Blood, prevent stasis.

  • Points: SP10, SP8, LR3, ST29, plus calming points if anxiety.

5. Embryo Transfer (ET)

  • Before ET: Increase uterine blood flow, relax uterus.

    • Common set (based on Paulus et al. 2002 study): PC6, SP8, LR3, ST29, GV20, CV4.

  • After ET (within a few hours): Support implantation, relax mind/body.

    • ST36, SP6, SP10, LI4, LR2, KI3, GV23 (gentle needling, avoid strong moving).

6. Post-Transfer (2-week wait)

  • Gentle tonification, calming, reduce uterine irritability.

  • Points: ST36, SP6, KI3, CV12, GV20, Yintang.

  • Avoid strong moving or descending points.


🗓 When to Have Acupuncture During IVF


We recommend treatments at key stages of the IVF process:

  1. Before starting IVF (3 months prior if possible): Preparing your body, balancing hormones, and supporting ovarian health.

  2. During ovarian stimulation: Encouraging healthy follicle growth and managing side effects of medication.

  3. Before and after egg retrieval: Supporting recovery and comfort.

  4. On the day of embryo transfer: A treatment before and after transfer to relax the uterus and promote implantation.

  5. After transfer (the “two-week wait”): Gentle, calming sessions to support implantation and reduce stress.


    🔍 Clinical Notes

    • Treatments are usually weekly leading up to IVF, then closer to transfer sometimes twice weekly.

    • Modify protocol based on patient constitution (Kidney Yin/Yang deficiency, Blood stasis, Qi stagnation, Dampness, etc.).

    • Safety: Avoid heavy stimulation, strong abdominal needling after transfer.


Acupuncture Frequency After Embryo Transfer


1. Immediately around transfer

  • Before transfer: a calming, blood-flow-support session (often within 24 hrs before).

  • After transfer: one session within 24–48 hrs to support implantation and reduce uterine spasms.

2. The “two-week wait” (post-transfer → pregnancy test)

  • 1–2 times per week is common.

  • Goals: calm stress, improve pelvic blood circulation, support luteal phase hormones, reduce anxiety during the wait.

3. If pregnancy test is positive

  • Weekly sessions through the first trimester (up to 12 weeks).

  • Focus: stabilising pregnancy, reducing miscarriage risk, easing nausea, fatigue, and emotional stress.

4. If the result is negative

  • Treatments shift toward regulating the cycle, improving egg quality, and preparing for the next IVF attempt.


💆 What to Expect


  • Treatments are relaxing and tailored to your unique needs.

  • Very fine, sterile needles are used and most people find the sessions deeply calming.

  • Frequency of sessions may vary, but many people have weekly treatments leading up to IVF, and extra sessions around embryo transfer.

✨ Acupuncture is not a replacement for IVF, but it can be a valuable partner in supporting your body and mind during the process.

 
 
 

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