Acupuncture for IVF, frozen embryo transfer and donor embryo transfer in Wokingham, Berkshire
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1. Overview
Acupuncture is a well-established complementary support for assisted reproduction. Whether you are going through a fresh IVF cycle, a frozen embryo transfer (FET) or a donor embryo transfer, acupuncture can help prepare your body, support each stage of the process and improve the conditions for a successful pregnancy.
I have supported many couples through IVF and embryo transfer cycles over the years, guiding them through the process every step of the way. Each person's situation is different, and I tailor my treatment accordingly — whether this is your first cycle, you have experienced repeated IVF failures, or you are using donor eggs or embryos.
The goal of acupuncture during assisted reproduction is not to replace what your fertility clinic does, but to work alongside it — preparing the body so it is in the best possible condition to respond to treatment, supporting hormonal balance throughout the cycle, and maximising the chances of the embryo implanting and the pregnancy continuing.
2. How acupuncture helps
Research has shown that acupuncture can support IVF and embryo transfer cycles in several important ways:
- Increasing blood flow to the uterus: Good uterine blood flow is essential for creating a thick, receptive endometrial lining — the environment the embryo needs to implant successfully. Acupuncture improves uterine artery blood flow, helping the lining develop well.
- Preventing uterine contractions: Uterine contractions immediately after embryo transfer can displace or dislodge the embryo before it has a chance to implant. Acupuncture given on the day of transfer has been shown to reduce these contractions.
- Supporting embryo implantation: By improving the receptivity of the uterine lining and reducing uterine contractions, acupuncture creates better conditions for the embryo to embed into the uterine wall.
- Regulating hormones: Acupuncture supports the body's own hormonal systems, helping to balance oestrogen and progesterone levels during the cycle and improving the body's response to fertility drugs.
- Reducing stress and anxiety: The emotional demands of IVF are significant. Anxiety and stress can negatively affect reproductive hormones and outcomes. Acupuncture calms the nervous system, reduces cortisol levels and helps women navigate the process with greater equanimity.
- Improving egg quality: When started well ahead of the cycle, acupuncture can support the development of healthy follicles and improve the quality of the eggs produced.
3. Preparing your body — when to start
Regardless of whether you are planning a fresh IVF cycle, a frozen embryo transfer or a donor embryo transfer, I strongly recommend beginning acupuncture at least three months before your procedure. This is because it takes approximately three months for eggs to mature before ovulation, so treatment during this period can directly influence the quality of the eggs used in a fresh IVF cycle and the receptivity of the uterus for any type of transfer.
Research has shown that a combination of acupuncture and Chinese herbs taken for three months before starting an IVF or transfer cycle significantly increases the pregnancy rate. Some couples also conceive naturally during this preparation period, as acupuncture is deeply relaxing and can support natural fertility while the body is being prepared.
Research also indicates that you should have at least nine sessions of acupuncture before the embryo transfer to achieve the best outcome. Unfortunately, most fertility clinics do not advise their patients to prepare in this way, often recommending that the cycle simply begins on the next menstrual cycle. Starting early gives your body the best possible foundation.
4. Treatment for men
Male fertility plays an equal role in the success of any IVF or transfer cycle. Specific acupuncture points have been shown to improve sperm quality, motility and count, improving the chances of successful fertilisation and a healthy embryo. I recommend that men begin acupuncture alongside their partner during the three-month preparation phase. Research has confirmed that male acupuncture treatment can increase the overall success rates of IVF.
4. Treatment frequency during IVF
During a long IVF cycle, it's recommended to have acupuncture weekly whilst downregulating until you start the stimulating drugs. It's then important to have acupuncture treatment twice a week during follicle stimulation when the eggs are growing. In a short IVF cycle, you should have acupuncture treatment twice a week when you start the ovary stimulating drugs.
On the day of the embryo transfer, when the fertilised embryo is transferred back into the woman, research has shown its ideal to have acupuncture treatment directly before and after the transfer. That often means twice in one day, or late the previous night if the IVF clinic has booked the embryo transfer first thing in the morning.
5. Treatment schedules
The optimal treatment schedule varies depending on the type of cycle. Below is guidance for each pathway.
Fresh IVF cycle
A fresh IVF cycle involves stimulating the ovaries to produce multiple eggs, retrieving the eggs, fertilising them in the laboratory and transferring the resulting embryo into the uterus — all within a single cycle.
Recommended schedule:
- Long protocol (downregulation): Once downregulation begins, have acupuncture weekly until you start the stimulating drugs. This helps the body tolerate the downregulation process and prepares the uterine lining.
- Stimulation phase: Increase to twice weekly during follicle stimulation, when the eggs are actively growing. This is a critical window for supporting follicle development and uterine blood flow.
- Day of egg collection: A session around the time of egg collection can help the body recover and prepare for the transfer phase.
- Transfer phase: Sessions before and after the embryo transfer (see section 6 below).
- Two-week wait: At least two sessions during the wait (see section 7 below).
Short protocol: Begin acupuncture twice weekly as soon as you start the ovary-stimulating drugs, and continue through to the transfer and two-week wait as above.
Frozen embryo transfer (FET)
A frozen embryo transfer uses embryos created and frozen during a previous IVF cycle, which are thawed and transferred in a subsequent, simpler cycle. FET cycles generally involve fewer drugs than fresh IVF, though the uterus still needs to be carefully prepared with the right endometrial thickness and receptivity.
Recommended schedule:
- Begin acupuncture weekly as soon as you know your transfer date, aiming for at least nine sessions before the transfer.
- Continue weekly through the uterine lining preparation phase, focusing on building endometrial blood flow and thickness.
- Transfer day sessions (see section 6).
- Two-week wait sessions (see section 7).
Donor embryo transfer
A donor embryo transfer uses an embryo created from a donor egg (and sometimes donor sperm). Because the embryo is genetically unrelated to the recipient, the immune system and the uterine environment play an especially important role in acceptance and implantation. Acupuncture can support the body's receptivity and help modulate the immune response during this type of transfer.
Recommended schedule:
- Begin acupuncture weekly as soon as possible, aiming for at least nine sessions before the transfer date.
- Continue weekly through the preparation phase, with particular focus on uterine lining development and immune system regulation.
- Transfer day sessions (see section 6).
- Two-week wait sessions (see section 7).
6. On the day of transfer
Research consistently shows that having acupuncture before and after the embryo transfer significantly improves success rates. The pre-transfer session helps relax the uterus, reduce contractions and calm the nervous system. The post-transfer session further relaxes the uterus, reduces anxiety and supports the early implantation process.
This means having two sessions on the day of transfer — one before and one after the procedure. If the clinic has scheduled the transfer for very early in the morning, I can arrange a session the evening before in place of the pre-transfer session.
Please contact me as soon as you know your transfer date so we can plan accordingly. For what to do in the days after transfer, read my guide to what to do after embryo transfer.
7. The two-week wait
The two-week wait — the period between the embryo transfer and the pregnancy test — is one of the most emotionally challenging parts of any fertility journey. I recommend having at least two acupuncture sessions during this period.
These sessions serve several purposes. Acupuncture continues to support blood flow to the uterus and the developing embryo, helps maintain the hormonal environment needed for implantation and early pregnancy, and addresses the anxiety and emotional strain that the wait inevitably brings. Many patients find these sessions among the most valuable of the entire cycle, both physically and emotionally.
8. Acupuncture in pregnancy
If you become pregnant following IVF, frozen embryo transfer or donor embryo transfer, I recommend continuing acupuncture throughout early pregnancy. The minimum I advise is treatment until at least 20 weeks, and ideally throughout the whole pregnancy.
This is particularly important if:
- You have experienced repeated miscarriages in the past
- You have a low AMH level
- You have used a donor embryo or donor eggs
- You are over 40 years old
- You have experienced repeated IVF failures before this pregnancy
In these cases, the woman's body will often be more depleted, and the pregnancy is particularly precious. Continuing acupuncture helps maintain a stable hormonal environment, reduces the risk of miscarriage, supports the developing pregnancy and gives the mother the best possible start.
Treatment can then be restarted at 35 weeks to help prepare the body for labour — what is known as prebirth acupuncture, which prepares the cervix and positions the baby optimally for birth.
For more information, see my page on pregnancy acupuncture.
9. Chinese herbal medicine
Chinese herbal medicine works powerfully alongside acupuncture during IVF and embryo transfer preparation. A personalised herbal formula, taken daily during the three-month preparation phase, can nourish the uterine lining, support egg quality, regulate the menstrual cycle and tonify the kidney energy that underpins reproductive health in traditional Chinese medicine.
It is important to note that Chinese herbs are generally discontinued once the IVF stimulation drugs begin, as this is when the clinic takes over the hormonal management of the cycle. Herbs may then be reintroduced during the two-week wait or early pregnancy where appropriate, and only with careful consideration of the individual situation.
I am a member of the British Acupuncture Council and the Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine (RCHM), and I have extensive experience supporting patients through all types of assisted reproduction. If you would like to discuss your situation and how I can support you, please get in touch to book a consultation.
Watch my animated video below which explains how IVF acupuncture treatment can help increase the success rates of you having a baby.
10. IVF factsheet
For further information, read the acupuncture for IVF factsheet.
References
Paulus, W.E., et al. (2002). Influence of acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in patients who undergo assisted reproduction therapy. Fertility and Sterility, 77(4), 721–724. doi: 10.1016/S0015-0282(01)03273-3
Manheimer, E., et al. (2008). Effects of acupuncture on rates of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in vitro fertilisation: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ, 336(7643), 545–549. doi: 10.1136/bmj.39471.430451.BE
Smith, C.A., et al. (2006). Acupuncture to induce labor: a randomized controlled trial. Acupuncture and Electro-Therapeutics Research, 31(1–2), 1–18.
Stener-Victorin, E., et al. (1996). Reduction of blood flow impedance in the uterine arteries of infertile women with electro-acupuncture. Human Reproduction, 11(6), 1314–1317. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.humrep.a019378
Balk, J., et al. (2010). The relationship between perceived stress, acupuncture and pregnancy rates among IVF patients: a pilot study. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 16(3), 154–157. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2009.11.004
