If you are looking into acupuncture for fertility, you deserve a straight answer before anything else. The best current research does not show that acupuncture raises your chance of pregnancy or of taking a baby home after IVF. A review of six studies with 2,507 participants found no difference between real and sham acupuncture in IVF pregnancy or live birth rates, and a large trial of 848 women found the same. Evidence for couples trying naturally is weaker and mixed, and for male fertility it is too thin to draw conclusions. Where acupuncture may still help is with how you feel during treatment: a pooled analysis found a small reduction in anxiety around IVF, although the certainty of that evidence was very low.
This article from Netra Integrative Health Clinic in South Plainfield, New Jersey, sets out that evidence in plain terms, explains when people usually start acupuncture and why, and covers how to combine it safely with care from a reproductive endocrinologist. We would rather you come to us with accurate expectations than with hopes we cannot honestly support.
The honest summary
- IVF: no difference from sham acupuncture in pregnancy or live birth rates in the strongest studies.
- Trying naturally: mixed. A large, well-run trial in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) found no effect on live births. Smaller trials report more pregnancies, but their quality is low, and none of those in the main review used a sham comparison.
- IUI: almost no direct research.
- Male fertility: the evidence on sperm quality is inadequate for firm conclusions.
- Stress and anxiety during treatment: a small possible benefit, from very low-certainty evidence.
- Safety: few complications when done properly, including in early pregnancy, with some points avoided.
None of this means acupuncture has no place. It means its place is supportive, alongside medical fertility care, and not as a way to improve your odds. We explain below why we still offer it, and to whom.
Fertility and infertility: the basics
For heterosexual couples, infertility is generally defined as not becoming pregnant after a period of regular, unprotected sex. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) also includes people who need medical help, such as donor eggs or sperm, to conceive.
Fertility problems are shared far more evenly between partners than many people assume. According to ASRM's patient fact sheet on defining infertility, about a third of cases involve a problem with the sperm, and another third involve problems in both partners. That is why a fertility evaluation looks at both people from the start.
Age matters a great deal. ASRM notes that by age 40 the chance of conceiving in any given month is about 10% or less, and its guidance on natural fertility notes that fertility declines after 35 for women and after 50 for men. This is the main reason we are careful never to let complementary care delay a medical evaluation.
Ovulation medicines, IUI and IVF in brief
Medical fertility treatment usually moves in steps that depend on the cause and on age. Oral medicines such as clomiphene or letrozole may be used to bring on ovulation. In intrauterine insemination (IUI), washed sperm is placed directly into the uterus around the time of ovulation, often after medicines that stimulate the ovaries. In in vitro fertilization (IVF), daily injections stimulate several eggs to mature, the eggs are collected in a short procedure, fertilized in the laboratory, and an embryo is later transferred into the uterus. Each step involves monitoring visits with blood tests and ultrasounds. Acupuncture research has looked mainly at IVF, with much less on the other steps.
What the research says about acupuncture for fertility
Studies of acupuncture and fertility vary a great deal in quality. The most reliable ones are large, randomized and compare real acupuncture with a convincing sham, and they measure live births rather than positive pregnancy tests. Those are the studies we give most weight to here.
Acupuncture during IVF
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), part of the National Institutes of Health, summarizes a 2021 review of 6 studies with 2,507 participants that looked at acupuncture and IVF success. It found no difference between acupuncture and sham acupuncture in rates of pregnancy or live birth. You can read the NCCIH summary on its acupuncture effectiveness and safety page.
A large, well-designed trial points the same way. In a randomized trial published in JAMA in 2018, 848 women having IVF at 16 centers in Australia and New Zealand were given either real acupuncture or a sham using a blunt needle that touched the skin without piercing it. Live births occurred in 18.3% of the acupuncture group and 17.8% of the sham group, a difference that was not statistically significant. The authors concluded that their findings do not support acupuncture to improve live birth rates. Women in the acupuncture group also reported a little more discomfort and bruising.
Some earlier, smaller studies and reviews were more positive. Many compared acupuncture with no treatment at all, which cannot separate the needles from the attention and reassurance of an extra appointment, and many reported pregnancy rather than live birth. A 2012 review of 23 trials shows the pattern. Against no treatment, acupuncture was linked to a higher clinical pregnancy rate (41.4% compared with 36.7%). Against sham needling at real acupuncture points, it showed no advantage for pregnancy, and across all trials live birth rates did not differ significantly. The authors themselves concluded that the best approach to acupuncture in IVF is not yet known.
Trying to conceive naturally, including with PCOS
The most important trial here involved 1,000 women with PCOS at 21 sites in China, published in JAMA in 2017. Women were randomly assigned to active or control acupuncture, twice a week for 30 minutes, and separately to the ovulation drug clomiphene or a placebo. Live births were 21.8% with active acupuncture and 22.4% with control acupuncture, so acupuncture made no difference. Clomiphene did: 28.7% compared with 15.4% on placebo. The authors concluded that the results do not support acupuncture as an infertility treatment for women with PCOS.
That trial carries a practical lesson. For many causes of infertility, proven medical treatment changes the odds, and it is the reason we always want you under the care of a fertility doctor.
The more positive results come from smaller studies. A 2019 review of 22 trials with 2,591 women, all conducted in China, reported higher pregnancy rates with acupuncture or acupuncture combined with other treatment. But none of the trials compared acupuncture with sham, live birth was not reported, the risk of bias was mostly unclear, and the authors said publication bias might exist. They called for high-quality trials before firm conclusions could be drawn. We read that as a question still open, not as evidence of benefit.
IUI cycles
Very little research has looked at acupuncture with intrauterine insemination (IUI). The 2012 review above set out to include IUI as well as IVF, but none of the 23 trials it analyzed involved IUI. We have not found a large, well-controlled trial that answers the question. If you are having IUI and want acupuncture, it should be for support, with no expectation that it changes the result of the cycle.
Male fertility
NCCIH reports a 2020 review of 12 studies with 1,088 participants that looked at acupuncture to improve sperm quality in men with low sperm counts. The reviewers judged the evidence inadequate for firm conclusions. We do not claim that acupuncture improves sperm count, movement or shape.
The first step for a man is a semen analysis, and if it is abnormal, ASRM advises seeing a reproductive urologist who specializes in fertility. ASRM also lists factors that can affect sperm, including smoking, marijuana use, excess weight and diabetes. Our men's health page covers the supportive care we offer men.
Egg quality, implantation and other claims
You will find many claims online that acupuncture improves egg quality, thickens the uterine lining, raises blood flow to the uterus or balances hormones. Some are proposed mechanisms that researchers have studied. None has been shown to lead to more live births in well-controlled trials. NCCIH's position on acupuncture in general is that how it works is not fully understood. We do not make these claims, and we suggest caution with any practitioner who does.
What acupuncture may still offer: support through treatment
Fertility treatment is hard on people. Injections, monitoring visits, procedures, waiting for results and, too often, grief all pile up over months. Support through that stretch is a reasonable goal in its own right, separate from the question of whether a cycle succeeds.
There is some research on this. A 2022 meta-analysis of 8 trials with 2,253 participants looked at anxiety around egg retrieval and embryo transfer. Acupuncture was linked to a small but significant reduction in anxiety. The evidence was rated very low certainty, the trials varied widely, and they carried a high risk of performance bias. The authors concluded that acupuncture may help with IVF-related anxiety but that more research is needed.
We think that supports a modest, honest offer: acupuncture as a way to feel calmer and more looked after during treatment, if you find it helps. It is not a way to improve your odds, and you should not feel you are missing out on your best chance if you decide against it.
One more finding matters here, because many people carry guilt about it. A 2011 meta-analysis in the BMJ of 14 studies with 3,583 women found that anxiety or depression before a cycle of assisted reproduction was not associated with whether a woman became pregnant. In other words, the evidence does not support the idea that being anxious before a cycle makes it fail. Looking after your stress is worth doing for its own sake, and that is how we approach it.
Our mental health page describes the care we offer for anxiety, low mood and poor sleep more broadly.
When people typically start acupuncture for fertility
This is one of the most common questions, and the answer is about common practice, not proven benefit. No trial has shown that starting at a particular time improves the chance of a live birth.
While trying naturally
Some people begin acupuncture while they are still trying on their own, often because they want support and a sense of doing something. That is reasonable, provided it runs alongside the right medical steps and not instead of them. If you are under 35 and have been trying for less than a year, or 35 or over and trying for less than six months, it can sit alongside good basic habits (see below). Once you reach those points, or sooner if you have a known reason, see a fertility specialist.
Before an IVF or IUI cycle
Many acupuncturists suggest starting a few weeks or a few months before a planned cycle, so that weekly sessions are already part of your routine when the medicines begin. This is a convention in the field. It has not been tested against starting later. In the large JAMA trial, acupuncture began during the stimulation phase of the IVF cycle itself, with sessions on days 6 to 8 of stimulation and on the day of embryo transfer.
If your cycle starts next week, you have not missed a window. You can begin whenever it suits you, or not at all. The scheduling of sessions around specific cycle phases and transfer day is covered in our companion article on fertility acupuncture in Central New Jersey.
Setting a review point
Whenever you start, agree on a point at which you will review whether acupuncture is still worth your time and money. For support during treatment, the questions are simple: are you sleeping better, coping better, feeling less overwhelmed? If not, stopping is a perfectly good outcome.
When to see a fertility specialist
ASRM recommends seeking a fertility evaluation:
- After 12 months of trying if you are under 35.
- After 6 months of trying if you are 35 or older.
ASRM also lists reasons to seek advice sooner, without waiting the full time:
- Irregular menstrual cycles.
- Possible damage to the fallopian tubes, for example from endometriosis, earlier pelvic surgery or sexually transmitted infections.
- A family history of early menopause, or health problems that can cause it.
- Past cancer treatment in either partner.
- Childhood problems with the testicles.
- Difficulty with sexual function.
If you are approaching 40, ask your doctor about being evaluated promptly rather than waiting out the full six months. Do not let a course of acupuncture, herbs or any other complementary care push back a specialist appointment. We will tell you the same thing at the consultation.
Working with your reproductive endocrinologist
Your reproductive endocrinologist (RE) or gynecologist directs your fertility treatment. Our role is supportive. Good coordination keeps you safe and avoids mixed messages.
- Tell your fertility clinic that you are having acupuncture. If your clinic has a policy about acupuncture on procedure days, follow it.
- Tell us your treatment plan. Bring your cycle calendar, medication schedule and any procedure dates, and update us when they change.
- Never change a fertility medicine on our advice. We do not adjust doses, timing or protocols. Those decisions belong to your RE.
- Disclose every herb and supplement to both of us. Herbs can interact with medicines, and little is known about how most of them interact with fertility drugs, so your fertility physician should know about anything you take.
- Let us share notes. With your permission, we can send your physician a summary of the care we are providing. Clinicians who want to coordinate can use our referring providers page.
We do not diagnose the cause of infertility, and we do not recommend one fertility clinic over another.
Acupuncture in early pregnancy: is it safe?
Some people continue acupuncture through the two-week wait and into early pregnancy, so safety matters. A 2014 systematic review of 105 studies of acupuncture during pregnancy found about 1.9 adverse events per 100 treatments overall, and 1.3 per 100 when limited to events plausibly related to acupuncture. Severe events were few and were judged unlikely to have been caused by acupuncture. The authors concluded that acupuncture in pregnancy appears to have few adverse effects when correctly applied.
"Correctly applied" is the important part. In practice that means:
- Tell us as soon as a transfer or insemination has happened, and as soon as you have a positive test. Treatment changes from that point.
- Certain points are avoided in pregnancy and when pregnancy is possible.
- Herbs are stopped or reviewed with your physician once pregnancy is possible. Many herbs are not suitable in early pregnancy.
- Your obstetric provider or RE should know you are having acupuncture.
If you have had a pregnancy loss before, tell us. It helps us plan care around your history, and around the anxiety that a new pregnancy after a loss can bring.
What else helps when you are trying to conceive
Some of the most useful steps are simple and free. ASRM's fact sheet on optimizing natural fertility recommends:
- Time intercourse to the fertile window, which is usually the six days just before ovulation. Pregnancy rates are highest with intercourse every one to two days in that window. Ovulation predictor kits, cervical mucus changes or tracking apps can help.
- Check your lubricant. Some common lubricants, and saliva, may reduce sperm movement or survival. ASRM names some that do not.
- Stop smoking and avoid recreational drugs, including marijuana, for both partners.
- Cut back on alcohol and caffeine. Heavy drinking and heavy caffeine use have both been linked with reduced fertility.
- Aim for a healthy weight. Fertility is lower in people who are very thin or obese.
- Be wary of fertility supplements. ASRM notes there is no scientific evidence currently supporting supplements to enhance fertility, though it does recommend prenatal vitamins before pregnancy.
The CDC recommends that anyone who could become pregnant take 400 micrograms of folic acid every day, starting at least a month before conception, to help prevent neural tube defects. A higher dose is advised for those with a previous affected pregnancy, under a doctor's direction.
Herbal and Ayurvedic care
Chinese medicine traditionally describes fertility problems in terms of patterns such as kidney deficiency, blood stasis or qi stagnation, and Ayurveda in terms of the health of the reproductive tissues, digestion and a settled mind. These frameworks guide how a practitioner chooses treatment. They are not biomedical diagnoses, and no study has shown that they correspond to a specific cause of infertility.
Some patients ask about Chinese herbal medicine or Ayurvedic care for fertility. Both traditions have long-standing approaches to reproductive health, but the research is limited, and herbs can interact with fertility medicines. Any herbal prescription is individual, checked against your medicines and shared with your fertility physician. We do not use Panchakarma, the Ayurvedic cleansing therapy, while someone is actively trying to conceive or having fertility treatment, or during pregnancy. More is on our women's health page.
Questions to ask before you start fertility acupuncture
Whoever you see, these questions help separate careful practice from overselling:
- What do you expect acupuncture to do for me? An honest answer talks about support, comfort and coping, not better odds of pregnancy.
- Do you quote success rates? Be cautious of any practitioner who cites a pregnancy rate for their own patients. Without a comparison group, such figures cannot show what acupuncture added, because pregnancy rates depend heavily on age and on the fertility treatment itself.
- Will you coordinate with my fertility clinic? A good practitioner asks for your protocol and dates and stays out of medical decisions.
- What changes after transfer or a positive test? They should be able to explain which points and herbs they avoid.
- Are you asking me to buy a package? A large prepaid package before you know whether sessions help you is a reason to pause.
- When will we review whether it is worth continuing? There should be a clear answer.
About your practitioner
Fertility is one of the main areas of practice of Dr. Saikumar Gandapodi, DAOM, Dipl. OM, AP, L.Ac., the founder and director of Netra Integrative Health Clinic. He sees every patient himself, in person in South Plainfield. Through a long course of fertility treatment, that means you deal with one practitioner who knows your history and your calendar, not a different face each visit.
Much of his work involves complex and advanced cases, including patients who come to him after other practitioners produced no results. In fertility care, complex can mean several unsuccessful cycles, overlapping diagnoses such as PCOS, endometriosis or thyroid disease, or care that has to fit around a demanding medical protocol. No outcome can be promised in any individual case, and he will be candid at the consultation about what supportive care can and cannot do for you.
Qualifications
- Clinical doctorate (DAOM) awarded by Five Branches University.
- Master's training in Traditional Oriental Medicine at Pacific College of Health and Science.
- Dipl. OM, the national board certification in Oriental Medicine.
- State licenses (L.Ac.) to practice acupuncture and herbal medicine in New Jersey and New York.
- Board-certified Acupuncture Physician (AP) and Doctor of Oriental Medicine in Florida.
- Classical Ayurvedic training, a Yoga Therapy graduate qualification, and advanced clinical training undertaken in India.
Clinical focus
He draws on Chinese medicine, Ayurveda and Yoga Therapy together. Alongside fertility, his special interests include complex and chronic conditions, orthopedic disorders and internal medicine. He writes and clinically reviews the condition pages on this site, including the fertility and IVF and IUI support pages. His full profile is on our team page.
Your first visit
The first appointment is a 60-minute consultation, and needling is generally saved for a later visit. The time goes on understanding where you are in your fertility care and what you want from us.
Dr. Gandapodi will ask how long you have been trying, about your cycles and periods, past pregnancies or losses, diagnoses such as PCOS or endometriosis, treatments so far and what is planned next. He will also ask about sleep, digestion, stress and mood, and he will look at your tongue and take your pulse as part of the assessment.
Please bring:
- Photo ID and your insurance card.
- Your most recent complete blood work, including any fertility hormone tests. You can send reports ahead.
- Ultrasound or other imaging reports, and your partner's semen analysis if one has been done.
- Your treatment calendar and medication schedule if you are in or planning a cycle.
- A full list of medicines, fertility drugs, vitamins and supplements, with doses.
- Cycle tracking records, if you keep them.
You will leave with a proposed plan, including how often to come and when to review it. Details for new patients are on our new patients page.
What a session is like
You will be with us for 30 minutes. You lie on a padded table while very fine, sterile, single-use needles go in at the chosen points. Expect a brief pinch, then a dull heaviness or nothing much at all, followed by a quiet rest with the needles in place. Speak up if anything feels sharp and the needle will be moved or taken out.
Point selection changes with where you are in your cycle and whether pregnancy is possible. That is one reason we ask you to keep us updated on your dates. You can read more about the treatment on our acupuncture page.
Insurance and payment
Dr. Gandapodi participates in most insurance networks. The clinic is not a Medicare or Medicaid provider, but it accepts most Medicare Advantage plans that include acupuncture.
Acupuncture is the only service billed to insurance. Ayurvedic medicine, Chinese herbal medicine, Panchakarma and Transdermal Medication Therapy are not. Whether your plan covers acupuncture, and for which diagnoses, varies from plan to plan, so we offer a free benefits check through the insurance verification form; allow three to five business days. More is on our insurance page.
If you were hurt in a car accident, the clinic also bills auto insurance personal injury protection (PIP) for acupuncture. Mention the accident when you book, and have your auto insurance claim number ready.
HSA, FSA and HRA funds can be used for acupuncture, and we can supply a Letter of Medical Necessity if your plan administrator requests one (see our HSA and FSA page and our article on using HSA and FSA funds for acupuncture). We accept CareCredit, and we offer a senior discount and a financial assistance program. Call the office and we will go through the options with you.
Safety and symptoms that need urgent care
Complications from acupuncture are uncommon when a licensed practitioner uses sterile needles once and discards them. NCCIH ties the problems that have been reported to nonsterile needles or poorly delivered treatment, and the FDA treats acupuncture needles as medical devices, which must be sterile and single-use. In the large IVF trial, the side effects reported were mostly minor, such as discomfort and bruising.
Tell us before treatment if you take a blood thinner, have a bleeding disorder, have a pacemaker, or might be pregnant.
Symptoms during fertility treatment that need a doctor first
Some symptoms during fertility treatment or early pregnancy need medical attention, not acupuncture. Contact your fertility clinic or seek emergency care for:
- Signs of severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) during or after stimulation, which Mayo Clinic lists as rapid weight gain of more than 1 kilogram (about 2.2 pounds) in 24 hours, severe abdominal pain, severe and persistent nausea or vomiting, decreased urination, shortness of breath, or a tight or enlarged abdomen. Tell your clinic about milder symptoms too.
- Signs of a possible ectopic pregnancy, which can be more likely after fertility treatment: pelvic pain with vaginal bleeding, shoulder pain, or feeling extremely lightheaded or faint. Mayo Clinic advises emergency care for any of these.
- Leg pain or trouble breathing, which Mayo Clinic says may signal an emergency during fertility treatment.
- Heavy bleeding or severe pain at any point.
If you have any of these on the day of an acupuncture appointment, call your doctor first. We can rebook once you have been seen.
Acupuncture as complementary fertility care
Everything we offer for fertility is complementary care: used together with your medical treatment and never as a substitute for it. Keep your gynecologist, RE or urologist at the center of your care. Do not stop, delay or change any fertility medicine or protocol because of acupuncture or herbs. If something we discuss raises a question about your treatment, take it to your physician.
Frequently asked questions
Does acupuncture increase IVF success rates?
The best evidence says no. A review of 6 studies with 2,507 participants and a trial of 848 women both found no difference from sham acupuncture in pregnancy or live birth rates.
Then why do people have acupuncture during IVF?
For support. A meta-analysis found a small reduction in anxiety around IVF procedures, from very low certainty evidence. Some people find the sessions calming and want that during a stressful process.
Can acupuncture help me get pregnant naturally?
The evidence is mixed. A large trial in women with PCOS found no effect on live births. The smaller trials pooled in a 2019 review reported more pregnancies, but none used sham controls and their risk of bias was unclear.
Does acupuncture help with IUI?
There is very little research on acupuncture in IUI cycles. We offer it for support only, with no claim that it improves the result.
Can acupuncture improve sperm quality?
NCCIH reports that the evidence is inadequate for firm conclusions. A semen analysis and, if needed, a reproductive urologist come first.
How far ahead should I start?
Many people start a few weeks or months before a cycle, but that is common practice, not a proven requirement. You can also start during a cycle, or not at all.
Is acupuncture safe after embryo transfer or in early pregnancy?
A systematic review found few adverse events with acupuncture during pregnancy when it is correctly applied. Tell us immediately after a transfer or a positive test, because certain points are then avoided and herbs are stopped or reviewed.
Should I wait to see a fertility doctor while I try acupuncture?
No. Follow ASRM's guidance: see a specialist after 12 months of trying if under 35, after 6 months if 35 or older, and sooner if there is a known reason.
Can my partner be treated too?
Yes. Male partners can book their own consultation. The evidence for acupuncture in male fertility is limited, and we treat it as supportive care.
I feel my stress is stopping me from getting pregnant. Is that true?
A meta-analysis of 14 studies found that anxiety or depression before a treatment cycle was not linked to whether women became pregnant. Stress deserves care for its own sake, not blame.
Will insurance cover fertility acupuncture?
It depends on your plan. Our free benefits check takes three to five business days. Herbal and Ayurvedic treatment is not billed to insurance.
Booking an appointment
Netra Integrative Health Clinic is at 5001 Hadley Road, Suite 210, South Plainfield, NJ 07080, close to Edison, Piscataway, Plainfield, Metuchen, Dunellen and Middlesex. Directions are on our location page. Weekday appointments run until 8:00 PM, starting at 10:00 AM, and Saturday appointments from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. There are no walk-ins. Book online through the appointment page, where bookings are confirmed by text and email, or call (908) 402-7301 to talk through timing around your cycle. Please give 24 hours' notice by phone if you need to cancel.
This article is general information about acupuncture and fertility, not medical advice, and it does not replace care from your gynecologist, reproductive endocrinologist or urologist. Sources include the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, trials published in JAMA in 2017 and 2018, systematic reviews in Medicine, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Reproductive BioMedicine Online, the BMJ and Acupuncture in Medicine, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the CDC and Mayo Clinic, all linked above.