When Should I Start Acupuncture During IVF?
Timing acupuncture with your IVF cycle for better outcomes.
When Should I Start Acupuncture During IVF?
If you’re preparing for an IVF cycle, timing your acupuncture treatments can make a meaningful difference. Research, clinical experience, and patient outcomes all point to the same conclusion: acupuncture—especially electroacupuncture—can improve IVF success rates when timed strategically throughout the process.
At Hawthorne Acupuncture & Integrated Medicine, we work with many patients undergoing IVF through clinics like CCRM Denver, CCRM Lone Tree, Conceptions, and Shady Grove. Here’s how we time treatment for best results.
Before IVF Stimulation Begins: Preparing the Body
Ideally, acupuncture doesn’t begin the day your IVF medications do. Instead, we recommend beginning treatments at least one month prior to stimulation. This early phase focuses on regulating cycles, calming the nervous system, and optimizing blood flow to the ovaries and uterus.
This foundational period may include weekly acupuncture, customized herbal support if appropriate, and guidance on lifestyle shifts to promote optimal fertility. Supporting the body's terrain before medications begin is essential, especially for patients with diminished ovarian reserve, high stress, or past unsuccessful cycles.
Learn more about our fertility acupuncture approach
During Stimulation Phase: Electroacupuncture Twice a Week
Once stimulation meds begin, we shift into a higher-frequency schedule: electroacupuncture twice per week.
Why electroacupuncture? Studies, and practitioners like Dr. Schoolcraft—author of a well-known book on IVF—have highlighted its benefits. Electroacupuncture during stimulation helps:
Improve follicular response
Increase ovarian blood flow
Enhance the body's response to stimulation meds
By using gentle electrical stimulation on targeted points, we can support oxygen-rich blood flow to the ovaries while simultaneously calming the sympathetic nervous system.
Explore how electroacupuncture works
Transfer Preparation: Deep Support in the Luteal Phase
The month leading up to your embryo transfer is one of the most critical windows.
During this phase, we recommend twice-weekly treatments again—this time to:
Promote blood flow to the uterus to prepare the endometrial lining
Regulate hormonal balance and stress levels
Support implantation and the luteal phase
Treatment also helps manage emotional stress, especially for patients who have gone through multiple rounds of IVF. Stress isn’t just emotional—it impacts cortisol levels and inflammatory pathways that affect implantation.
Patients consistently report feeling calmer, more grounded, and more connected to their bodies during this part of treatment.
Post-Transfer Support
After transfer, we may recommend one or two treatments during the two-week wait, depending on your personal history and stress levels. Gentle acupuncture during this time supports the body’s ability to hold the embryo and manage stress without overstimulating any system.
Final Thoughts
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to acupuncture during IVF—but there is a framework that works. Our personalized care plans are built on experience, collaboration with local IVF clinics, and patient outcomes.
If you're working with CCRM Denver, CCRM Lone Tree, Shady Grove, or Conceptions, we’re familiar with their protocols and timing and can coordinate your care accordingly.
Ready to begin? Book an IVF acupuncture consultation today