Fertility Acupuncture for IVF, ICSI, and IUI in Ottawa and Across Ontario
Evidence Informed Acupuncture to Support Fertility Treatments
Fertility acupuncture is an evidence informed adjunctive therapy commonly used to support individuals undergoing assisted reproductive treatments such as IVF, ICSI, and IUI. Dr. H. Singh is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor in Ontario with over ten years of clinical experience focused on fertility and reproductive health. He provides fertility acupuncture in Ottawa and supports patients across Ontario as part of an integrative fertility care approach.
Fertility acupuncture is designed to complement medical fertility treatment as well as support those trying to conceive naturally. Care is individualized and aligned with each patient’s fertility timeline and treatment plan.
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Fertility Acupuncture During Ovarian Stimulation
During the controlled ovarian stimulation phase of IVF or ICSI, fertility acupuncture may help support ovarian blood flow, follicle development, and hormonal regulation. This phase of care focuses on supporting egg quality, healthy follicular growth, and overall ovarian response, while also aiming to reduce treatment related stress and support comfort throughout the cycle.
Fertility Acupuncture Around Embryo Transfer
Acupuncture is often performed close to embryo transfer. Research suggests this timing may help promote uterine blood flow, reduce uterine contractility, support relaxation, and ease stress during a critical phase of treatment. These effects may help create a more receptive uterine environment for implantation.
Fertility Acupuncture During the Implantation Window
Additional acupuncture sessions may be offered in the days following embryo transfer, during the implantation window. At this stage, treatment focuses on supporting uterine circulation, reducing uterine spasms, and promoting nervous system regulation to help support implantation and early pregnancy physiology.
Scientific Review on Fertility Acupuncture for IVF Success
Research on acupuncture as supportive care during IVF has grown significantly over the past two decades. A recent systematic review published in the World Journal of Transplantation (2025) examined over 140 randomized controlled trials involving more than 27 thousand participants and found that acupuncture increased pregnancy rates when completed to complement IVF treatment. Especially when performed to support frozen embryo transfer it was associated with an even higher clinical pregnancy rate compared with control groups. The authors suggested that potential mechanisms may include improved uterine blood flow, enhanced endometrial receptivity, stress regulation, and modulation of neuroendocrine pathways that influence implantation and early pregnancy.
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Complementing these findings, Zheng et al. conducted a meta analysis of 24 randomized clinical trials evaluating acupuncture delivered earlier in the IVF process, beginning during controlled ovarian stimulation and continuing through oocyte retrieval. This analysis found that traditional needle acupuncture was associated with improved IVF outcomes, including a higher clinical pregnancy rate (odds ratio 1.34) and a higher live birth rate (odds ratio 1.63). The authors noted that these benefits were seen specifically with needle-based acupuncture. Positive outcomes were most consistent in studies that used appropriate and methodologically sound control groups.
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Taken together, these reviews suggest that acupuncture may play a supportive role during key phases of IVF treatment for some patients. However, results vary between individuals and across studies, and acupuncture should be considered a complementary therapy used alongside, not in place of, convention medical fertility care.
How Does Fertility Acupuncture Work?
Fertility acupuncture is commonly used as an adjunctive therapy within integrative fertility care to help support reproductive physiology during natural conception and assisted reproductive treatments such as IVF, ICSI, and IUI. Research suggests that acupuncture may influence fertility through several key physiological pathways.
1. Supporting Blood Flow to the Reproductive Organs
Fertility acupuncture may help improve blood flow to the reproductive organs, including the uterus and ovaries. Adequate uterine blood flow is important for supporting endometrial development and receptivity. Chronic stress can influence blood flow distribution in the body, and acupuncture may help promote relaxation and autonomic nervous system balance, which in turn may support uterine circulation. Improved blood flow may help create a more supportive environment for embryo implantation during fertility treatments.
2. Supporting Hormonal Signaling and Ovulatory Function
Acupuncture has been shown to influence neuroendocrine signaling by supporting the release of beta endorphins in the central nervous system. These effects may influence the hypothalamic pituitary ovarian axis, which regulates the secretion of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). Balanced signaling of these hormones supports follicular development, ovulation, ovarian hormone production, and endometrial preparation necessary for a healthy menstrual cycle and early pregnancy.
3. Supporting Immune Balance and Endometrial Receptivity
Fertility acupuncture may also influence immune signaling within the uterine environment. Research suggests that acupuncture can help modulate cytokine activity and immune balance at the level of the endometrium. A balanced immune response is considered important for implantation and early pregnancy support, as it may help promote tolerance and receptivity within the uterine lining.
Advances in Fertility Acupuncture Treatments
The first research studies examining fertility acupuncture in the context of IVF were published in the late 1990s. Since that time, fertility acupuncture protocols have evolved significantly. Over the past two decades, a growing body of clinical trials has provided greater insight into how acupuncture can be integrated more effectively to support fertility treatment outcomes.
1. The Role of Electroacupuncture
Emerging research suggests that electroacupuncture, when used at specific phases of the fertility treatment cycle, may offer additional benefits compared to traditional manual needle stimulation alone. Electroacupuncture provides gentle, controlled stimulation to acupuncture points, which may help enhance blood flow to the reproductive organs and support the neuroendocrine effects associated with fertility acupuncture.
2. Evolution of Acupuncture Protocols for IVF
Early IVF acupuncture studies commonly used a standardized point combination known as the Paulus Protocol. While this protocol was associated with reduced anxiety around embryo transfer, subsequent larger and higher-quality studies have shown limited impact on IVF success rates when used in isolation.
Since approximately 2014, newer acupuncture approaches, often referred to as Modified Paulus Protocols, have been studied in countries including Italy, Austria, China, and the United States. Although specific point combinations vary between studies, there is increasing consistency in the core points used across these trials. These updated protocols have demonstrated more promising associations with fertility treatment outcomes. When providing fertility acupuncture in Ottawa, current evidence informed protocols are used to align care with the latest clinical research.
3. Importance of Treatment Timing and Frequency
Research suggests that treatment frequency and timing may influence outcomes. Rather than limiting acupuncture to only immediately before and after embryo transfer, a series of treatments leading up to transfer and continuing during the implantation window may provide more comprehensive physiological support.
4. Adjunctive Therapies Used Alongside Acupuncture
Smaller clinical studies have also explored adjunctive therapies, such as moxibustion used alongside acupuncture. These approaches may offer additional support in select cases, although further research is ongoing to better define their role within fertility care.
Who Can Benefit Most from Fertility Acupuncture?
Research over the past two decades has helped clarify which individuals may experience the greatest benefit from fertility acupuncture when used as part of an integrative fertility care plan. While responses vary from person to person, studies suggest certain groups may see more meaningful improvements in reproductive outcomes.
1. Individuals with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
Fertility acupuncture may be particularly helpful for individuals with PCOS, a condition commonly associated with ovulatory dysfunction. Research suggests acupuncture may support more regular ovulation, healthier follicular development, and improved ovarian function during both natural conception attempts and assisted fertility treatments. Some studies also suggest potential benefits for insulin sensitivity, which is an important metabolic factor influencing fertility in PCOS.
2. Individuals with Previous Unsuccessful IVF Cycles
Those who have experienced one or more unsuccessful IVF cycles often face a lower baseline chance of success in subsequent cycles. Evidence suggests that fertility acupuncture may offer greater relative benefit in this group compared to individuals undergoing IVF for the first time. Reviews of clinical studies indicate that individuals with lower baseline success rates may experience more noticeable improvements when acupuncture is integrated into IVF treatment protocols.
3. Advanced Reproductive Age or Reduced Egg Quality
Individuals over the age of 35 or those with concerns related to egg quality may also benefit from fertility acupuncture. As baseline fertility rates naturally decline with age, adjunctive therapies such as acupuncture may help support ovarian blood flow, follicular development, and overall reproductive physiology when incorporated alongside fertility treatments.
4. Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
Fertility acupuncture may also be considered as part of integrative care for individuals with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss. Early research suggests acupuncture may help support uterine receptivity, immune balance, and stress regulation during early pregnancy. For this reason, some care plans include continued acupuncture support into the early weeks of pregnancy, depending on individual circumstances.
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Ontario Wide Fertility Acupuncture Care
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Fertility acupuncture is offered in Ottawa, with coordinated fertility care and secure virtual consultations available for patients across Ontario.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Acupuncture Treatments are Recommended?
A minimum of 6 sessions, and ideally 7-8 sessions is recommended during an IVF/ICSI/IUI cycle.
Do the Needles Hurt?
The sensation felt during Acupuncture Treatments can vary from a light pinch to a dull ache and rarely a transient pang that dissapears once the needle is in. An experienced Naturopath utilizes the best technique possible to minimize pain when inserting the needle.
Why Should I see a Naturopathic Doctor for Acupuncture?
Naturopathic Doctors are licensed Primary Health Care Providers in Ontario and are trained to utilize a combination of techniques to help fertility patients. Their 7-8 year Post-secondary education includes, but is not limited to, extensive training in Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture as well as Botanical Medicine, Clinical Nutrition (Including Prescribing of Pharmaceutical strength nutritional supplements), Pharmacology, Healthy Diet & Lifestyle, Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment, and Medical Sciences. This allows them to offer a comprehensive treatment protocol that includes more than Acupuncture alone.