What acupuncture can offer during a fertility or fertility-treatment (ART) journey — and what it cannot do.
By Dr Alexandre Fleury · Physician acupuncturist · ~4 min read · Updated October 2026
Waiting for a child who is slow to come is an ordeal, made of appointments, tests, hopes and disappointments. We speak of infertility when a pregnancy is not achieved after 12 months of regular intercourse without contraception (6 months if the woman is over 35). Acupuncture can support you through this journey.
The causes are varied: they may come from the woman, the man, both, or remain unexplained. The work-up (hormones, ultrasound, semen analysis, tubal patency test…) and the treatments (ovulation stimulation, insemination, in vitro fertilisation) are the responsibility of a reproductive medicine team. My support adds to this follow-up; it never replaces it.
For TCM, fertility rests on the Kidney essence (Jing), the quality of the Blood, the free flow of Liver Qi and the good state of two vessels, the Chong Mai and the Ren Mai, which govern the cycle and the uterus. Depending on the person, patterns such as Kidney depletion (long cycles, fatigue, feeling the cold), Blood deficiency (light periods, pale complexion), Liver Qi stagnation (tension, irritability, painful periods) or Dampness and phlegm (heaviness, weight gain) are mentioned.
These patterns are traditional frameworks: they help me tailor my advice, but they are not medical diagnoses.
It needs to be said honestly: studies have not shown that acupuncture increases the chances of pregnancy or live birth. In a large trial published in 2018 (848 women undergoing in vitro fertilisation), the live-birth rate was 18.3 % with acupuncture and 17.8 % with “sham” acupuncture: the difference is not significant. Literature reviews are similarly inconclusive.
On the other hand, many women and couples report feeling more relaxed, sleeping better and coping better with treatment. This improved well-being is real for them, even though it has not been shown to change the chances of pregnancy.
Never change or stop a fertility treatment without your team’s advice, and keep them informed of your acupuncture sessions. If you would like sessions around an embryo transfer, we can discuss this, bearing in mind that the goal is your well-being, not mechanically increasing your chances.
In around half of cases, a male factor is involved, alone or combined with other factors. The first step is a semen analysis prescribed by a physician. You can find out more in the article Male fertility and semen analysis.
I use very small, single-use needles, much finer than a blood-test needle. Most of the time, you feel a light pinprick, then nothing more. Sometimes you feel nothing at all; and some areas are more sensitive than others. This sensation lasts a few seconds, then settles.
You may also feel, around the needle, a dull sensation of heaviness, warmth or tingling: this is an expected and harmless sensation. If something bothers you, tell me: I can adjust or remove the needle straight away.
When should you seek prompt medical advice?
Talk to your doctor or a fertility clinic in the following situations:
This article is intended for information and educational purposes. It does not replace a medical consultation and does not constitute personalized advice.
The full picture of care offered at every stage of a woman’s life.
02What is possible, trimester by trimester, once pregnancy is under way.
03The meridian that carries the essence (Jing) mentioned in this article.
04A male factor is involved in nearly half of couples: the work-up on the man’s side.
05Answers to the questions most often asked about acupuncture.
