Acupuncture and IVF: A New Study Finds Higher Pregnancy and Live Birth Rates
A 2026 review found higher clinical pregnancy and live birth rates when acupuncture was added to IVF care. Results were stronger in studies offering four or more treatments, suggesting that patients may benefit from considering a course of care rather than treatment only on embryo transfer day.
The review included 18 randomized trials involving 4,872 people undergoing IVF or ICSI. Researchers assessed clinical pregnancy and live birth, not only early pregnancy indicators.
Acupuncture plus IVF compared with IVF alone
Compared with IVF care without acupuncture, acupuncture was associated with a 34% higher live birth rate and a 32% higher clinical pregnancy rate, in relative terms. These percentages describe differences between study groups; they do not mean acupuncture adds 34 percentage points to an individual’s chance of having a baby.
The review included manual acupuncture, electroacupuncture and electrical stimulation of acupuncture points.
Could more treatments make a difference?
Studies offering four or more sessions reported stronger live birth results than those offering fewer than four. This difference was statistically significant, although the review could not determine the ideal number or timing of treatments or prove that four treatments before transfer are better than one on transfer day.
What this means for patients
Acupuncture may be a useful addition to IVF care. If you are interested, discuss scheduling treatments early enough to fit your IVF plan. At Acubalance, we can coordinate an IVF acupuncture plan combined with low level laser therapy (Photobiomodulation or red light therapy) with the care provided by your IVF fertility clinic.
The findings are promising but do not prove that acupuncture improves outcomes for every patient. The studies used different treatment schedules and acupuncture approaches, and the overall evidence was rated as low certainty. Acupuncture cannot guarantee pregnancy or live birth, and further research is needed.
Related reading: When “Normal” Embryos Don’t Implant: Acupuncture & Laser Therapy for Recurrent Implantation Failure
Egg Quality
Implantation Failure
Boost Your IVF Success: The Power of Acupuncture Before Frozen Embryo Transfer
Study: Ganchuluun T, Hsu WT, Hung SY. Efficacy of Acupuncture and Optimal Acupoint Selection for In Vitro Fertilization Outcomes: Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, and Data Mining Study. European Journal of Integrative Medicine. 2026. Read the study.