A recent study published in Fertility and Sterility found that 26% of women undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) became pregnant following the procedure compared to 43% who received acupuncture before and after IVF. This represents a nearly 50% increase in effectiveness of IVF combined with acupuncture. Women in both groups were matched for age, number of transferred embryos and number of previous cycles among other criteria. As IVF is an expensive procedure, increasing pregnancy rates with acupuncture can save women both money as well as decrease emotional distress associated with the repeated use of this procedure.

According to another study recently published in the journal Medical Acupuncture, acupuncture may stimulate egg follicle development in women undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF). In a small study of six women who all had difficulty with follicle production despite maximum hormonal therapy, three produced significantly more follicles with acupuncture treatment and all three conceived, although only one pregnancy lasted past the first trimester. Acupuncture also appeared to increase estrogen levels.