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This systematic review and meta-analysis examined whether acupuncture — including both manual acupuncture and electroacupuncture — could improve egg and embryo outcomes in women undergoing in vitro fertilisation with controlled ovarian stimulation. Researchers searched eight major databases and identified eighteen randomised controlled trials that met their inclusion criteria, comparing in vitro fertilisation combined with acupuncture against in vitro fertilisation alone or with sham acupuncture.
The results were encouraging across several measures. Acupuncture significantly improved the high-quality embryo rate based on six studies, with moderate-certainty evidence supporting this finding. Fertilisation rates were also meaningfully improved in four trials, again with moderate-certainty evidence. High-quality oocyte rates showed improvement in two trials, though the evidence certainty was rated as low. For the number of eggs retrieved, acupuncture appeared beneficial specifically in women with elevated follicle-stimulating hormone levels, and when treatment was delivered over twelve to twenty-four sessions rather than shorter courses.
The review authors emphasise that acupuncture’s benefits are not uniform. Embryo quality appears to improve with shorter treatment courses of five to eight sessions, whilst increasing egg numbers may require longer regimens of twelve or more sessions. Women with higher follicle-stimulating hormone levels seem to be the primary beneficiaries of improved egg yield. The authors advocate a personalised treatment approach tailored to each patient’s hormonal profile and treatment goals.
Conclusion: This meta-analysis provides moderate-certainty evidence that acupuncture is a beneficial adjunct therapy for improving embryo quality during in vitro fertilisation, with optimal results dependent on patient hormonal status and treatment duration.
Source: Wang JY, Xu JB, Chen XL and colleagues. Journal of integrative medicine (2026). View on PubMed (PMID 41864833) · doi:10.1016/j.joim.2026.03.002