Tried Everything to Get Pregnant? How Acupuncture for Fertility Could Boost Your Chances of Natural Conception and IVF Success in Middlesbrough & Teesside
You’ve tracked your ovulation. You’ve changed your diet. You’ve taken supplements and followed every piece of advice you could find online, and yet, month after month, you’re still waiting.
If you’re trying to conceive without success, you may be wondering if there’s something you’ve missed. Acupuncture for fertility is a gentle, evidence-based therapy like acupuncture that works with your body, not against it, to improve your reproductive health, balance hormones, and prepare you for a healthy pregnancy.
At Deanna Thomas – Acupuncture & Wellbeing, based in Middlesbrough and serving clients across Teesside, I’m a fully qualified and experienced fertility acupuncturist who has supported hundreds of people at every stage of their fertility journey.
Whether you’re aiming for natural conception, planning IVF treatment, or exploring IUI, acupuncture may also be a beneficial option. fertility acupuncture could be the missing piece that helps you achieve pregnancy.
What Is Acupuncture for Fertility and How Does It Work?
Fertility acupuncture is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which views the body as an interconnected system. In the practice of acupuncture, ultra-fine needles are inserted at specific points to influence circulation, hormone regulation, and nervous system balance.
From a Western perspective, acupuncture works by:
Increasing blood flow to the uterus and ovaries
Supporting and regulating fertility hormones like FSH, LH, and oestrogen
Helping manage stress levels that can disrupt ovulation and implantation
Creating optimal conditions for embryo implantation
These are just some of the proven benefits of acupuncture. It can support women by regulating the menstrual cycle and improving egg quality, and it can help men by improving sperm motility, count, and morphology.
Can Acupuncture Help You Get Pregnant Without IVF?
Yes, acupuncture could help you conceive naturally. Many people believe it’s only for IVF support, but acupuncture help can be highly effective for those trying to conceive without assisted fertility.
This approach can:
Improve hormonal balance for regular ovulation
Support ovarian function and egg quality
Strengthen the uterine lining and prepare for implantation
Boost sperm parameters for male partners
When you’re trying to get pregnant, the focus is on creating the healthiest possible environment for both egg and sperm, and this treatment may help you get there.
How Fertility Acupuncture Supports IVF, IUI, and Assisted Fertility
If you decide to move toward IVF or IUI, acupuncture can play a valuable role, not only during treatment, but in the crucial months leading up to it. Acupuncture for IVF and IVF acupuncture protocols are designed to:
Improve blood flow to the uterus and ovaries to support follicle development
Reduce uterine contractions after embryo implantation to improve stability
Support hormone balance during IVF cycles and stimulation protocols
Help manage emotional stress and anxiety throughout the process
Prepare your body for IVF by optimising egg and sperm quality during the 90-day development window
Help manage or reduce some side effects from IVF medication, such as bloating, headaches, and mood changes, by supporting circulation, digestion, and nervous system balance
The gold standard recommendation for preparing the body for IVF is to start acupuncture at least three months before beginning your cycle. This timeframe aligns with the natural development of eggs and sperm and allows enough time to address underlying imbalances.
Research spotlight:
The Paulus et al. (2002) trial demonstrated that women who had acupuncture immediately before and after embryo transfer had improved pregnancy rates compared to controls.
In a whole-systems traditional acupuncture study, women who received acupuncture for 12 weeks or more before IVF had significantly higher live birth rates than those with shorter treatment durations or no acupuncture (Hullender Rubin et al., 2015).
A recent retrospective cohort study (Phillippi et al., 2022, Fertility and Sterility) found that individualised acupuncture on the day of frozen embryo transfer was associated with a 55% increase in live births compared with FET alone, showing that personalised treatment may outperform standardised point protocols.
Why 3–4 Months of Acupuncture Could Improve Fertility Success Rates
Fertility changes take time because of natural reproductive cycles:
That means the egg or sperm you want to use in three months is forming now. By starting acupuncture treatments early, we can influence their quality before they’re released.
Research backs this up:
A meta-analysis in Frontiers in Physiology (Zhong et al., 2019) found that acupuncture can improve endometrial thickness and blood flow, both essential for successful embryo implantation.
A review in the International Journal of Acupuncture in Reproductive Health (2024) concluded that acupuncture may regulate reproductive hormones, improve ovarian function, and create a more receptive uterine lining.
In the Asian Journal of Andrology (2005), men who received acupuncture twice a week for two months showed significant improvements in sperm motility and morphology.
If you want to boost your chances of pregnancy, begin acupuncture at least 3–4 months before you’re trying to conceive or start IVF treatment.
How Acupuncture May Help Common Fertility Issues
Fertility acupuncture may help with a wide range of fertility problems:
By improving circulation to the reproductive organs, balancing hormones, and reducing inflammation, acupuncture can be part of a personalised fertility treatment plan that addresses the root causes of fertility issues.
Cycle-Specific Fertility Acupuncture: Working With Your Menstrual Cycle
At our acupuncture clinic in Middlesbrough, we adapt treatments to your menstrual cycle for maximum impact:
Follicular phase (menstrual to ovulation) – Focus on nourishing yin, supporting ovarian function, and increasing circulation to follicles.
Ovulation – Supports hormone shifts and uterine receptivity.
Luteal phase (after ovulation) – Boost progesterone, reduce stress, and maintain lining stability for the best chance of pregnancy.
This cycle-specific approach to fertility acupuncture is why many clients notice improved cycles, better energy, and reduced symptoms within a few months.
The Evidence That Acupuncture Improves Reproductive Health — For Both Partners
Research shows acupuncture can make measurable changes in reproductive health for both men and women:
Improve blood flow to the uterus and ovaries (Fertility and Sterility, 2002)
Regulate menstrual hormones (Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2018)
Reduce stress hormones, supporting more favourable pregnancy outcomes
Enhance sperm quality — Asian Journal of Andrology (2005) found that acupuncture twice a week for two months significantly improved sperm motility and morphology in men with infertility.
Boost male fertility markers — A review in Andrologia (2017) concluded that acupuncture may improve sperm count, motility, morphology, and DNA integrity, especially when used alongside lifestyle changes.
At Deanna Thomas – Acupuncture & Wellbeing, we take a whole-couple approach to fertility. With multiple treatment rooms in our Teesside acupuncture clinic, we can work with both partners at the same time, supporting 100% of the embryo’s potential.
This approach recognises that sperm quality is just as important as egg health, after all, sperm provides half the genetic material of the embryo. By improving circulation, regulating hormones, and reducing stress for both partners, acupuncture offers a truly holistic, evidence-based way to improve your chances of conceiving and carrying a healthy pregnancy.
What to Expect at an Acupuncture Clinic for Fertility
When you come to Deanna Thomas – Acupuncture & Wellbeing for fertility acupuncture treatment, your journey begins with a warm, welcoming space where you can truly feel heard.
Full fertility consultation – We’ll explore your health history, menstrual cycle patterns, lifestyle, and any previous fertility challenges to target root causes, not just symptoms.
Personalised fertility treatment plan – Tailored to your goals, whether that’s natural conception, preparing for assisted fertility like IUI, or enhancing your IVF treatment outcomes.
Focused acupuncture sessions – Using ultra-fine, sterile needles, I’ll gently stimulate specific acupuncture points to:
Improve blood flow to the reproductive organs
Regulate fertility hormones
Support egg and sperm health
Reduce stress and promote deep relaxation
With multiroom facilities in our Middlesbrough clinic, we can also treat both partners during the same visit, something many couples love. It becomes more than just treatment; it’s a shared self-care ritual, a weekly moment to relax together, invest in your health, and focus on your fertility journey as a team.
Why You Should Try Acupuncture Before IVF Treatment
If you’ve been trying to conceive without success, starting acupuncture before committing to IVF can be a game-changer. This approach gives your body the best chance to conceive naturally while also improving key factors that can boost success rates if you later choose IVF or IUI.
Not all acupuncture is the same. I’m a fully qualified and experienced fertility acupuncturist, trained specifically in reproductive health and the complex needs of those on a fertility journey. This means your treatments are carefully targeted, using evidence-based acupuncture protocols designed to improve egg and sperm health, regulate fertility hormones, and prepare your body for conception.
Many IVF clinics now actively recommend acupuncture to their clients during IVF because they recognise its benefits and the way it can help improve outcomes. In my own practice, I’ve also found that many clients have actually fallen pregnant naturally before starting IVF, simply because the acupuncture prepared their bodies so well.
That’s why it’s always worth considering acupuncture first. If you do go on to IVF, your treatment will continue to support you every step of the way, boosting your chances and helping you feel calmer, more balanced, and more in control throughout the process.
Real Success Stories: Conceive Naturally and IVF Pregnancy
At Deanna Thomas – Acupuncture & Wellbeing, I’ve supported hundreds of clients on their fertility journey, with over 600 five-star reviews on Fresha and many more on Google.
Here are just two of the beautiful stories shared by my fertility clients:
Katie – “I went to see Deanna as I was having trouble falling pregnant and realised my cycle was slightly shorter than it should be. Through her guidance and acupuncture, we managed to lengthen my luteal phase and as I write this, I'm sat with my new-born on my knee. It took 15 months in total, but only 4 months of seeing Deanna to finally get my baby boy.”
Lindi – “Deanna is amazing! Her fertility acupuncture sessions helped me feel calm and empowered during a stressful time. Her knowledge and kindness shine through. I can’t thank her enough.”
These are just two examples of how specialised fertility acupuncture, when delivered consistently and with a tailored plan, can change lives, whether you’re aiming for natural conception or preparing for IVF success.
Key Takeaways — Acupuncture for Fertility and IVF
Supports both natural and assisted conception, helping you whether you’re trying to conceive naturally, preparing for IVF, or undergoing IUI.
Improves circulation, balances hormones, and reduces stress — creating the best possible conditions for conception.
Best results are seen when starting 3–4 months before you’re trying to get pregnant or beginning IVF treatment.
It can help with fertility problems such as PCOS, endometriosis, irregular cycles, and male factor infertility.
Safe in early pregnancy and can help support a healthy pregnancy journey.
Ready to begin your fertility journey?
Book your first session at Deanna Thomas – Acupuncture & Wellbeing in Middlesbrough today and discover how acupuncture for fertility could help you conceive naturally or prepare your body for IVF success.