Acupuncture While Trying to Conceive: Research, Timing and a More Personal Approach

About a 15-minute read.

The short answer

Acupuncture can be a worthwhile part of your care while trying to conceive, particularly when anxiety and the demands of fertility treatment are affecting daily life. Research supports improvements in anxiety, and some reviews report better ovulation or pregnancy outcomes when acupuncture is added to fertility treatment.[3–7] Findings about live birth differ between patient groups and treatment settings, so the evidence needs to be considered in context. For conception without fertility treatment, a reliable increase in pregnancy or live births has not been established.^[2][34] At Fingertips, I offer a personal plan that considers your cycle, symptoms, medical findings and partner’s health, with clear goals and regular reassessment.

When trying becomes another job

You may have started with an app and a rough idea of your fertile days. Months later, you are checking dates, watching for symptoms and wondering whether every change means something. Even a normal period can feel disappointing.

I want your appointments to give you space to talk through what is happening. There may be symptoms you have accepted for years: painful periods, unpredictable cycles, poor sleep or digestion that gets worse under pressure. These deserve attention alongside the question of pregnancy.

Acupuncture offers a way to receive care during that waiting and uncertainty. The research gives us reasons to consider it, and also tells us which promises would go too far. Understanding both helps you decide whether it fits your needs.

First, understand what may be making conception difficult

Pregnancy involves ovulation, functioning sperm, an opportunity for fertilization and an embryo implanting in the uterus. Difficulties can arise at several stages. Common considerations include:^[8][9]

• Ovulation problems, including PCOS, thyroid or prolactin disorders, and disruption associated with inadequate energy intake or excessive exercise. Updated international guidance uses the name PMOS for PCOS; I use PCOS here to match the research discussed below.^[10]
• Age and reproductive aging, which affect both the number of remaining eggs and their reproductive potential.
• Fallopian-tube problems, sometimes following pelvic infection or surgery, and conditions such as endometriosis.
• Uterine abnormalities, including some fibroids or polyps, depending on their location and effect.
• Sperm problems, involving number, movement, shape or delivery.

Sometimes routine testing does not identify an explanation. “Unexplained infertility” means the standard evaluation has not found the cause. It does not mean the difficulty is imagined, or that stress must be responsible.

Arrange an evaluation after 12 months of trying if you are under 35, or after six months if you are 35 or older. Over 40, seek advice promptly. Earlier assessment is appropriate with absent or markedly irregular periods, suspected endometriosis or tubal disease, or a known partner problem. Both partners should be considered from the beginning.^[8]

You can begin acupuncture while arranging these appointments. There is no need to finish a course before finding out what medical care may help.

What would your doctor usually offer?

Evaluation is guided by your history. It may include assessment of ovulation, ultrasound, a test of tubal openness and a semen analysis. Everyone does not need every hormone test. If progesterone is checked to assess ovulation, timing is usually about a week before the expected next period, rather than automatically “day 21.”^[8][9]

Treatment follows the findings. Letrozole is recommended first line for ovulation induction in anovulatory PCOS when there are no other infertility factors. Clomiphene, metformin in selected circumstances, injectable medicines, IUI or IVF may also have a role. IUI places prepared sperm in the uterus; IVF involves fertilization outside the body.^[10][11]

Medicines have different side effects. Short courses of letrozole can cause hot flushes, headache, dizziness or fatigue. Clomiphene can cause hot flushes and mood changes. If visual symptoms or a severe headache develop while taking clomiphene, stop taking it and contact the prescriber immediately. Ovulation induction can increase the chance of multiple pregnancy, particularly with injectable gonadotropins. Injectable stimulation also carries a risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, which is why monitoring matters.^[12][13]

These medicines are not considered addictive. Your clinic should explain the expected benefit, monitoring and risks of your particular treatment. I work alongside that plan, and any prescription changes belong with your prescriber.

What does the acupuncture research show?

The question being studied makes a difference. A more frequent period, confirmed ovulation, a positive pregnancy test, a pregnancy seen on ultrasound and a live birth are separate outcomes. Improvement in one does not automatically establish improvement in the next.

What about conception outside IVF?

A 2019 systematic review of infertility treatment outside assisted reproductive technology reported better pregnancy outcomes with acupuncture and combined treatment. However, the studies included different combinations of acupuncture, medicines and Chinese herbs, had important methodological limitations and showed possible publication bias.^[34]

This is encouraging research to build on. It cannot tell us reliably how much acupuncture alone helps someone trying without fertility medication, or whether it increases live births. “Outside IVF” and “without any fertility treatment” are different questions.

Anxiety: a meaningful reason to consider treatment

A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis included 12 randomized trials and 1,930 participants experiencing infertility. It found improvements in anxiety and depression scores with acupuncture compared with the various control treatments. The studies differed in their methods and quality, so the size of benefit remains uncertain.^[4]

In a smaller trial of 43 women undergoing IVF, four weekly acupuncture sessions led to lower anxiety scores than control acupuncture.^[3] This is a useful finding for someone whose days are becoming dominated by appointments and worry.

It also needs to be understood kindly: you do not have to become perfectly relaxed to deserve or achieve a pregnancy. The relationship between stress and fertility is complex. Feeling calmer is valuable in its own right; we cannot assume anxiety relief is the reason a pregnancy happens.^[14]

PCOS: encouraging ovulation findings, with important limits

A small 2013 trial randomized 32 women with PCOS to acupuncture or an attention control. Treatment combining manual stimulation and low-frequency electroacupuncture twice weekly for 10–13 weeks increased ovulation frequency compared with the control. The trial was small and did not establish a live-birth benefit.^[5]

A 2025 meta-analysis of 15 trials involving 1,311 participants reported better ovulation and pregnancy outcomes when acupuncture was added to letrozole than with letrozole alone. This is encouraging for coordinated treatment. However, evidence quality was low and publication bias was identified; larger, more rigorous studies are needed.^[6]

We also have to include the largest trial. In 1,000 women with PCOS, active acupuncture did not improve live births compared with control acupuncture: 21.8% versus 22.4%. Clomiphene improved live births compared with placebo tablets in the same trial.^[1]

The updated 2025 Cochrane review included nine trials and 1,606 women. It found no clear advantage over sham acupuncture for ovulation, clinical pregnancy or live birth, with low-certainty evidence. Evidence about shortening the interval between periods was very uncertain.^[2]

These results can coexist because the studies asked different questions: acupuncture versus sham, acupuncture added to a medicine, and different treatment schedules. They support discussing acupuncture as an individualized addition, while keeping effective ovulation treatment in place when needed.

IVF: promising pregnancy results, less certain live-birth results

A 2026 review of 42 trials involving 9,390 women undergoing assisted reproduction reported higher clinical pregnancy rates overall. Its live-birth estimate remained uncertain, and certainty for the major outcomes was very low. The review combined manual acupuncture, electroacupuncture and electrical stimulation through the skin.^[7]

A separate 2026 review focused on PCOS during IVF or ICSI, including 22 trials and 2,299 participants overall. Eight trials involving 1,027 participants reported live births, and their pooled result favoured acupuncture. The authors rated the clinical-pregnancy and live-birth evidence as moderate certainty; other outcomes ranged from very low to moderate certainty.^[15] This is a positive finding in a specific patient group, rather than proof of benefit for everyone trying to conceive.

That is a positive research signal worth discussing with your clinic. It does not establish the same benefit for conception without treatment, or predict your individual chance. Reviews also overlap in the trials they include, so their participant totals should not be added together.

How might acupuncture help?

Needling stimulates sensory nerves. Researchers have investigated whether this influences autonomic activity and the brain–ovary hormone signalling involved in ovulation. Endogenous opioid pathways, including beta-endorphin, are among the proposed mechanisms.^[2]

These ideas are biologically plausible, but they are not a complete explanation proven in patients. For example, the small PCOS trial that improved ovulation frequency did not find clear between-group changes in luteinizing-hormone or cortisol pulsatility.^[5]

I therefore explain the treatment in terms we can assess. Do you feel less overwhelmed? Are associated symptoms changing? If irregular ovulation is part of your diagnosis, what do appropriate medical measurements show? A relaxed feeling after needling cannot by itself tell us that egg quality, implantation or fertility has improved.

How Chinese medicine understands fertility

Chinese medicine looks at the menstrual cycle through Kidney, Liver and Spleen functions, Qi, Blood, Yin and Yang, and the reproductive relationship of the Chong and Ren vessels. Chong is traditionally associated with the “Sea of Blood”; Ren has a central relationship with reproductive function.^[16][17]

These are traditional functional concepts. A Chinese medicine Kidney pattern is different from kidney disease on a blood test. Describing Kidney Jing, or Essence, also does not mean treatment can replace lost eggs or reverse reproductive aging.

Several patterns may overlap in one person. Your diagnosis is based on the whole picture, rather than attaching one formula to the word “infertility.”

Kidney Yin or Kidney Yang deficiency

The Kidney system is central to reproductive development and menstrual function in TCM. Yin and Yang describe different aspects of that support.^[16]

With a Kidney Yin deficiency pattern, a practitioner may find dryness, night sweating or sensations of heat alongside menstrual changes. A Kidney Yang deficiency pattern may involve feeling cold, lower-back weakness or aching, and delayed or scanty periods. Tongue and pulse findings help distinguish them.^[16][18][23]

The treatment direction differs: nourishing Yin and Essence in one presentation, warming and supporting Yang in another. Giving every person a warming “fertility tonic” would miss that distinction.

Liver Qi stagnation

In TCM, the Liver supports the smooth movement of Qi and has a close relationship with menstrual Blood. A stagnation pattern may include breast tenderness, abdominal distension, irritability and a cycle that varies with emotional strain.^[16][18]

Treatment traditionally aims to move constrained Qi and support menstrual regulation. This describes a pattern; it does not mean you caused infertility by worrying.

Spleen Qi weakness and insufficient Qi or Blood

The Spleen’s traditional role is transforming food and drink into nourishment. Poor appetite, bloating, loose stools and fatigue may suggest that this function needs support. Insufficient Qi or Blood may be considered when exhaustion and scanty periods are part of the presentation.^[17][18][22]

This is one reason I ask about digestion and regular meals. Persistent fatigue or menstrual changes may also need medical investigation, rather than being explained entirely by a TCM pattern.

Phlegm-Dampness and Blood stasis

Phlegm-Dampness is a traditional pattern that may involve heaviness, digestive symptoms, a greasy tongue coating and infrequent periods. It is one possible presentation in PCOS, rather than a diagnosis for everyone with PCOS or a judgment based on body size.^[18]

Blood stasis may be considered with fixed menstrual pain, dark bleeding or clots. It can overlap with other patterns.^[16][17] Traditional “moving Blood” treatment does not establish that acupuncture or herbs can open a blocked fallopian tube. Significant pain still needs an appropriate medical assessment.

When is the best time to start?

You can start at any stage of the cycle. Starting before treatment or allowing two or three cycles may give us time to assess symptoms and adjust care, when that fits your medical timeline. Research has not established a mandatory three-month preparation period or one best acupuncture day.

The traditional treatment emphasis may change through the cycle:^[19]

• During menstruation: assess the flow and address pain or signs of difficult movement of Qi and Blood.
• After menstruation, during the follicular phase: consider nourishment of Blood and Yin according to the pattern.
• Around ovulation: consider the transition between Yin and Yang and the movement of Qi.
• After ovulation: adapt care for possible pregnancy and consider Yang support where the pattern calls for it.

This is a TCM framework for tailoring care. It is not evidence that acupuncture replaces progesterone or guarantees implantation. Ovulation is also not always on day 14. For natural conception, intercourse every one to two days during the fertile window is effective; a less scheduled approach with intercourse several times weekly may be easier for some couples.^[20]

During IVF, we plan around your clinic’s schedule. The 2026 timing review explored different treatment windows, but its findings do not establish a universal best schedule.^[7] Do not delay medical treatment to fit an acupuncture calendar.

Which acupuncture points were actually used in studies?

These are examples from published trials, rather than a point prescription for you.

In Johansson and colleagues’ PCOS trial, researchers alternated two sets:^[5]

• Set one: CV3 Zhongji, CV6 Qihai, bilateral ST29 Guilai, SP6 Sanyinjiao, SP9 Yinlingquan and LI4 Hegu, plus GV20 Baihui.
• Set two: CV3, CV6, bilateral ST25 Tianshu, ST29, SP6, LR3 Taichong and PC6 Neiguan, plus GV20.

Selected points received low-frequency electrical stimulation; others received manual stimulation.

In Isoyama and colleagues’ IVF anxiety trial, the points were HT7 Shenmen, PC6 Neiguan, CV17 Shanzhong, GV20 Baihui and Yintang.^[3]

These protocols had different aims. They are not instructions for self-needling or a ready-made pregnancy treatment. My manual acupuncture approach is individualized; results from electrical stimulation should not be presented as proof of identical results with manual needling.

Can Chinese herbal medicine be part of the plan?

It can be considered after an individual assessment. The value of the traditional approach is choosing a formula for the pattern and current stage, rather than buying a general “fertility blend.” Examples include:

• Wen Jing Tang (溫經湯): traditionally warms the channels, nourishes Blood and regulates menstruation. Its indications include lower-abdominal Cold and irregular bleeding; it is a more specific prescription than simply “warming the womb.”^[21]
• Xiao Yao San (逍遙散): traditionally soothes Liver constraint, nourishes Blood and supports the Spleen. It may be considered when the appropriate pattern includes menstrual irregularity, fatigue and poor appetite.^[22]
• Zuo Gui Wan (左歸丸): traditionally nourishes Kidney Yin and replenishes Essence. Selection depends on signs of Yin and Essence deficiency, rather than an assumption that every fertility concern needs the same Kidney tonic.^[23]
• Cang Fu Dao Tan Tang (蒼附導痰湯): used traditionally for an appropriate Phlegm-Dampness presentation, including some cases with infrequent menstruation and PCOS.^[18]

These examples explain traditional prescribing; they are not proof that each formula increases live births. Pregnancy safety has to be assessed for the actual ingredients, preparation, dose and circumstances. Traditional use alone does not establish safety during conception or early pregnancy.^[24][25]

We need a clear plan for after ovulation, a late period and a positive pregnancy test. Do not assume a formula is suitable throughout the two-week wait, or restart an old prescription without review. Your fertility clinic should know about every herb and supplement. Product quality, interactions and your medical history matter as much as the formula name.

Your partner belongs in the plan too

I encourage both partners to be involved from the beginning, including concurrent treatment when each has a reason for it. A semen analysis and appropriate medical assessment help identify factors that would otherwise be missed. Evaluation should proceed in parallel.^[26]

Acupuncture research in male infertility has reported encouraging semen findings, but a review of 12 randomized trials involving 1,088 participants found substantial differences between studies and important quality limitations. It could not establish that acupuncture increases a couple’s chance of pregnancy or live birth.^[27]

For your partner, we can discuss stress, symptoms and whether supportive treatment is useful. Receiving care together may make the process feel less one-sided; it is not a proven method of increasing pregnancy rates. If a partner uses testosterone, tell the fertility specialist: prescribed testosterone can suppress sperm production, and medication planning needs the prescriber or a reproductive urologist.^[28]

My approach at Fingertips

I begin with your menstrual and medical history, previous pregnancies, test results, medicines, supplements and what trying to conceive has been like for you. I also ask about pain, sleep, digestion, temperature preferences, energy and emotional strain.

My assessment follows 四診八綱. The Four Examinations are observation, including the tongue; listening and smelling; asking; and palpation, including the pulse. The Eight Principles consider Interior and Exterior, Cold and Heat, Deficiency and Excess, and Yin and Yang. Together, they help me identify your pattern and tailor the treatment plan.

I practise manual acupuncture with ongoing attention to your response. I check how you feel, observe changes and adjust or manipulate the needles when appropriate. Treatment develops as we learn more about your symptoms and cycle; it is not the same set of needles at every visit.

Food advice that fits your digestion and your life

From a TCM perspective, regular meals and comfortably prepared food may be useful when digestion is weak or you tend to feel cold. I might suggest porridge with an egg, soup with tofu or chicken, or rice with cooked vegetables and beans. Someone who feels overheated and thirsty needs different advice. There is no reason to force warming foods on every person.

These are practical ways to eat adequately, rather than foods proven to cause conception. You do not need a restrictive “fertility cleanse.” Standard preconception advice also matters: take 400 micrograms of folic acid daily, ideally starting at least a month before pregnancy, unless your clinician recommends a different dose for your circumstances.^[29] We review supplements rather than adding several products with overlapping ingredients.

How often, and how will we know it is helping?

A starting plan might be weekly, or twice weekly when symptoms and circumstances justify closer treatment. We might review the initial response after four to six weeks and assess cycle-related changes across two or three cycles when appropriate. This is an individualized clinical plan, not a frequency proven to increase live births.

I want to know how often symptoms occur, how long they last, how intense they are and how much they affect your day. We can track anxiety episodes, sleep disruption, menstrual pain, digestion and cycle length. Where ovulation is a concern, your medical assessment helps establish what is actually happening.

The aim is useful improvement without creating another exhausting schedule. If treatment is not helping the agreed goals, we review the plan instead of assuming more sessions must be the answer.

Safety when pregnancy may be possible

Tell me if you might be pregnant, are taking fertility medicines or have a bleeding disorder. Acupuncture should use sterile, single-use needles and an appropriately trained practitioner. Bruising, soreness or light-headedness can occur; improper treatment can cause serious complications.^[25][30]

A pregnancy safety review found that adverse effects judged related to acupuncture were generally mild or moderate, although reporting was limited. That review excluded assisted reproduction, so IVF safety needs separate consideration.^[30] A 2025 IVF meta-analysis reported a higher early-miscarriage rate in its pooled acupuncture groups. That finding does not establish causation, but it should not be dismissed or replaced with a promise that acupuncture prevents miscarriage.^[31] Pregnancy and IVF care should be coordinated with your medical team.

If pregnancy is possible, one-sided abdominal pain or shoulder-tip pain needs urgent medical advice because an ectopic pregnancy is one possible cause. Severe pain, fainting or heavy bleeding calls for emergency care, even without a positive pregnancy test.^[32] During ovarian stimulation, marked swelling or pain, vomiting or breathlessness warrants prompt contact with your clinic; severe symptoms require emergency care.^[11][13]

Common questions

Can acupuncture help if I am trying naturally?+

It may help you manage anxiety and receive individualized care for associated symptoms. Research has not reliably established that it increases pregnancy or live births without fertility treatment.^[34] We can start with your concerns and agree on what benefit would make treatment worthwhile.

Do I have to start three months before trying?+

No. You can start while trying or during medical evaluation. A few cycles may help us assess changes, but there is no proven compulsory preparation period. Your age, history and fertility clinic’s advice take priority.

If my periods become regular, does that mean my fertility has improved?+

It may be a useful change, but bleeding regularly does not by itself confirm ovulation or establish a higher chance of a baby. We consider the cycle alongside your diagnosis and appropriate medical findings.^[2][8]

Can acupuncture improve egg quality or raise AMH?+

There is no reliable basis to promise better egg quality or reversal of reproductive aging. AMH estimates an aspect of egg quantity and helps predict response to ovarian stimulation; it is not a direct egg-quality score or a dependable prediction of natural conception on its own.^[33]

Should my partner come at the same time?+

I welcome both partners being involved. Each person needs their own assessment, and concurrent supportive treatment can be considered. Both-partner medical evaluation is recommended; a higher pregnancy rate from treating both partners with acupuncture has not been established.^[26][27]

Can I continue after a positive pregnancy test?+

Contact your maternity or fertility team and let me know before the next treatment. We reassess the purpose of acupuncture and review every herb and supplement. The plan for pregnancy may be different from the plan before ovulation.^[24][25][30]

You do not need to arrive with a perfect cycle or a folder of completed tests. Bring what you know and the questions you have. We can work out where acupuncture fits, what needs further investigation and what a manageable first course would look like.

Read more about fertility and preconception care, acupuncture during IVF and acupuncture during pregnancy.

References

1. Wu, X. K., Stener-Victorin, E., Kuang, H. Y., et al. (2017). Effect of acupuncture and clomiphene in Chinese women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA, 317(24), 2502–2514. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2017.7217
2. Zhang, G. S., Lim, E. C. N., Cheng, N. C. L., & Lim, C. E. D. (2025). Acupuncture for polycystic ovary syndrome. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 10, CD007689. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD007689.pub5
3. Isoyama, D., Cordts, E. B., de Souza van Niewegen, A. M., et al. (2012). Effect of acupuncture on symptoms of anxiety in women undergoing in vitro fertilisation: A prospective randomised controlled study. Acupuncture in Medicine, 30(2), 85–88. https://doi.org/10.1136/acupmed-2011-010064
4. Hwang, S. I., Yoon, Y. J., Sung, S. H., Cho, S. J., & Park, J. K. (2023). Acupuncture treatment for emotional problems in women with infertility: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Healthcare, 11(20), 2704. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11202704
5. Johansson, J., Redman, L., Veldhuis, P. P., et al. (2013). Acupuncture for ovulation induction in polycystic ovary syndrome: A randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Physiology—Endocrinology and Metabolism, 304(9), E934–E943. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpendo.00039.2013
6. He, Y., Chen, X., Lin, J., et al. (2025). Meta-analysis of the effects of acupuncture combined with letrozole on ovulation induction and pregnancy outcomes in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 48(6–9), 935–946. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmpt.2025.10.059
7. Wei, J., Wang, Y., Zhang, K., et al. (2026). Timing and dose of acupuncture as adjuncts to assisted reproduction: A meta-analysis and model-based network meta-analysis. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 17, 1880225. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2026.1880225
8. Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. (2021). Fertility evaluation of infertile women: A committee opinion. Fertility and Sterility, 116(5), 1255–1265. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2021.08.038
9. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Evaluating infertility. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/evaluating-infertility
10. Monash University. (2026). Updated international evidence-based guideline for polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (formerly PCOS). Letrozole recommendations. https://www.monash.edu/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/4360095/Updated-PMOS-Guideline-12-June26.pdf
11. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Treating infertility. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/treating-infertility
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13. American Society for Reproductive Medicine, ReproductiveFacts.org. Medications for inducing ovulation. https://www.reproductivefacts.org/news-and-publications/fact-sheets-and-infographics/medications-for-inducing-ovulation/
14. American Society for Reproductive Medicine, ReproductiveFacts.org. (2023). Stress and infertility. https://www.reproductivefacts.org/news-and-publications/fact-sheets-and-infographics/stress-and-infertility/
15. Guo, S., Xia, H., Yang, W., Lin, G., Tang, Q., & Xu, L. (2026). Clinical efficacy of acupuncture for women with PCOS undergoing IVF/ICSI: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 17, 1845255. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2026.1845255
16. Hong Kong Baptist University, Chinese Medicine Clinics. 中醫藥治療不孕症 [Chinese medicine treatment of infertility; traditional pattern framework]. https://cmc.hkbu.edu.hk/zh-cn/faq/professional-views-from-cm-specialists/article-05.html
17. University of Hong Kong, Faculty of Medicine. (2020). Chinese medicine and infertility: Knowledge-exchange newspaper column, February 24. https://www.med.hku.hk/zh-hk/media/knowledge-exchange/newspaper-columns/2020/feb/news-column-24-feb-2020
18. Shen, X. Y. (2024). 多囊性卵巢症候群的6種中醫證型！ [Six Chinese medicine patterns associated with PCOS]. Chang Gung Hospital Chinese Medicine Gynecology. https://cgmhtcmgyn.com/多囊性卵巢症候群的6種中醫證型！/
19. Chang Gung Hospital Chinese Medicine Gynecology. 生殖醫學—不孕症的中西醫觀點 [Reproductive medicine: Chinese and Western perspectives on infertility]. Traditional cycle-phase framework. https://cgmhtcmgyn.com/生殖醫學-不孕症的中西醫觀點/
20. American Society for Reproductive Medicine. (2022). Optimizing natural fertility: A committee opinion. https://www.asrm.org/practice-guidance/practice-committee-documents/optimizing-natural-fertility-a-committee-opinion-2021/
21. Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare, Department of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy. 溫經湯 [Wen Jing Tang: Standard formula and traditional indications]. https://dep.mohw.gov.tw/DOCMAP/fp-866-5705-108.html
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23. Hong Kong Baptist University, Chinese Medicine Formula Images Database. 左歸丸 [Zuo Gui Wan]. https://sys01.lib.hkbu.edu.hk/cmed/cmfid/detail.php?id=F00079&lang=chs&sort=name_cht_order
24. Hong Kong Department of Health, Chinese Medicine Regulatory Office. 中藥的安全使用 [Safe use of Chinese medicines]. https://www.cmro.gov.hk/html/b5/useful_information/public_health/feature_articles/Safe_Use_of_Chinese_Medicines.html
25. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Traditional Chinese medicine: What you need to know. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/traditional-chinese-medicine-what-you-need-to-know
26. American Urological Association and American Society for Reproductive Medicine. (2021). Diagnosis and treatment of infertility in men: AUA/ASRM guideline, part I. https://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000001521
27. You, F., Ruan, L., Zeng, L., & Zhang, Y. (2020). Efficacy and safety of acupuncture for the treatment of oligoasthenozoospermia: A systematic review. Andrologia, 52(1), e13415. https://doi.org/10.1111/and.13415
28. American Society for Reproductive Medicine. (2023). Diagnostic evaluation of sexual dysfunction in the male partner in the setting of infertility: A committee opinion. Testosterone and spermatogenesis guidance. https://www.asrm.org/practice-guidance/practice-committee-documents/diagnostic-evaluation-of-sexual-dysfunction-in-the-male-partner-in-the-setting-of-infertility-a-committee-opinion-2018/
29. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Clinical overview of folic acid. https://www.cdc.gov/folic-acid/hcp/clinical-overview/
30. Park, J., Sohn, Y., White, A. R., & Lee, H. (2014). The safety of acupuncture during pregnancy: A systematic review. Acupuncture in Medicine, 32(3), 257–266. https://doi.org/10.1136/acupmed-2013-010480
31. Fu, Q. W., Zhu, S. M., Chen, J., et al. (2025). Acupuncture for women undergoing in vitro fertilization: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 168, 105097. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2025.105097
32. National Health Service. Ectopic pregnancy: Symptoms. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ectopic-pregnancy/symptoms/
33. American Society for Reproductive Medicine. (2020). Testing and interpreting measures of ovarian reserve: A committee opinion. https://www.asrm.org/practice-guidance/practice-committee-documents/testing-and-interpreting-measures-of-ovarian-reserve-a-committee-opinion-2020/
34. Liu Yun, Wu Liqun, Yao Shuqi, Wu Chunxiao, Lu Liming, & Yi Wei. (2019). Acupuncture for infertile women without undergoing assisted reproductive techniques (ART): A systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine, 98(29), e16463. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000016463