Acupuncture for IVF in Sheffield
At Life + Lemons, we combine IVF acupuncture with personalised support to help you join the dots between your fertility history, symptoms, investigations and previous treatment. If you have been told your infertility is “unexplained”, we help you understand what is known, identify unanswered questions and explore appropriate next steps with your fertility team.
A 2026 systematic review reported higher live birth rates in acupuncture groups, although findings across reviews remain mixed and acupuncture cannot guarantee pregnancy.
Our approach brings together cycle-timed acupuncture, practical guidance and referrals to trusted specialists where needed. From your first consultation, you can expect a clear plan, transparent costs and compassionate care that adapts around your IVF or frozen embryo transfer cycle.
Fertility Success Statistics
IVF patient stories at Life + Lemons
In 2024, 61% of the fertility patients included in our clinic review conceived while receiving care at Life + Lemons.
Of all patients included in the review, 22% conceived naturally and 39% conceived alongside IVF or other fertility treatment. Patients received weekly acupuncture over an average of 16 weeks. Our recorded conception rates were 56% in 2023 and 59.6% in 2022.
These figures reflect the outcomes of patients attending our clinic. They do not demonstrate that acupuncture caused conception or predict an individual’s chance of pregnancy. Fertility outcomes depend on many factors, including medical treatment and individual circumstances.
Behind these figures is personalised, practical care. We take time to understand your history, review previous investigations and help you make sense of your next steps. Your support may include acupuncture, nutrition and lifestyle guidance, further testing where appropriate, or referrals to trusted fertility specialists.
We welcome individuals and couples pursuing parenthood in many different ways, including same-sex couples, solo parents and those seeking male fertility support. Whether you are trying naturally, preparing for treatment or navigating previous unsuccessful IVF cycles, we offer compassionate care tailored to your circumstances.
At Life + Lemons in Sheffield, our aim is to help you feel informed, supported and confident in your fertility care, with a clear plan that complements any medical treatment you receive.
Your Fertility Treatment Pathway
STEP 1
Enquire
Get in touch by using the enquiry form below (optional). One of our team will get back to you within 24hrs.
STEP 2
Initial Consultation + Treatment
A 90-minute appointment where founder + lead acupuncturist Kimberley will listen to your story, review your personal and family medical history, your planned IVF cycle, previous IVF cycles outcomes where appropriate , understand your goals, and begin your acupuncture treatment.
STEP 3
Personalised Plan
Personalised Plan
Together, we join the dots between your fertility history, previous investigations and planned treatment to create a clear support plan around your IVF cycle. We agree your acupuncture schedule and discuss any additional nutrition, testing or specialist referrals that may be appropriate. You’ll know what’s included, what costs extra and how we’ll review your care as treatment progresses.
Your IVF acupuncture care options
Your initial consultation and treatment is the starting point for your care. We’ll discuss:
- Your fertility history, previous IVF cycles and what is planned now.
- Your treatment protocol, medicines and important clinic dates.
- Your cycle, symptoms and any concerns about treatment.
- Your sleep, stress, wider wellbeing and priorities.
- What you hope to gain from acupuncture alongside your fertility care.
We’ll explain acupuncture, answer your questions and discuss whether treatment is suitable for you.
You’ll leave with a recommended appointment plan shaped around your IVF, ICSI, FET or IUI cycle. Your fertility team remains responsible for your medical treatment and any changes to medication.
Structured support for the whole IVF journey
Our IVF Support Pathway gives you continuity through preparation, stimulation, transfer and the waiting period. It can be especially valuable when you are navigating previous unsuccessful cycles, pelvic pain or several overlapping concerns.
We review your history, investigations, medication and clinic schedule, then agree priorities and acupuncture appointments. If your cycle or transfer date changes, your support plan adapts with it.
Regular reviews give you time to discuss symptoms, sleep, wellbeing and questions for your fertility team. We can discuss nutritional therapy or further specialist support when useful, with any extra costs explained first.
At your first appointment we help you choose between focused acupuncture and more comprehensive pathway care. We confirm the schedule, inclusions and total cost before you commit. Your fertility team guides medication and treatment decisions, including proposed supplements.
Download your free IVF acupuncture treatment plan
There are specific times of your IVF cycle that you should receive treatment. We have compiled an example treatment plan of what your pre-conception plan and support through IVF would look like, whilst receiving acupuncture.
This is a compilation of evidence based research to help offer you clarity about what we are doing and when.
To receive your very own IVF acupuncture treatment plan then please complete the form below and we will send it straight through to you by email.
Or alternatively, if you have a specific questions regarding IVF preparation and acupuncture treatment, please reach out to us directly.
IVF Acupuncture Treatment Plan
Download your free acupuncture for fertility treatment plan and find out how acupuncture supports you at each phase of your fertility treatment journey. This is a treatment protocol giving you the best advice based on the most up to date research, but if you’d like more specific personalised advice then please reach out to request a discovery call.
The Benefits of Acupuncture for IVF + Fertility
Acupuncture offers a whole body approach through its ability to regulate your mental state of being by down regulating recipients into their relaxation response, but research also indicates it increases blood flow to the uterus thereby improving chances of implantation. In this sense, Kimberley provides a mind, body, spirit treatment plan.
IVF + Acupuncture
What this stage involves
IVF has several stages, each with its own appointments, medication and emotional demands. Your acupuncture plan should follow the cycle you are actually having.
How acupuncture may help
Evidence suggests a role in easing IVF-related anxiety. Research on pregnancy outcomes varies, so we focus on realistic individual goals and explain the evidence.
Your care at Life + Lemons
We review your history, medication, previous cycles and current schedule. Treatment reflects your symptoms and priorities, with time to adapt as dates change.
Pre-conception Care
What preparation means
This is time to understand your cycle, previous investigations and symptoms that may affect your experience of treatment, including pelvic pain, poor sleep or persistent stress.
How we approach it
We plan acupuncture alongside medical care and discuss practical nutrition and lifestyle priorities. Any suggested investigation has a clear purpose and an explained cost.
Your care at Life + Lemons
We help you organise questions for your fertility team and agree a manageable plan. You can start at your current stage, including when treatment is already underway.
Stimulation Phase
What you may notice
Medication, frequent scans and uncertain dates can change how you feel physically and emotionally. We ask about sleep, tension, comfort and how you are coping.
How acupuncture may help
Acupuncture offers dedicated time for symptom-focused care and relaxation. Studies of IVF-related anxiety suggest modest benefit, informing realistic treatment goals.
Your care at Life + Lemons
Appointments fit around scans and your changing schedule. Your fertility clinic remains the first contact for new symptoms or medication concerns during stimulation.
Egg Collection
What this stage involves
Collection and transfer can bring anticipation, physical discomfort and uncertainty. Rest, clinic instructions and your preferences guide the plan.
What research tells us
Acupuncture around transfer has been studied extensively. Findings differ between studies, and a large sham-controlled trial did not find an increase in live births. Treatment remains an optional choice for wellbeing support.
Your care at Life + Lemons
We discuss whether an appointment would be helpful and fit treatment around your clinic’s advice. Your comfort and medical recovery come first.
2 week wait + Beyond
What you may notice
The wait for your test can make every sensation feel significant. Medication and the demands of treatment may also affect sleep, mood and comfort.
How acupuncture may help
Appointments offer a calm space, continuity and support with tension and anxiety. We agree goals around how you feel rather than interpreting symptoms as proof of implantation.
Your care at Life + Lemons
Your fertility clinic guides medication and testing. After your result, we discuss what you need next: early-pregnancy support, time to process the outcome or preparation for a review with your team.
Your fertility acupuncturist in Sheffield
Kimberley Shepherd is a registered TCM (Traditional Chinese Medical) Acupuncturist, passionate about helping women reclaim their feminine edge. After graduating with a First Class Honors in York, she has undertaken specialist training in the area of natural conception, IVF support, menopause + pelvic pain.
It is her passion to help women uncover their unrelinquishing potential by helping build a foundation of strength, wholeness and balance in hormonal health.
Through her study and clinical experience, she has now developed a programme of support for women through their IVF cycle to help prepare your body and optimise your health prior to starting fertility treatment.
Acupuncture for IVF
IVF acupuncture: frequently asked questions
We’ve included below answers to the most common questions we receive from our patients. If you still have questions, please get in touch via email at [email protected].
What is acupuncture for IVF?
IVF involves more than appointments and medication. At Life + Lemons in Sheffield, we combine acupuncture with practical, personalised support to help you feel informed and cared for throughout treatment.
We help you join the dots between your fertility history, previous investigations and current treatment, identifying questions to explore with your fertility team and additional support where appropriate.
Research into acupuncture and IVF is promising but still developing. Supporting Study: A review published in Frontiers in Public Health found that acupuncture alongside IVF can improve clinical pregnancy rates compared with no treatment, especially when timed around embryo transfer (source: An Overview of Systematic Reviews of Acupuncture for Infertile Women Undergoing in vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer).
How does acupuncture help with IVF success?
Acupuncture provided alongside IVF, with appointments tailored to your treatment schedule, health history and wellbeing. It complements your fertility clinic’s medical care.
Several studies suggest women receiving acupuncture around embryo transfer may have higher pregnancy rates.
Supporting Study: A study published in Fertility and Sterility found that acupuncture can enhance ovarian blood flow, contributing to better egg quality and higher pregnancy rates in women undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF) (Source: The Impact of Acupuncture on Uterine Artery Impedance and Egg Quality in Women Trying to Conceive).
When should I start acupuncture treatment for IVF?
You can begin before IVF or once your cycle is underway. We agree a practical schedule around your treatment dates and needs.
Supporting Study: A study published in The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews reviewed the effectiveness of acupuncture in IVF patients and found that starting acupuncture prior to IVF could improve pregnancy rates (source: The effects of acupuncture on pregnancy outcomes of in vitro fertilisation)
How often should I have acupuncture during IVF?
Our £480 IVF package includes six treatments planned around your cycle. The £120 initial consultation and first treatment are booked separately. We explain the recommended schedule before you commit.
Supporting Study: A study in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that frequent acupuncture (2–3 times per week) during IVF cycles improved clinical pregnancy rates, especially around the time of embryo transfer (source: The effects of acupuncture on pregnancy outcomes of in vitro fertilisation)
Can acupuncture improve egg quality?
Whilst, there is currently no single clinical marker to directly measure egg quality. Instead, fertility specialists use indirect indicators such as antral follicle count (AFC), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and ovarian blood flow.
While acupuncture cannot change the genetic makeup of eggs, it may support the environment in which eggs develop, what we call your “fertile potential”.
Supporting Study: A study published in the journal Frontiers in Endocrinology reports that acupuncture and electro-acupuncture improved ovarian reserve markers in women with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) undergoing IVF, showing increased AFC and AMH, and reduced FSH levels and suggesting a supportive effect on oocyte quality (source: Clinical efficacy of acupuncture for diminished ovarian reserve: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials).
Is acupuncture safe during IVF?
Acupuncture is generally safe when performed by a trained, licensed practitioner. Please ensure they are registered with the British Acupuncture Council and done a full degree in Acupuncture.
Risks are minimal but may include mild bruising at needle sites, and/or temporary soreness or fatigue.
Always inform your acupuncturist about your IVF protocol, medications, or any medical conditions.
Supporting Study:
Study: A review in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine confirmed that acupuncture is safe in IVF patients, with only mild, short-lived side effects such as temporary soreness (source: Safety of Acupuncture in Fertility Treatment).
Can acupuncture reduce IVF side effects?
Yes. Acupuncture may help manage common IVF side effects, particularly stress and anxiety, and many people also report benefits for sleep, digestion and mood as their nervous system settles across the cycle.
Supporting Study: A multi-centre trial in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica found that women receiving acupuncture during IVF had significantly lower anxiety on the day of embryo transfer compared with placebo (source: The effects of acupuncture on the secondary outcomes of anxiety and quality of life for women undergoing IVF: A randomised controlled trial).
How soon can I expect results from acupuncture?
Many people notice early benefits, such as calmer mood or better sleep, within the first few sessions.
For IVF-specific outcomes, research shows benefits can appear with as few as three sessions delivered around embryo transfer. Some trials also report improvements with a single session on transfer day, but multi-session protocols tend to show better results.
Supporting Study: A study published in The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews reviewed the effectiveness of acupuncture in IVF patients and found that starting acupuncture prior to IVF could improve pregnancy rates (sources: The effects of acupuncture on pregnancy outcomes of in vitro fertilisation; Effectiveness of acupuncture on pregnancy success rates for women undergoing in vitro fertilisation).
Can acupuncture be used alongside other fertility treatments?
Absolutely, acupuncture is a complementary therapy and can be safely combined with:
IVF and IUI (intrauterine insemination).
Fertility medications.
Nutritional and lifestyle interventions.
Acupuncture is most effective and yields the best results when used as part of a comprehensive fertility plan.
Supporting Study: A study evaluating acupuncture as an adjunct to IVF reported no serious safety concerns across included trials and described its use specifically alongside IVF cycles (source: Systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy of acupuncture as an adjunct to IVF cycles in China and the world).
How do I find a qualified acupuncturist for IVF?
Look for a licensed acupuncturist with experience in reproductive health. Certifications from recognized bodies, such as the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC), indicate professional standards. Personal referrals and online reviews can also guide your choice.