Effects of acupuncture on rates of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in vitro fertilization: systematic review and meta-analysis. Manheimer E et al. BMJ 2008;336 pg 545-549 British Medical Journal The above research ia a meta-analysis examining existing high-quality acupuncture research on acupuncture and IVF.  The authors found that “acupuncture increased the odds of a live birth by 91% compared with the control groups”. Influence of acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in patients who undergo assisted reproduction therapy Paulus W et al, Fertil Steril 2002 Vol 77, pg 721-724 Fertility and Sterility Geman researchers conducted a 2002 landmark study, was published in a prestigious reproductive medicine journal.  The study involved 160 women divided into 2 groups. They found that 42.5% women of the receiving acupuncture became pregnant, while in the IVF-only group, 26.3% of patients conceived. Acupuncture & IVF poor responders: a cure? Magarelli P, Cridennda D, Fertil Steril,2004;81 Suppl 3 S20 Fertility and Sterility This retrospective study found a 40% increase in pregnancy rates in IVF patients using acupuncture. There were no exclusion criteria for the women in this study. Of important interest in this study, patients classified as poor responders (elevated FSH, longer history of infertility and poor sperm morphology) who received acupuncture demonstrated the same pregnancy rates as normal-prognosis patients Acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer significantly improves the reproductive outcome in infertile women: a prospective, randomized trial Westergaard L et al, Fertil Steril 2006 Vol 85, pg 1341-1346 This study demonstrated that application of acupuncture on the day of Embryo transfer resulted in increases in IVF ongoing pregnancy rates 39% vs 26% in the non-acupuncture group.   Certain acupuncture points such as ST36 and SP6 have been shown to have a beneficial effect that can improve embryo implantation and ongoing maternal tolerance of the developing fetus. ST36 and SP6  help create a receptive endometrium and placenta. This is done by enhancing VEGF (1) (vascular endothelial growth factor) produced by cells that stimulate the formation of new blood vessels and is part of the system that restores the oxygen supply to tissues when blood circulation is inadequate.(2). ST36 and SP6 also improve a poor receptive state of the endometrium by promoting endometrial secretion of LIF and LI-12 c cells (3) to improve blastocyst implantation. ST36 and DU20 can increase TH2 signaling cells (4), benefiting women with a TH1 bias, which can be exacerbated by IVF’s hormonal manipulations.(5) This bias can be a cause of repeated recurrent failed IVF treatment. ST36 and LI11 activates the P13K pathway (6) which helps growth promotion and cell survival.(7) GB30 can increase CRH release (8) which improves maternal tolerance and increases blastocyst implantation.  A defective uterine CRH/CRH-R1 system during early pregnancy may be implicated in recurrent miscarriage, abnormal placental attachment, and pre-eclampsia.(9)