Chinese Herbal Medicine during IVF: What does the evidence actually say?
Many IVF clinics advise patients not to take herbal medicine.
That recommendation usually stems from concerns around:
• Self-prescribing
• Ordering herbs online
• Unknown ingredient quality
• Lack of practitioner training in IVF pharmacology
• Potential herb–drug interactions
These are legitimate safety concerns.
However, when prescribed by a trained practitioner, Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) is not the same as over-the-counter supplementation.
A systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating CHM alongside IVF found that, in certain protocols, adjunctive herbal medicine was associated with improved clinical pregnancy rates compared to IVF alone
Importantly, the review highlights heterogeneity in study design, herbal formulations, and timing — meaning outcomes depend heavily on practitioner skill, protocol timing, and individualisation.
This is where clinical training matters.
In fertility-focused practice:
✔ Herbs are prescribed individually — not generically
✔ Formulas are modified according to cycle phase
✔ Herbs are typically used in the 3 months prior to stimulation to support folliculogenesis
✔ Herbs are paused or adjusted during ovarian stimulation, egg collection, and embryo transfer depending on protocol
✔ Prescriptions are adapted around GnRH agonists/antagonists, progesterone support, and trigger timing
The aim is not to “boost” IVF.
The aim is to optimise physiology before the cycle begins and to step back when pharmacology takes priority.
Chinese Herbal Medicine is a powerful medical system. Used incorrectly, it can conflict. Used correctly, it can complement.
Safety comes from:
• Proper diagnosis
• Pharmaceutical awareness
• Clear stop/start timing
• Ongoing monitoring
• Open communication with the patient
If you’ve been advised not to take herbs, that advice is often about unsupervised use — not about properly prescribed, fertility-trained herbal medicine.
If you’re preparing for IVF and want an evidence-informed, safe, collaborative approach, you’re welcome to book an initial consultation to discuss your specific protocol and timing through www.TheAcu.co.uk

Sometimes the hardest part of your health journey isn’t knowing what to do…

…it’s feeling like no one is really listening.

“I don’t care” might not be what’s actually said —
but it’s often how it feels when you’ve:

• Been dismissed
• Been told your symptoms are “normal”
• Been given no real answers
• Or been passed from pillar to post

Whether it’s fertility, hormones, pain, digestion or your mental wellbeing — you deserve to feel heard, understood, and supported with a clear plan.

This is something I hear far too often in clinic. So the video shows some of the things people say that really do not make me blink twice.

And it’s exactly why I work the way I do.

Taking the time to look at the full picture.
Explaining what’s going on in your body.
Creating a treatment plan that actually makes sense for you.

Because your symptoms are not random.
And they’re not something you just have to “put up with”.

If you’re ready to feel supported properly, you can book an appointment online:

✨ www.theacu.co.uk

Or feel free to message me to email me Laura@TheAcu.co.uk to schedule a free 15 minute discovery call if you’re unsure where to start 💛

#AcupunctureUK #HormoneHealth #FertilitySupport #ChronicPainSupport #YouDeserveBetter #ChineseMedicine

Acupuncture for pain: how does it actually work?

When we talk about pain, we’re not just talking about “tight muscles.”

Most persistent pain involves:
• Nervous system sensitisation
• Altered pain signalling
• Increased pro-inflammatory cytokines
• Reduced local circulation
• Muscle guarding
• Central processing changes

In other words — it’s biochemical, neurological and mechanical.

From a biomedical perspective, acupuncture has been shown to:

✔ Stimulate the release of endogenous opioids (your body’s natural painkillers, such as endorphins and enkephalins)
✔ Modulate serotonin and dopamine pathways
✔ Reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines involved in systemic inflammation
✔ Increase local microcirculation
✔ Down-regulate central sensitisation in chronic pain states
✔ Activate descending inhibitory pain pathways in the brain

In simple terms?

It helps calm an overactive alarm system.

Pain is often your nervous system stuck on “high alert.”
Acupuncture helps turn the volume down.

From a TCM perspective

We might describe pain as:
• Qi and Blood stagnation
• Cold or Damp accumulation
• Liver constraint
• Underlying deficiency preventing proper nourishment

Different language — same clinical goal: restore flow, reduce inflammation, support regulation.

How long does it take to work?

This is the honest part:

It varies.

• Acute pain can shift within 1–3 treatments.
• Chronic pain often requires a course (commonly 8-12 sessions).
• Longstanding inflammatory or systemic conditions may take longer.
• Frequency and lifestyle factors matter.

Your body didn’t arrive at its current pain pattern overnight — and we shouldn’t expect it to unwind overnight either.

But change is absolutely possible.

If you’re struggling with:
• Migraines
• Period pain
• Back or neck pain
• Joint pain
• Endometriosis-related pain
• Digestive inflammatory pain
• Stress-related tension

Acupuncture is worth considering as part of a wider plan.

You don’t have to “just live with it.”

Book your initial consultation today at www.TheAcu.co.uk💛