Trying to conceive can quickly become all-consuming. Tracking cycles. Scheduling bloodwork. Watching hormone levels. Managing medications. Waiting for results.
And somewhere along the way, it can start to feel like your body has become another thing to monitor rather than something you can trust.
At Needle & Glow, fertility acupuncture provides whole-body support through every stage of the fertility journey. Whether you’re trying to conceive naturally, preparing for IUI or IVF, or looking for additional support alongside fertility treatment, your care is personalized to you, your cycle, and what your body needs right now.
Our goal isn’t to replace your OB-GYN or fertility specialist. It’s to support you alongside them while addressing your menstrual cycle, stress, sleep, digestion, energy, and overall well-being.
Every fertility journey looks different. Acupuncture may be incorporated into care for women who are:
Your treatment plan is based on where you are in your cycle, your health history, your symptoms, and any fertility treatment you may already be receiving.
Fertility doesn’t exist separately from the rest of your health. Your menstrual cycle can be influenced by many interconnected factors, including hormones, stress, sleep, nutrition, digestion, and underlying health conditions. That’s why fertility acupuncture at Needle & Glow looks beyond a single symptom or diagnosis.
This whole-person approach is central to our broader work in women’s health. We look at your cycle as a whole.
Are your periods regular? Are they painful? Are you ovulating consistently? How are you sleeping? How is your digestion? What happens to your mood and energy throughout the month? How is your body responding to fertility medications or treatment?
Those details help guide your acupuncture sessions and allow your care to change as your cycle changes.
Ideally, we recommend starting fertility acupuncture at least three months before you plan to conceive or begin an IUI or IVF cycle. When possible, three to six months gives us even more time to support your cycle and overall health before conception or fertility treatment begins.
Why three to six months? It gives us time to understand your cycle, identify patterns, and consistently address concerns such as menstrual symptoms, stress, sleep, digestion, and overall well-being.
But there is no wrong time to start. If you’re already trying to conceive, beginning IVF next month, or even in the middle of a treatment cycle, acupuncture can still be incorporated into your care. We’ll meet you exactly where you are.
Sessions are typically scheduled regularly and tailored to your menstrual cycle. We pay attention to cycle length, menstrual flow, ovulation signs, PMS, sleep, stress, digestion, energy, and other symptoms that may be affecting how you feel.
Your acupuncture treatments can be adjusted around ovulation, monitoring appointments, ovarian stimulation, retrieval, or other parts of your fertility protocol. If you’re undergoing a medicated fertility cycle, we work alongside the plan established by your reproductive endocrinologist.
This can be one of the hardest parts of fertility treatment emotionally. Acupuncture during this stage focuses on providing supportive care, helping you manage stress, and giving you dedicated time to rest while you wait. If you become pregnant, treatments are adjusted appropriately, with the option to continue receiving acupuncture support during pregnancy.
If you’re working with a reproductive endocrinologist or fertility clinic, acupuncture doesn’t have to be a separate track.
Bring your fertility calendar or protocol with you so we know exactly where you are in the process.
We also avoid introducing herbs or supplements during medicated fertility treatment without approval from your physician. Your reproductive endocrinologist manages your medical fertility treatment. Needle & Glow provides complementary care designed to support the person going through it.
Research on acupuncture and fertility continues to evolve, which is why we don’t make promises about pregnancy or IVF success rates. Instead, acupuncture is used as complementary care to support your physical and emotional well-being alongside the fertility care you’re already receiving.
One of the things we want you to leave Needle & Glow with is a better understanding of your own body. Acupressure uses gentle pressure on many of the same points used during acupuncture treatments.
Depending on where you are in your cycle, Kari may show you simple techniques you can safely use at home between appointments. These may be used to support concerns such as menstrual discomfort, stress, nausea, tension, and other symptoms that arise during your cycle or fertility treatment.
Your recommended points will depend on your cycle and whether you could be pregnant. Some acupuncture and acupressure points are avoided during pregnancy, so your at-home routine should always follow the instructions Kari gives you.
Fertility treatment can become very clinical, very quickly. There are numbers to watch, appointments to schedule, medications to remember, and milestones that can feel enormously important.
Your acupuncture appointment is different. It’s time dedicated to how you’re actually feeling. Kari takes the time to understand what’s happening with your cycle, your treatment, your symptoms, and the rest of your health. Your acupuncture treatment is then adapted accordingly rather than following the same fertility protocol for every patient.
Kari Schwager is the founder of Needle & Glow and a licensed acupuncturist specializing in women’s health. Her work with women spans menstrual health, PCOS, fertility, pregnancy and postpartum care, stress, digestive health, and overall wellness.
Her approach to fertility care is grounded in listening first and treating the whole person. That also means being straightforward about what acupuncture can and cannot do. You won’t be promised a pregnancy. You will receive thoughtful, individualized care designed to support your health while you navigate one of the most personal experiences of your life.
Ideally, we recommend starting at least three months before trying to conceive or beginning an IUI or IVF cycle, with three to six months being even better when possible. But there is no wrong time to start. If you’re already trying to conceive or currently undergoing fertility treatment, acupuncture can still be incorporated into your care.
Research on acupuncture and IVF outcomes is mixed, so we don’t promise that acupuncture will increase IVF success rates. We use acupuncture as complementary care alongside your fertility treatment, with treatments tailored to where you are in your IVF cycle and how you’re feeling throughout the process.
Yes. Treatment is adapted to where you are in your menstrual cycle and whether pregnancy is possible. Always tell Kari if you receive a positive pregnancy test so your treatment can be adjusted appropriately.
Yes. Acupuncture can be scheduled around your fertility treatment, including stimulation, IUI, egg retrieval, embryo transfer, and the two-week wait. Bring your treatment calendar or protocol to your appointment so sessions can be planned accordingly.
No. Many patients come to Needle & Glow while trying to conceive naturally. Others are preparing for IUI or IVF, navigating PCOS or irregular cycles, or looking for complementary support after months or years of trying to conceive.
Yes. Kari may teach you simple acupressure techniques to use between appointments. The points recommended will depend on where you are in your cycle because some points should be avoided once pregnancy is possible or confirmed.
Some insurance plans include acupuncture benefits. You can verify your insurance benefits before scheduling your first appointment.
You don’t have to choose between conventional fertility treatment and a more holistic approach to your health. At Needle & Glow, fertility acupuncture is designed to work alongside the care you’re already receiving while giving your body, your symptoms, and your emotional well-being the attention they deserve.
Whether you’re just beginning to try, have been trying for months, or are already deep into IVF treatment, we’ll start with where you are today.
Ready to get started?
