Infertility

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine advises a fertility evaluation after 12 months of trying for women under 35, and after 6 months for women 35 or older, so timing matters. NCCIH found acupuncture did not improve IVF success over sham, and other holistic options are largely unstudied in our sources.

When to see a medical doctor first

• No pregnancy after 12 months of regular unprotected sex if the woman is under 35, or after 6 months if she is 35 or older (ASRM, 2023).
• Earlier evaluation is commonly advised for irregular or absent periods, two or more miscarriages, a known genetic condition, or age over 40 (UCSF).

Holistic care can sit alongside a fertility evaluation, but should not delay it past these points.

What a medical workup usually checks first

MedlinePlus lists the tests used to evaluate female infertility:

• Hormone tests: AMH, estradiol, FSH, LH, progesterone and prolactin.
• Imaging and procedures: hysterosalpingography (HSG), sonohysterography, hysteroscopy and laparoscopy.
• Genetic testing: a karyotype.

Not every test is routine. The ASRM's 2021 committee opinion on evaluating infertile women includes a thyroid test (TSH) once infrequent periods or lack of ovulation is confirmed. It does not recommend prolactin as a routine test; prolactin is checked when there is milk discharge from the breasts or infrequent or missed periods.

For a male partner, guidelines recommend at least one semen analysis early in the fertility evaluation (AUA/ASRM).

What the evidence says about holistic options

Therapy	Evidence	Notes
Acupuncture	Mixed/limited, leaning not supported for IVF success	NCCIH reports no benefit over sham for IVF success. A 2019 meta-analysis of 27 studies (6,116 participants) found higher clinical pregnancy rates, but not higher live birth rates. Live birth is the outcome most people care about.
Supplements, including inositol	Unconfirmed	Inositol evidence covers PCOS metabolic and menstrual outcomes, not pregnancy or birth (2024 review).
Chiropractic or spinal manipulation	Unconfirmed	No source found.
Massage	Unconfirmed	No source found.
Mind-body approaches	Mixed/limited	A 2021 review of 15 randomized trials found psychosocial support, including mind-body programs, linked to somewhat higher pregnancy rates during fertility treatment. The authors say more good-quality trials are needed. Effects on live births were not confirmed.
Naturopathic or functional medicine	Unconfirmed	No source found.

Unconfirmed means we found no source in this review. It is not a verdict either way.

Who people see for infertility on this site

• Acupuncture clinics. New York licenses acupuncturists, who must complete an approved program of at least 4,050 hours and pass national certification exams (NYSED).
• Integrative medicine doctors, who are licensed MDs or DOs.
• Functional medicine doctors: a practice style, not a license. Check the clinician's MD, DO, NP or PA license.
• Naturopathic doctors in our directory, who are not licensed in New York.

You can check a New York license on the NYSED verification search.

Questions to ask a practitioner

• Which tests do you need before recommending any treatment, including a semen analysis for a male partner?
• What is your evidence for acupuncture with IVF, given that NCCIH reports no benefit over sham?
• How will you coordinate with a reproductive specialist so standard evaluation is not delayed?

Last reviewed: October 2026

Sources

• American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Definition of infertility: a committee opinion (December 2023)
• ASRM Practice Committee, Fertility evaluation of infertile women: a committee opinion (2021)
• MedlinePlus, Female infertility (updated 20 March 2025)
• American Urological Association and ASRM, Diagnosis and treatment of infertility in men (2020; amended 2024)
• UCSF Center for Reproductive Health, When to see a fertility specialist (page undated; checked 10 October 2026)
• NCCIH, Acupuncture: in depth (October 2022)
• Acupuncture and IVF outcomes, meta-analysis (2019)
• Psychosocial interventions and fertility treatment outcome, meta-analysis, European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology (2021)
• Inositol in PCOS, systematic review, Frontiers in Medicine (2024)
• NYSED Office of the Professions, Acupuncture license requirements and online license verification