You may have seen the wide publicity recently given to the IVF research below, which looked at acupuncture given within one day of embryo transfer. However, research only answers the question which was asked, and if you ask about the effects of a single treatment close to transfer, then that is all you can draw conclusions on.
Based on my experience of using acupuncture for infertility, and support through the IVF process, it is my belief that success rates are even higher when women commence acupuncture treatment a minimum of three months prior to embarking on IVF. This allows us to identify from a Chinese medical perspective, any subtle causes of difficulty conceiving, and to try to correct these with treatment, usually once a week. Along with this goes some important and individually-tailored lifestyle advice as well. In the best cases, this approach can open up the possibility of a natural conception, without IVF proving necessary. Otherwise, I often feel that the same factors which have impeded natural conception to date, can continue to operate to reduce the chance of a successful IVF outcome.
A German study has looked at the clinical and cost-effectiveness of acupuncture for painful periods. Of a group of 649 women, 201 agreed to be randomised to receive either acupuncture or no acupuncture, in addition to any usual care they had. Those women who declined randomisation, were allocated to the acupuncture group. Fifteen acupuncture treatments were given over a three month period. At the end of the trial, average pain intensity was 3.1 in the acupuncture group, versus 5.4 in the non-acupuncture group. The authors concluded that acupuncture was associated with improvements in pain and quality of life, and was also cost effective.