Acupuncture for Low Ovarian Reserve

What is ovarian reserve?

Low ovarian reserve is a common source of infertility in older women, and may be treated with acupuncture.

In a nutshell low ovarian reserve is the number of ova (eggs) in the ovaries. Ovarian reserve is directly affected by the production of the Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) by the pituitary glands. FSH stimulates the growth of eggs in the ovaries. The issue with ovarian reserve arises as women age. With age, the number and quality of eggs decrease. When women are younger, they have a large ovarian reserve, and a little FSH is enough to stimulate their growth. However, more FSH is required as the ovarian reserve deteriorates with age.

What are the implications of a low ovarian reserve? The poor quality and low number of eggs directly translate to reduced fertility. While female infertility is caused by various factors such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), endometriosis, and weak digestion, low ovarian reserve is one of the main causes of infertility in older women. The good news is that acupuncture offers holistic treatment for low ovarian reserve.

What is the Role of Acupuncture?

Acupuncture

The objective of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is to stimulate the body’s natural healing process. This involves identifying the underlying problem and treating it to restore reproductive health.

How Acupuncture May Help:

  • Stimulation of acupoints helps increase circulation in the pelvic region, including the uterus and
    ovaries. Increased blood flow leads to improved growth of healthier eggs.
  • Acupuncture has a calming effect that relieves stress and mental strain. Improved emotional/mental
    health can positively affect FSH production, which in turn improves fertility.
  • Acupuncture aims to increase the amount of energy available and decrease
    cellular damage
    .
  • Acupuncture and TCM follow an individualised treatment methodology that identifies specific
    patterns. This improves the outcome of the treatment.
  • Acupuncture also supports and improves the effectiveness of In
    Vitro Fertilization
    (IVF) and other assisted reproductive technologies.

Scientific Research on Acupuncture for Low Ovarian Reserve

According to a study published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research, acupuncture is an effective and safe treatment for low ovarian reserve. The findings show that acupuncture increases the number of eggs, basal endocrine levels, and the quality of embryos. The authors concluded that TCM treatment could “improve the clinical pregnancy rate in patients with decreased ovarian reserve during in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer cycles.”

Final Thoughts

As women age, their ovarian reserve naturally decreases, and with it their chance of conception. If you are having trouble conceiving and would like to find out more about how acupuncture may help you, contact us at Centre of Balance Hamilton. Our practitioners have a lot of experience treating fertility patients and will write an individual treatment plan for you.

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Works Cited

Zheng, Y., Feng, X., Mi, H., Yao, Y., Zhao, Y., Li, J., … & Deng, X. (2015). Effects of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation on ovarian reserve of patients with diminished ovarian reserve in in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer cycles. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research, 41(12), 1905-1911.

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Monica

I am originally from Hebei province in China. I hold a NZ bachelor’s degree of health and science with a major in acupuncture. I am honoured to be an acupuncturist at Centre of Balance. Helping patients to alleviate their pain brings me the greatest joy. Chinese medicine emphasises the unity of human beings and nature. During the treatment, I hope to not only relieve your pain but also help you to understand the principles behind acupuncture’s effectiveness, as well as the significant impact of diet, emotions, lifestyle habits, and living environments on disease recovery. Self-healing is an ability that our bodies are naturally endowed with.

I studied acupuncture in New Zealand and completed one and a half years of supervised clinical internship before graduating. In the early stage of my training, I mainly worked with patients experiencing neck, shoulder, and lower back pain. Under the guidance of senior clinical tutors, I gradually developed hands-on experience and confidence in treating musculoskeletal pain conditions.
As my clinical exposure expanded, I began treating a wider range of internal conditions. Alongside traditional acupuncture, I was introduced to Umbilical Acupuncture and Tungs-acupuncture Points. What interested me most about these approaches is that they often do not require needling directly at the painful area, yet can still achieve very effective results.
I was especially inspired by observing my supervisor use Umbilical Acupuncture to treat common conditions such as insomnia, menstrual irregularities, and even rheumatoid arthritis, with very positive outcomes. Another supervisor was highly skilled in Tungs-acupuncture Points and achieved excellent results in treating pain, infertility, menstrual disorders, and a variety of women’s health conditions. After completing my studies and entering clinical practice, once I observed Dr. Szenan Phua using Tungs-acupuncture points to help cancer patients relieve pain, which further strengthened my trust in this treatment method.
I later completed training in Dr. Tan Balance Acupuncture, which had a strong influence on the way I approach treatment. One of the most noticeable features of this method is how quickly patients often feel improvement, especially with pain conditions. Dr. Szenan Phua’s New Balance Acupuncture combines meridian regulation with structural adjustment and internal organ balancing, including techniques such as pulse balancing and spinal adjustment.
From my clinical experience, pain is rarely just a local issue. It often involves underlying organ weakness or structural imbalance. When these aspects are addressed together, treatment can be more thorough and longer-lasting. I also apply this approach to internal conditions, particularly in fertility and women’s health. This includes supporting natural conception, IVF preparation and embryo transfer, pregnancy support, early-pregnancy nausea, and late-pregnancy labour induction. I combine these treatments with concepts learned from a few additional fertility training, which has given me a broader and more flexible clinical perspective. This has reinforced my belief that acupuncture should be adapted to each individual rather than applied through fixed formulas.
Two other areas of study that have been very helpful in my clinical work are Tongue Diagnosis and Dr. Zhu’s Scalp Acupuncture. Although tongue diagnosis is taught in my standard Chinese medicine training, further study allowed me to deepen and refine my diagnostic skills.
My first formal training was in Li’s Tongue Diagnosis, which looks not only at organ patterns, but also at how different areas of the tongue reflect the body’s structure. This system also explores personality traits and changes during pregnancy, making it both clinically useful and engaging. I later attended online lectures on Yin’s Tongue Diagnosis and studied the related materials independently. this learning has helped me make clearer and more accurate pattern differentiation, allowing my acupuncture treatments to be more targeted. It covers a wide range of conditions, including skin disorders, oncology-related presentations, mental health patterns, and joint or limb problems. In practice, tongue observation often provides valuable insight even before a patient begins describing their symptoms.
In addition to the methods above, I regularly use local bloodletting techniques, which can be very effective for improving circulation, reducing swelling, and relieving pain. I also incorporate auricular (ear) acupressure and stimulation, which I commonly use for allergies, insomnia, headaches, stress management, and various internal conditions.
In my clinical work, I value taking the time to listen carefully to each patient and to understand their overall health, lifestyle, and concerns. Based on each individual’s condition, I also provide personalised dietary guidance and lifestyle or wellness advice to support overall health and long-term wellbeing. I commonly support patients with musculoskeletal pain, such as neck, shoulder, knee, and back pain, as well as stress-related conditions, sleep issues, migraines, digestive concerns, and women’s health and fertility-related conditions.