TCM doesn't view fertility as a single function — it's a reflection of overall health, particularly the Kidney (reproductive essence), Liver (smooth flow of Qi and Blood), and Spleen (production of Blood and nourishment). Your practitioner looks at your cycle, basal body temperature, cervical fluid, energy, sleep, digestion, and emotional patterns. Common patterns affecting fertility include Kidney deficiency, Liver Qi stagnation, Blood deficiency, and Phlegm-Damp accumulation. Treatment is built around your specific pattern.

Egg development takes roughly 90 days, so most fertility patients commit to at least 3 months of treatment before assessing change. Cycle regularity often shifts within 2–3 cycles. For IVF support, ideally start treatment 3 months before a cycle. For natural conception, ongoing treatment continues through conception and often into early pregnancy.

Yes. Multiple studies have shown acupuncture improves uterine blood flow, supports ovulation in women with PCOS, and may improve IVF outcomes when timed appropriately. Many reproductive endocrinologists refer patients for acupuncture support. TCM also has a deep history of treating fertility and women's health spanning thousands of years.

Generally, herbal medicine is paused during the medicated portion of an IVF cycle and during the two-week wait after transfer, to avoid any interaction with fertility medications. Herbs are most useful in the preparation phase (often 3 months before a cycle) and may be resumed after. A licensed practitioner trained in fertility will coordinate timing carefully.

Yes — these are well-known conditions in Chinese medicine, each with classical pattern frameworks. Treatment combines acupuncture and customized herbal formulas, usually over several cycles. Many patients see reductions in pain, more regular cycles, improvements in ovulation, and shifts in lab markers over a course of care.

Your practitioner will ask detailed questions about your cycle, period symptoms, reproductive history, any prior diagnoses (PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids), digestion, sleep, stress, and overall health. They'll look at your tongue and take your pulse. Every appointment centers on custom herbal medicine. Telehealth visits include a personalized formula shipped directly to your door. In-person visits include the same herbal consultation, plus a complementary acupuncture treatment while your formula is hand blended in our San Francisco Bay Area herbal pharmacy. From there, treatment is usually timed to specific phases of your cycle.