When IVF starts it is advisable to begin your acupuncture treatments as soon as possible. The ideal time is 2-3 months ahead of time, to help prepare your body for the process. Treatments are recommended twice a week or once a week, depending on where in the retrieval schedule we start. These treatments are focused on improving the ovarian response, improving blood flow, stress management and balancing hormones. Acupuncture works to increase success rates of these interventions by increasing blood flow to the ovaries during the stimulation phase of IVF and by improving the effectiveness of the drugs given.