Chinese Herbal Medicine During IVF: What to Know About Evidence and Safety
When you are preparing for IVF, it is understandable to want clear answers about every part of your care. Chinese herbal medicine is sometimes considered alongside fertility treatment, but it is not an essential step in IVF and it is not suitable for everyone.
At TCM Fertility, an herbal consultation is a discussion about your individual circumstances, including your medicines and treatment stage. We do not promise that a formula will improve egg quality, implantation or the chance of a live birth.
What does the research tell us?
Some reviews have reported better pregnancy outcomes when Chinese herbal medicine was added to IVF. The limitations of those studies matter as much as the headline results.
A 2013 systematic review of Chinese herbal medicine alongside IVF reported positive pregnancy findings, but its authors cautioned that substantial risk of bias made the estimates unreliable. They could not reach a conclusion about reproductive toxicity.
A 2025 review of acupuncture and herbal medicine alongside assisted reproduction also reported positive pooled outcomes. It noted differences between studies and variable study quality. These results do not establish that every formula, treatment schedule or patient will benefit.
Pregnancy rates reported in a study are not a forecast for an individual patient. They also cannot be presented as TCM Fertility's success rates. A study of one formula does not validate a different individualized prescription.
Why medication review comes first
“Natural” does not mean free of side effects or interactions. The HFEA's patient guidance on complementary therapies advises checking with your fertility clinician before starting; herbal medicines may interact with treatment or be unsuitable during pregnancy.
Before considering herbs, share the product names, ingredient lists, doses and labels with your fertility clinic and TCM practitioner. Include prescription medicines, non-prescription medicines and supplements. Your planned retrieval or transfer date is also relevant to the discussion.
Do not change fertility medicines to accommodate an herbal plan. There is no single rule that makes every formula appropriate before retrieval, after transfer or during pregnancy. A review may lead to a decision not to use herbs.
What an NPN does—and does not—tell you
An eight-digit Natural Product Number identifies a product licensed by Health Canada for its recommended conditions of use. You can check its ingredients, approved purpose and risk information in the Licensed Natural Health Products Database.
An NPN on a product does not mean that a customized blend has been approved to treat infertility. It also does not confirm that the blend is compatible with IVF medicines or appropriate after transfer or during pregnancy.
Questions worth bringing to your appointment
- What is the proposed purpose of this formula in my care?
- What evidence supports that purpose, and what remains uncertain?
- Which ingredients, medicines and treatment dates need to be reviewed together?
- What side effects or changes should prompt me to contact the practitioner or my fertility clinic?
- What are the costs, and when will we review whether to continue?
You do not need to take herbs to book an acupuncture assessment. Acupuncture and herbal medicine are separate treatment decisions, even when they are discussed at the same visit.
Discussing your options in Aurora
Mike (Weijie) Xu, R.Ac., R.TCMP, provides individualized acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine care at Momentum Therapy, 15165 Yonge St, Unit 2, Aurora. Patients travelling from Newmarket and nearby communities are welcome.
TCM Fertility provides complementary care. We do not provide IVF laboratory treatment or replace your fertility physician. Your fertility clinic remains responsible for your IVF protocol and medical monitoring.
Explore individualized Chinese herbal medicine or IVF and FET appointment support. For a first visit, choose TCM Fertility : Initial Assessment with Mike (Weijie) Xu in the booking system.