A 38-year-old woman with diminished ovarian reserve and a history of failed IVF attempts became pregnant after just three months of acupuncture. Her case, published as a single-patient report, also showed improvements in hormone levels, egg count, and menopause-like symptoms.
Doctors measured her antral follicle count (a marker of egg supply) and sex hormone levels before and after treatment. Both improved. Her score on the Modified Kupperman Index, which tracks symptoms like hot flashes and mood changes, also got better.
But this is just one person's story. There was no comparison group, so we can't say for sure that acupuncture caused the changes. It's possible other factors played a role. And we don't know if the benefits lasted beyond the three months.
Still, the result is striking. For someone who had given up hope after repeated IVF failures, this case offers a glimmer. But much more research is needed before we can recommend acupuncture as a treatment for low ovarian reserve.