The fertility journey requires absolute safety, responsibility and scientific transparency. The Holistic Fertility® method has been designed exclusively as complementary support alongside modern Medicine and In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), working in parallel with — and not as a substitute for — conventional gynecological and reproductive care.
By combining four recognized holistic techniques — Electroacupuncture, Reflexology, Healing Visualization and EFT Tapping — the method aims to optimize the body's internal environment and reduce stress, factors supported by contemporary scientific research.
What Science Says About Our Techniques
- Electroacupuncture. Clinical studies indicate that acupuncture and electroacupuncture may improve blood microcirculation in the uterine and ovarian arteries, enhancing blood flow to the endometrium. At the same time, it may help regulate the neuroendocrine axis (HPA axis), balancing the body's response to stress.
- Reflexology. Widely used as a deep-relaxation technique. The reduction of cortisol (the stress hormone) through reflexology may help activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting hormonal balance.
- Healing Visualization. Based on the principles of Psychoneuroimmunology, guided imagery may contribute to reducing anxiety, improving sleep quality and supporting positive neurological regulation of the body during medical treatments.
- EFT Tapping. Clinical research indicates that EFT can significantly reduce cortisol levels and alleviate symptoms of acute and chronic anxiety, helping women manage the emotional burden of infertility.
Psycho-Emotional Care Is Part of Modern Fertility Care
The importance of psychosocial support in infertility is not a peripheral concept. The European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) has issued a dedicated guideline on routine psychosocial care in infertility and medically assisted reproduction, recognizing the significant emotional needs that may arise throughout the treatment journey.
The Holistic Fertility® method puts this dimension into practice: a woman is not treated merely as a reproductive system, but as a person going through a demanding physical and emotional experience.
Safety First
The techniques used within the method are applied as complementary wellbeing practices and are adapted to each woman's history, stage of her fertility journey and individual needs. Before and throughout the programme, it is important to continue regular medical monitoring and to inform your treating physician about any complementary intervention, particularly during IVF or pregnancy.
Medication is not discontinued or modified, and necessary medical examinations are not postponed because of the Holistic Fertility® method. Where a contraindication exists or a specific medical assessment is required, the opinion of the appropriate healthcare professional must be obtained first.
Scientific evidence also means scientific honesty: using what we know, acknowledging what is still under investigation, and never turning a possibility into a promise.
Selected Bibliography
1. Electroacupuncture & Uterine Blood Flow / Stress Regulation
Xu, M., Zhu, M., & Zheng, C. (2024). Effects of acupuncture on pregnancy outcomes in women undergoing in vitro fertilization: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics, 309(3), 775–788. [PMID: 37436463] — An updated meta-analysis reporting that acupuncture significantly improves clinical pregnancy and live-birth rates in women undergoing IVF.
Systematic Review of 42 trials / 7,400 participants. Acupuncture for women undergoing in vitro fertilization: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis. [PMID: 40412094] — A very large-sample study providing high-level evidence for a positive effect of acupuncture on the effectiveness of IVF cycles.
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 58 RCTs / 10,968 women. Pregnancy Benefit of Acupuncture on in vitro Fertilization. [PMID: 37815728] — An analysis of 58 randomized clinical trials involving nearly 11,000 women, reporting a statistically significant benefit for endometrial receptivity and implantation.
Stener-Victorin, E., et al. (1996). Reduction of blood flow impedance in the uterine arteries of infertile women with electro-acupuncture. Human Reproduction, 11(6), 1314–1317. — A landmark study showing that electroacupuncture reduces blood-flow impedance in the uterine arteries.
Manheimer, E., et al. (2008). Effects of acupuncture on rates of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in vitro fertilization: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ, 336(7643), 545–549. — A meta-analysis reporting a positive effect of acupuncture around the time of embryo transfer.
2. Reflexology & Cortisol Reduction / Relaxation
Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis of 13 RCTs / 1,189 participants. Effects of foot reflexology massage on pregnant women. [PMID: 38200035] — Reports the safety and effectiveness of reflexology in reducing anxiety, pain and physiological indicators of stress.
McCullough, J. E. M., et al. (2014). The effects of reflexology on anxiety and pain in patients: A systematic review. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 20(4), 219–226.
Hughes, C. M., et al. (2011). Reflexology and the management of subfertility: A randomized controlled trial. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 19(3), 132–140.
3. EFT Tapping & Anxiety Management
Clond, M. (2016). Emotional Freedom Techniques for Anxiety: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 204(5), 388–395. [PMID: 26894319]
Systematic Review. Emotional Freedom Techniques for Anxiety Disorders. Healthcare. [PMID: 40941532]
Church, D., Yount, G., & Brooks, A. J. (2012). The effect of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) on stress biochemistry and psychological distress symptoms. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 200(10), 891–896. — Reports a 24% reduction in salivary cortisol after a single EFT session.
4. Healing Visualization (Guided Imagery) & Psychological Support
ESHRE. Routine psychosocial care in infertility and medically assisted reproduction – A guide for fertility staff.
Domar, A. D., et al. (2000). Impact of group psychological interventions on pregnancy rates in infertile women. Fertility and Sterility, 73(4), 805–811.
Menzies, V., et al. (2014). Guided imagery interventions for the management of stress and anxiety. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 32(1), 34–42.