Starting Egg Freezing Stimulation? Here’s what actually helps during this phase (that no one talks about)
Ovarian stimulation asks the body to do something deliberately unnatural. We’re asking the ovaries to mature multiple follicles at the same time, under rapidly rising hormone levels, while the rest of life continues as normal. And if this sounds like a lot, yeh.. it really is.
Most advice during this phase focuses on what to add — supplements, food rules, optimisation strategies. In practice, what often helps most is understanding what to reduce, protect, and stabilise.
Clinically, these quieter supports are often what make the biggest difference — physically, emotionally, and in how tolerable this phase actually feels IRL.
Protect the Nervous System From Hormonal Whiplash
During ovarian stimulation, oestrogen levels rise far beyond what the body experiences in a spontaneous cycle. These rapid hormonal shifts affect much more than mood - things like sleep, stress tolerance, concentration, emotional regulation and sensory sensitivity are all influenced by sudden neuroendocrine change.
When women feel overwhelmed, tearful, reactive or foggy during stims, this is often labelled as anxiety or poor coping. Clinically, it makes more sense to view this as neuroendocrine load — the nervous system responding to an unusually intense internal environment.
What helps here is often simple, but powerful:
Keeping days predictable rather than over-scheduled
Reducing decision fatigue wherever possible
Parking emotionally charged conversations
Treating sleep as protected recovery time, not a negotiable extra
Supporting nervous system regulation doesn’t change hormone levels, but it does significantly improve how the body tolerates them.
(Western: autonomic nervous system regulation and cortisol buffering → Eastern: calming the Shen, smoothing Liver Qi)
Research (including Australian context):
Neuroendocrine interactions of the stress and reproductive axes (source)
Stress and reproductive function – HPA axis overview (NIH)
Australian evidence-based guideline for infertility care (2024, MJA) — highlights the importance of contextual, whole-person support during fertility treatment
Eat to Stabilise Blood Sugar — Not to “Optimise Fertility”
Ovarian stimulation increases metabolic demand while often disrupting appetite, digestion and food tolerance. This is not the phase for restriction, fasting experiments or diets.
In clinic, unstable blood sugar during stimulation commonly shows up as:
Fatigue and energy crashes
Headaches or nausea
Feeling shaky, flat or emotionally reactive
Helpful principles are intentionally unsexy:
Eat regularly, even if portions are smaller
Combine protein, fats and carbohydrates
Avoid long fasting windows
Choose foods that are easy for you to digest
This phase is about steadiness and containment, not perfection.
(Western: glucose regulation and adrenal support → Eastern: supporting Spleen Qi and preventing depletion)
Research:
Metabolic hormones regulate female reproductive health (source)
Respect the Physical Reality of Ovarian Enlargement
As follicles mature, the ovaries increase in size, weight and sensitivity. Even when scans are reassuring, this changes how the body feels and moves.
Ignoring this physical reality often increases discomfort, pelvic strain and fatigue.
Small, practical adjustments matter:
Wearing soft, non-restrictive clothing
Avoiding abrupt twisting or high-impact movement
Limiting prolonged standing
Using side-lying or supported sleep positions
Allowing slower mornings and earlier nights
This isn’t about being fragile. It’s about responding intelligently to a temporary anatomical change.
(Western: mechanical load and ligament strain → Eastern: protecting the Lower Jiao and conserving Kidney essence)
Guidelines:
ESHRE ovarian stimulation guideline (used widely in Australian IVF clinics) (source)
Where Acupuncture Fits During Stimulation
Acupuncture during ovarian stimulation (be it egg freezing or IVF) isn’t about controlling outcomes or replacing medical care. Its role is supportive and regulatory.
From a physiological perspective, stimulation places increased demand on:
Pelvic blood flow
The autonomic nervous system
Stress hormone regulation
Research shows mixed effects on IVF outcomes, but more consistent effects on stress modulation and physiological tolerance during treatment.
Earlier and ongoing research suggests acupuncture may:
Influence uterine and ovarian blood flow
Modulate stress responses during assisted reproduction
Reduce symptoms such as anxiety, headaches and sleep disturbance
Sources here, here and here too.
(Western: neurovascular regulation and stress modulation → Eastern: moving Blood, regulating Liver Qi, supporting Kidney Jing)
A Reframe That Helps
Ovarian stims aren'’t something to push through or optimise aggressively. It’s a short, intense, and abnormal physiological state.
When women struggle during this phase, it’s rarely because they’re doing too little. More often, it’s because they’re expecting their body to function normally under abnormal conditions.
Support during stimulation often looks like subtraction, not addition.
Additional Australian Clinical Context
Medical Journal of Australia — fertility and ART guidance