Effect of acupuncture on the outcome of invitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection: a randomized, prospective, controlled clinical study.

Stefan Dieterle, M.D., GaoYing, M.D., Wolfgang Hatzmann, M.D., and Andreas Neuer, M.D. Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Witten/Herdecke, Dortmund,Germany; and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology,Wuhan, China

Objective: To determine the effect of luteal-phase acupuncture on the out come of IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
Design: Randomized, prospective, controlled clinical study.
Setting: University IVF center.
Patient(s): Two hundred twenty-five infertile patients undergoing IVF/ICSI.Intervention(s): In group I,116 patients received luteal-phase acupuncture according to the principles of traditional Chinese medicine. Ingroup II,109 patients received placebo acupuncture. Main Outcome
Measure (s): Clinical and ongoing pregnancy rates.
Result(s): In group I,the clinical pregnancy rate and ongoing pregnancy rate (33.6% and 28.4%, respectively) were significantly higher than in group II (15.6% and 13.8%).
Conclusion(s): Luteal-phase acupuncture has a positive effect on the out come of IVF/ICSI. (Fertil Steril 2006;85:1347–51.©2006by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.)
Key Words: Acupuncture, assisted reproduction,pregnancy rate, IVF, ICSI

Acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer significantly improves the reproductive outcome in infertile women: a prospective, randomized trial.

Lars G. Westergaard, M.D., Ph.D., Qunhui Mao,M.D., Marianne Krogslund, Steen Sandrini, Suzan Lenz,M.D., Ph.D., and Jørgen Grinsted,M.D., Ph.D. Fertility Clinic Trianglen, Hellerup; Holistic Acupuncture Clinic, Frederiksberg C; and Sandrini Acupuncture I/S,Varde, Denmark

Objective: To evaluate the effect of acupuncture on reproductive outcome in patients treated with IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). One group of patients received acupuncture on the day of ET, another group on ET day and again 2 days later (i.e.,closer to implantation day),and both groups were compared with a control group that did not receive acupuncture.
Design: Prospective, randomized trial.
Setting: Private fertility center.
Patient(s):During the study period all patients receiving IV For ICSI treatment were offered participation in the study. On the day of oocyte retrieval, patients were randomly allocated (with sealed envelopes) to receive acupuncture on the day of ET (ACU 1 group,n=95), on that day and again 2 days later (ACU 2 group, n=91), or no acupuncture (control group,n=87).
Intervention(s): Acupuncture was performed immediately before and after ET (ACU 1 and 2 groups),with each session lasting 25 minutes; and one 25-minute session was performed 2 days later in the ACU 2 group. Main Outcome Measure(s): Clinical pregnancy and ongoing pregnancy rates in the three groups. Result(s):Clinical and ongoing pregnancy rates were higher than in controls, but the difference did not reach statistical difference.
Conclusion(s):Acupuncture on the day of ET significantly improves the reproductive outcome of IVF/ICSI, compared with no acupuncture. Repeating acupuncture on ETday+2 provided no additional beneficial effect. (Fertil Steril@2006;85:1341–6.© 2006 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.)
KeyWords: Acupuncture, ETday, IVF,pregnancy

Influence of acupunture on pregnancy rate in patients who undergo assisted reproduction therapy.

Wolfgang E. paulus, MD, Mingmin Zhang, MD, Erwin Strehler, MD, Imam El-Danasouri, PhD, and Karl Sterzik, MD.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in assisted reproduction therapy (ART) by comparing a group of patients receiving acupuncture treatment shortly before and after embryo transfer with a control group receiving no acupunture.
Design: prospective randomized study.
Setting: Fertility Center
Patients: After giving informed consent, 160 patients who were undergoing ART and who had good quality embryos were divided into the following two groups through random selection: embryo transfer with acupuncture (n=80) and embryo transfer without acupuncture (n=80)
Intervention: Acupuncture was performed in 80 patients 25 minutes before and after embryo transfer, in the control group, embryos were transfered without any supportive therapy.
Main outcome Measure: Clinical pregnancy was defined as the presence of a fetal sac during an ultrasound examination 6 weeks after embryo transfer.
Results: Clinical pregnancies were documented in 34 of 80 patients (42.5%) in the acupuncture group, whereas pregnancy rate was only 26.3% (21 out of 80 patients) in the control group.
Conclusions: Acupuncture seems to be useful tool for improving pregnancy rate after ART (Fertil Steril@ 2002;77:721-4 ©2002 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.)
Key words: Acupuncture, assisted reproduction, embryo transfer, pregnancy rate.