Acupuncture and
infertility Studies
Acupuncture Shows Promise in Improving Rates of Pregnancy
Following IVF
A review of seven clinical
trials of acupuncture given with embryo transfer in women undergoing in
vitro fertilization (IVF) suggests that acupuncture may improve rates of
pregnancy. An estimated 10 to 15 percent of couples experience
reproductive difficulty and seek specialist fertility treatments, such
as IVF. IVF, which involves retrieving a woman's egg, fertilizing it in
the laboratory, and then transferring the embryo back into the woman's
womb is an expensive, lengthy, and stressful process. Identifying a
complementary approach that can improve success would be welcome to
patients and providers.
According to Eric Manheimer of
the University of Maryland School of Medicine's Center for Integrative
Medicine and colleagues who conducted the systematic review, acupuncture
has been used in China for centuries to regulate the female reproductive
system. With this in mind, the reviewers analyzed results from seven
clinical trials of acupuncture in women who underwent IVF to see if
rates of pregnancy were improved with acupuncture. The studies
encompassed data on over 1366 women and compared acupuncture, given
within one day of embryo transfer, with sham acupuncture, or no
additional treatment.
The reviewers found that
acupuncture given as a complement to IVF increased the odds of achieving
pregnancy. According to the researchers, the results indicate that 10
women undergoing IVF would need to be treated with acupuncture to bring
about one additional pregnancy. The results, considered preliminary,
point to a potential complementary treatment that may improve the
success of IVF and the need to conduct additional clinical trials to
confirm these findings.
References:
Manheimer E, Zhang G, Udoff L, et al.
Effect of acupuncture on rates of pregnancy and live birth among women
undergoing in vitro fertilization: systematic review and meta-analysis.
British Medical Journal. Published online February 2008.
Journal Publication Date: March
8, 2008
Last updated: 04/02/2012
