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Therapeutic effect of acupuncture on the outcomes of in vitro fertilization: a systematic review and meta-analysis

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Abstract

Purpose

Controversial results have been reported concerning the effect of acupuncture on in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes. The current review was conducted to systematically review published studies of the effects of acupuncture on IVF outcomes.

Methods

Women undergoing IVF in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were evaluated for the effects of acupuncture on IVF outcomes. The treatment groups involved traditional, electrical, laser, auricular, and other acupuncture techniques. The control groups consisted of no, sham, and placebo acupuncture. The PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched. The pregnancy outcomes data are expressed as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) based on a fixed model or random model depending on the heterogeneity determined by the Q test and I2 statistic. The major outcomes were biochemical pregnancy rate (BPR), clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), live birth rate (LBR), and ongoing pregnancy rate (OPR). Heterogeneity of the therapeutic effect was evaluated by a forest plot analysis, and publication bias was assessed by a funnel plot analysis.

Results

Thirty trials (a total of 6344 participants) were included in this review. CPR data showed a significant difference between the acupuncture and control groups (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.06–1.50, p = 0.01), but there was significant statistical heterogeneity among the studies (p = 0.0002). When the studies were restricted to Asian or non-Asian area trials with a sensitivity analysis, the results significantly benefited the CPR in Asian group (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.04–2.20, p = 0.03). Based on the area subgroup analysis, we found that in the Asian group, the IVF outcomes from the EA groups were all significantly higher than those from the control groups (CPR: OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.20–2.72, p = 0.005; BPR: OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.12–3.02, p = 0.02; LBR: OR 2.36, 95% CI 1.44–3.88, p = 0.0007; OPR: OR 1.94, 95% CI 1.03–3.64, p = 0.04). Meanwhile, compared with other acupuncture time, the IVF outcome results were significantly superior in the acupuncture group when acupuncture was conducted during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) (CPR: OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.27–2.29, p = 0.0004; LBR: OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.54–3.78, p = 0.0001; BPR: OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.02–2.20, p = 0.04; OPR: OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.06–3.34, p = 0.03). However, when acupuncture was conducted at the time of embryo transfer, the BPR and OPR from the acupuncture groups were significantly lower than those of the controls in the Asian group (BPR: OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.48–0.92, p = 0.01; OPR: OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.49–0.96, p = 0.03).

Conclusions

Based on an analysis of the studies, acupuncture improves the CPR among women undergoing IVF. When the studies were restricted to Asian or non-Asian area patients, compared with traditional acupuncture and other methods, electrical acupuncture yielded better IVF outcomes. Optimal positive effects could be expected using acupuncture in IVF during COH, especially in Asian area. However, as a limitation of this review, most of the included studies did not mention the number of embryos transferred.

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Acknowledgements

The present work was supported by grants from the Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20161067) and Department of Health of China (201302013, 201402004).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Clinical Center of Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China

    Yi Qian, Xin-Ru Xia, Humphrey Ochin, Cun Huang, Chao Gao, Li Gao, Yu-Gui Cui, Jia-Yin Liu & Yan Meng

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  1. Yi Qian
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  2. Xin-Ru Xia
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  4. Cun Huang
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Correspondence to Yan Meng.

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We declare that we have no financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that can inappropriately influence our work, there is no professional or other personal interest of any nature or kind in any product, service and/or company that could be construed as influencing the position presented in, or the review of, the manuscript entitled, “Therapeutic effect of acupuncture on the outcomes of in vitro fertilization: systematic review and meta-analysis”.

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Qian, Y., Xia, XR., Ochin, H. et al. Therapeutic effect of acupuncture on the outcomes of in vitro fertilization: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Arch Gynecol Obstet 295, 543–558 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-016-4255-y

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