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Updated: May 14, 2026

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Acupuncture--help, harm, or placebo?

David R Meldrum1, Andrew R Fisher, Samantha F Butts

  • 1Reproductive Partners Medical Group, Redondo Beach, California 90277, USA. drmeldrum@gmail.com

Fertility and Sterility
|January 30, 2013
PubMed
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A reevaluation of acupuncture studies for in vitro fertilization (IVF) found no significant benefit after applying stricter quality standards. A placebo effect may explain previous positive findings, highlighting the need for standardized acupuncture protocols and placebo controls in future IVF research.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Medicine
  • Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Background:

  • Acupuncture is frequently explored as an adjunct therapy for in vitro fertilization (IVF).
  • Previous meta-analyses suggested potential benefits, but methodological heterogeneity was noted.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To reevaluate the efficacy of acupuncture for IVF by applying rigorous quality standards to existing meta-analyses.
  • To investigate the potential for placebo effects in acupuncture trials for IVF.

Main Methods:

  • Reanalysis of a recent meta-analysis from Fertility and Sterility.
  • Exclusion of trials based on stricter quality criteria for meta-analysis.
  • Separate analysis of studies with and without placebo controls.

Main Results:

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  • After applying rigorous standards and removing certain trials, a significant benefit of acupuncture for IVF could no longer be demonstrated.
  • Analysis suggested a potential placebo effect when comparing studies with and without placebo controls.
  • Some individual trials indicated a potential detrimental impact on IVF outcomes.

Conclusions:

  • The current evidence, after reevaluation, does not support a significant treatment effect of acupuncture on IVF outcomes.
  • A placebo effect is likely contributing to perceived benefits, necessitating placebo-controlled trials.
  • Standardization of acupuncture methods and timing is crucial for future research and clinical application to differentiate true effects from placebo responses.