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Acupuncture performed before and after embryo transfer: a randomized controlled trial.

LaTasha B Craig, Lee E Hullender Rubin, Jennifer D Peck

    The Journal of Reproductive Medicine
    |June 19, 2014
    PubMed
    Summary

    Acupuncture before and after embryo transfer (ET) did not improve, but rather decreased, clinical pregnancy and live birth rates in women undergoing in vitro fertilization. Further research is needed to clarify acupuncture's role in assisted reproductive technologies.

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    Area of Science:

    • Reproductive Medicine
    • Traditional Chinese Medicine
    • In Vitro Fertilization

    Background:

    • Acupuncture is sometimes used as an adjunct therapy to improve outcomes in assisted reproductive technologies.
    • The efficacy of acupuncture surrounding embryo transfer (ET) remains debated.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To evaluate the impact of a single acupuncture session before and after fresh embryo transfer (ET) on clinical pregnancy rates within a modified Paulus protocol.

    Main Methods:

    • A prospective, physician-blinded study randomized 113 women undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET).
    • Participants were assigned to either a control group (no acupuncture) or an intervention group (one acupuncture session off-site on ET day).
    • Clinical pregnancy, positive pregnancy test, and live birth rates were assessed using intent-to-treat and per-protocol analyses.

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    Main Results:

    • The acupuncture group showed significantly lower clinical pregnancy rates (43.6%) compared to the control group (64.8%, p=0.045).
    • Live birth rates were also lower in the acupuncture group (36.0%) versus the control group (56.0%, p=0.033).
    • Acupuncture treatment was associated with reduced odds of clinical pregnancy (OR=0.42, 95% CI 0.19-0.93).

    Conclusions:

    • Acupuncture performed off-site on the day of ET was detrimental to IVF-ET success in this study population.
    • Further research with larger sample sizes is required to determine the optimal role, frequency, and individualized application of acupuncture in IVF-ET.
    • The findings suggest caution regarding the use of acupuncture as a standard adjunct therapy around the time of embryo transfer.