Alternative Medicine Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Alternative Medicine, including details on complementary medicine, alternative therapies, homeopathy.

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

Dieterle S, Ying G, Hatzmann W, Neuer A

Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Witten/Herdecke, Dortmund, Germany. Dieterle@IVF-Dortmund.de

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of luteal-phase acupuncture on the outcome 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. In group 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 outcome of IVF/ICSI.

Published 1 May 2006 in Fertil Steril, 85(5): 1347-51.
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