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Effects of Acupuncture on Endometrium and Pregnancy Outcomes in Patients with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Undergoing in vitro Fertilization-Embryo Transfer: A Randomized Clinical Trial

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Abstract

Objective

To observe the effect of acupuncture on endometrium and pregnancy outcomes in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) infertility undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET).

Methods

Eighty-three patients were randomly assigned to observation group (40 cases) and control group (43 cases) according to the random numbers generated by SPSS software. The patients of the two groups received GnRH agonist long protocol as a routine treatment. In the observation group, acupuncture was given at two acupoint groups for 30 min once every other day. Group 1 included Guanyuan (CV 4), Qihai (CV 6), Zhongji (CV 3), bilateral acupoints Zigong (EX-CA1). Group 2 included Mingmen (GV 4), Yaoyangguan (GV 3), bilateral Shenshu (BL 23) and Ciliao (BL 32). The two groups of acupoints were used alternately. The whole needling process was performed at the time of ovulation induction until the transplantation day and consisted of 3 courses, while the control group did not receive acupuncture interventions. The Gn dosage and Gn stimulation time, endometrial thickness and type (A, B, and C), serum oestradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) levels on the day of injection of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), clinical pregnancy rate, as well as live birth rate were observed. Adverse reactions were also be recorded. All patients were followed up for the pregnant rate 14 days after IVF-ET and live birth rate after pregnancy. All adverse reactions (AEs) of acupuncture were recorded during the trial.

Results

The Gn dosage and Gn stimulation time in the observation group were lower in the observation group than in the control group (P<0.01). The proportion of type A endometrium in the observation group were higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). The serum E2 and P levels on the day of hCG injection was lower and the clinical pregnancy rate was higher in the observation group compared to those in the control group (P<0.05). There was no serious AEs during this trial.

Conclusion

Acupuncture can improve the proportion of type A endometrium, regulate the levels of serum E2 and P on the day of hCG injection, and improve the pregnancy rate in patients with PCOS infertility undergoing IVF-ET.

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Change history

  • 27 May 2022

    Correspondence was mistakenly tagged to “Jia-man Wu” instead of “Yuan-yuan Zhuo”.

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Acknowledgment

We thank the Institute of Maternity & Child Healthcare of Shenzhen for its supervision and support on protocol implementation and safety control of the trial. We also extend our gratitude to the Shenzhen Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital and Luo Songping Chinese Medicine Gynecological Team of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Shenzhen Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, 518028, China

    Jia-man Wu, Yan Ning, Yu-lei Liu, Meng Tang & Shan Hu

  2. First College of Clinical Medicine, Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, China

    Yang-yang Ye

  3. Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, 518033, China

    Yuan-yuan Zhuo

Authors
  1. Jia-man Wu
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  2. Yan Ning
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  3. Yang-yang Ye
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  4. Yu-lei Liu
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  5. Meng Tang
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  6. Shan Hu
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  7. Yuan-yuan Zhuo
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Contributions

Wu JM and Zhuo YY conceived the presented idea and planned the experiments. Zhuo YY, Liu YL and Ning Y conducted the experiments. Zhuo YY and Ye YY designed the computational framework and analyzed the data. Wu JM, Tang M and Hu S wrote the manuscript. All authors discussed the results and contributed to the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yuan-yuan Zhuo.

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Conflict of Interests

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper.

Supported by the Sanming Project of Medicine in Shenzhen (No. SZSM201612046); the Guangdong Provincial Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (No. 20181229); the Guangdong Provincial Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (No. 20201294)

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Wu, Jm., Ning, Y., Ye, Yy. et al. Effects of Acupuncture on Endometrium and Pregnancy Outcomes in Patients with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Undergoing in vitro Fertilization-Embryo Transfer: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 28, 736–742 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-022-3498-z

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