Research

The Efficacy of Acupuncture in Post-Operative Pain Management: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Conclusion: Our findings indicate that certain modes of acupuncture improved postoperative pain on the first day after surgery and reduced opioid use. Our findings support the use of acupuncture as adjuvant therapy in treating postoperative pain. Wu, M. S., Chen, K. H., Chen, I. F., Huang, S. K., Tzeng, P. C., Yeh, M. L., Lee, F. P., Lin, J. G., & Chen, C. (2016). The Efficacy of Acupuncture in Post-Operative Pain Management: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. PloS one, 11(3), e0150367. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0150367
Published on Oct 14, 2022

The excessive use of antioxidant therapy: A possible cause of male infertility?
Henkel R, Sandhu IS, Agarwal A. 2019. The excessive use of antioxidant therapy: A possible cause of male infertility? Andrologia. 51(1):e13162.
Published on Feb 14, 2019

The impact of two doses of coenzyme Q10 on semen parameters and antioxidant status in men with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia
Alahmar AT. 2019. The impact of two doses of coenzyme Q10 on semen parameters and antioxidant status in men with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia. Clin Exp Reprod Med. 46(3):112-118.
Published on Sep 15, 2019

The Limitation of Randomized Control Trials on the Influence of Acupuncture and In Vitro Fertilization: A Literature Review
Wang, Y., Shen, X., Hu, Y. F., & Sodders, R. (2022). The Limitation of Randomized Control Trials on the Influence of Acupuncture and In Vitro Fertilization: A Literature Review. Medical acupuncture, 34(1), 24–33. Objective: Acupuncture has gained popularity among patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). However, the beneficial effect of acupuncture for improving IVF success is controversial and debatable. Given that different meta-analyses have come to different conclusions, it is crucial to explore the clinical trials in more detail. This literature review examined the limitation of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the influence of acupuncture in IVF. Methods: This review began with 844 studies. The inclusion criteria were studies that had acupuncture treatments in conjunction with IVF. After exclusion criteria were applied, the final number of peer-reviewed studies was 10. Results: There were substantial variations in the results of the 10 RCTs. This seemed to suggest that acupuncture was not effective in conjunction with IVF treatment. However, limitations emerged that might explain these variations in results. Such limitations include timing of acupuncture and point selections; acupuncture not performed by experienced licensed acupuncturists; lack of Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnoses and fixed protocols causing biases; acupuncture dosages; and using sham acupuncture as a control. Conclusions: There is an urgent need for further research into the effectiveness of acupuncture for improving IVF outcomes. This review provides insight into this complex and controversial topic, revealing limitations of the clinical trials that led to different conclusions. If future research can examine acupuncture treatment carefully to resemble real-world clinical practice-having appropriate controls and individualized acupuncture treatments-increasingly positive effects from acupuncture in IVF may be expected.
Published on Feb 1, 2022

The persistence of the effects of acupuncture after a course of treatment: a meta-analysis of patients with chronic pain
The effects of a course of acupuncture treatment for patients with chronic pain do not seem to decrease importantly over 12 months. Patients can generally be reassured that treatment effects persist. Studies of the cost-effectiveness of acupuncture should take our findings into account when considering the time horizon of acupuncture effects. MacPherson, H., Vertosick, E. A., Foster, N. E., Lewith, G., Linde, K., Sherman, K. J., Witt, C. M., Vickers, A. J., & Acupuncture Trialists' Collaboration (2017). The persistence of the effects of acupuncture after a course of treatment: a meta-analysis of patients with chronic pain. Pain, 158(5), 784–793.
Published on May 1, 2017

The role of fatty acids on ICSI outcomes: a prospective cohort study
Mirabi P, Chaichi MJ, Esmaeilzadeh S, et al. 2017. The role of fatty acids on ICSI outcomes: a prospective cohort study. Lipids Health Dis. 16(1):18.
Published on Feb 14, 2017

The use of acupuncture as a routine pre-birth treatment
Article by Debra Betts (Debra Betts practises in New Zealand. She is also a tutor at the New Zealand School of Acupuncture in Wellington.)
Published on Jan 26, 2006

Therapeutic Role of Green Tea Polyphenols in Improving Fertility: A Review
Rahman SU, Huang Y, Zhu L, et al. 2018. Therapeutic Role of Green Tea Polyphenols in Improving Fertility: A Review. Nutrients. 10(7):834.
Published on Jun 27, 2018

Treatments for breast engorgement during lactation
Mangesi L, Zakarija-Grkovic I.Treatments for breast engorgement during lactation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016 Jun 28;(6):CD006946. “Non-medical No differences were observed in the one study comparing acupuncture with usual care (advice and oxytocin spray) (risk ratio (RR) 0.50, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.13 to 1.92; one study; 140 women) in terms of cessation of breastfeeding. However, women in the acupuncture group were less likely to develop an abscess (RR 0.20, 95% CI 0.04 to 1.01; one study; 210 women), had less severe symptoms on day five (RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.70 to 0.99), and had a lower rate of pyrexia (RR 0.82, 95% CI 0.72 to 0.94) than women in the usual care group.”
Published on Jun 28, 2016

Urinary Phthalate Metabolite Concentrations and Reproductive Outcomes among Women Undergoing in Vitro Fertilization: Results from the EARTH Study
Hauser R, Gaskins AJ, Souter I, Smith KW, Dodge LE, Ehrlich S, Meeker JD, Calafat AM, Williams PL; EARTH Study Team. 2016. Urinary Phthalate Metabolite Concentrations and Reproductive Outcomes among Women Undergoing in Vitro Fertilization: Results from the EARTH Study. Environ Health Perspect. 124(6):831-9.
Published on Jun 1, 2016

Use of acupuncture in female infertility and a summary of recent acupuncture studies related to embryo transfer.
Stener-Victorin E, Humaidan P., Acupunct Med. 2006 Dec;24(4):157-63. Source: Institute of Neuroscience and Physiolopgy, Sahlgrenska Academy, Göteborg University, Sweden. elisabet.stener-victorin@neuro.gu.se ABSTRACT: During the last five years the use of acupuncture in female infertility as an adjuvant to conventional treatment in assisted reproductive technology (ART) has increased in popularity. The present paper briefly discusses clinical and experimental data on the effect of acupuncture on uterine and ovarian blood flow, as an analgesic method during ART, and on endocrine and metabolic disturbances such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Further it gives a summary of recent studies evaluating the effect of acupuncture before and after embryo transfer on pregnancy outcome. Of the four published RCTs, three reveal significantly higher pregnancy rates in the acupuncture groups compared with the control groups. But the use of different study protocols makes it difficult to draw definitive conclusions. It seems, however, that acupuncture has a positive effect and no adverse effects on pregnancy outcome.
Published on Dec 24, 2006

Using moxibustion in primary healthcare to correct non-vertex presentation: a multicentre randomised controlled trial
Jorge Vas, José Manuel Aranda-Regules, Manuela Modesto, María Ramos-Monserrat, Mercedes Barón, Inmaculada Aguilar, Nicolás Benítez-Parejo, Carmen Ramírez-Carmona, Francisco Rivas-Ruiz, Acupunct Med 2013;31:31-38 doi:10.1136/acupmed-2012-010261 Conclusions:Moxibustion at acupuncture point BL67 is effective and safe to correct non-vertex presentation when used between 33 and 35 weeks of gestation. We believe that moxibustion represents a treatment option that should be considered to achieve version of the non-vertex fetus.
Published on Oct 26, 2012

Uterine involution after cesarean section promoted with acupuncture: a randomized controlled trial
Acupuncture promotes uterine contraction, reduces postpartum blood loss and lochia duration and benefits uterine involution after cesarean section.
Published on May 5, 2019

Whether vitamin D was associated with clinical outcome after IVF/ICSI: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Zhao J, Huang X, Xu B, Yan Y, Zhang Q, Li Y. 2018. Whether vitamin D was associated with clinical outcome after IVF/ICSI: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 16(1):13.
Published on Feb 14, 2018