acupuncture and moxibustion can help IVF-ET patients

In the article “Impacts on pregnancy outcome treated with acupuncture and moxibustion in IVF-ET patients”, researchers Chen Q and Hau C. concluded:
In IVF-ET treatment, acupuncture and moxibustion can affect estrogen level on hCG trigger day, improve number of high-quality embryos, endometrial blood flow state and morphology. Thus the endometrial receptivity is increased and the method is expected to be the assistant therapeutic approach for the improvement of IVF-ET outcome.”

Study Goals:
To observe the impacts on endometrial and pregnancy outcomes treated with acupuncture and moxibustion in the patients of in-vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) and explore the application value, of acupuncture and moxibustion in IVF-ET treatment.

Study Methology:
114 patients treated with standard IVF-ET long-term program at luteal phase were randomized into an observation group and a control group. Each group has 57 cases. In the observation group, at the beginning of ovulatory induction, moxibustion was applied to Shenque and acupuncture was to Zhongji, Guanyuan, Qihai , Zigong, Xuebai, etc. 3 sessions were applied. In the control group, no intervention of acupuncture and moxibustion was applied. The endometrial morphology, sub-endometrial blood flow index, the levels of serum estradiol (E2), progesterone (P) and luteinizing hormone (LH) on the day of injection of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), the dosage and time of gonadotropin (Gn), oocyte count, high-quality embryo number, embryo cultivation rate and clinical pregnant rate were observed in the two groups.

Study result:
as stated:”
The A type endometrial proportion on hCG day and high-quality embryo rate in the observation group were higher than those in the control group, indicating the significant differences (both P< 0.05). The difference in endometrial thickness on hCG day was not significant between the two groups (P> 0.05). In the observation group, endometrial hemodynamic index (peak systolic blood velocity/end-diastolic blood velocity, S/D), resistive index (RI) and pulse index (PI) were lower than those in the control group (P<0. 01, P<0. 05). The levels of serum E2 and P on hCG day in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (both P<0. 05). The differences were not significant in Gn dose, Gn medication time, numbers of follicles >1. 6 cm on hCG day, oocyte count, embryo cultivation rate and clinical pregnancy rate and LH level on hCG day between the two groups (all P>0. 05).”