2026 Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research
Sanyinjiao acupressure during contractions reduced labour pain in first-time mothers, offering a safe, low-cost complement to routine maternity care.
Acupuncture for Pregnancy Symptoms & Postnatal Depression
Pregnancy is a time of significant and rapid changes for a woman's body. The average length of pregnancy (gestation) is counted as 40 weeks, starting from the first day of the mother's last menstrual period.
The chance of miscarriage is highest in the first trimester (12 weeks) of pregnancy and any symptoms of threatened miscarriage including abdominal cramps and vaginal bleeding must be investigated promptly.
Diagnosing and managing symptoms of perinatal anxiety and depression during pregnancy is also important, as it can be a serious illness that affects up to one in five expecting or new mothers.
What does the research say?
The following insights are obtained from systematic reviews and analysis of clinical trials investigating the efficacy of Chinese medicine and acupuncture for pregnancy symptoms & postnatal depression.
2026 Experimental Cell Research
The active component in Tianma Gouteng Decoction, Gastrodin, offers protective effects against Preeclampsia by activating cellular signals while also suppressing harmful cell death.
2025 Sage Open Nursing
Spleen six acupressure may simultaneously ease labor pain, shorten labor, and improve mothers’ satisfaction without medication.
2024 Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health
Ice massage at a lower-leg pressure point reduced childbirth pain and anxiety while improving comfort without reported harm.
2024 Journal of Zhejiang University (Medical Sciences)
The Jianpi Antai formula can safely enhance embryo implantation, decrease the embryo miscarriage rate, and increase the live birth rate in infertile women undergoing in-vitro fertilization.
2024 Heliyon
Increased omega-3 intake significantly improves women's chances of pregnancy and fertilization rates.
2023 Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine
Acupuncture may have a positive impact on clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF), although the results are limited by the heterogeneity of the current evidence.
2022 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Traditional Chinese medicinal practices like acupuncture, moxibustion, and herbal remedies show therapeutic effects on infertility caused by endometrial factors.
2022 Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Aromatherapy, specifically lavender, appears to be an effective, affordable, and holistic approach to reducing the length of labour in expectant women.
2022 Explore: The Journal of Science & Healing
Inhalation and massage therapy with lavender essential oil significantly mitigates perceived labour pain in women.
2022 Frontiers in Endocrinology
PCOS patients suggests that combining acupuncture with metformin might enhance pregnancy and ovulation rates, as well as improve insulin resistance.
2022 Frontiers in Public Health
The study found that acupuncture as an adjuvant therapy for frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) in infertile women had positive effects on pregnancy outcomes.
2022 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Among patients with PCOS, the combined use of acupuncture and moxibustion as a complementary therapy has additional efficacy regarding increased pregnancy and ovulation rates and reduced miscarriage rate.
2021 Disease and Diagnosis
Lavender aromatherapy, whether administered through massage or inhalation, appears effective in reducing active phase labor pain.
2021 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
A total of 18 publications were included, all indicating improved PCOS symptoms with Chinese medicine compared to control groups.
2021 Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
The addition of CHM to clomiphene may improve pregnancy rates.
2021 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Acupuncture alone or traditional Chinese medicines (taken orally) in combination with western medicine significantly increased the pregnancy rate of PCOS patients and CAM was more effective than western medicine alone for improving hormone levels.
2021 World Journal of Acupuncture-Moxibustion
Acupuncture treatment for postpartum depression is effective and can improve Hamilton Depression (HAMD) Scale, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and serum estradiol scores.
2021 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Acupuncture is an effective approach for hyperemesis gravidarum and has a great potential to mitigate ketonuria, ease nausea and vomiting, increase food intake, and shorten the hospital stay.
2021 European Journal of Integrative Medicine
Acupuncture may have a positive effect on anxiety relief during IVF treatment, while its effect on depression relief is inconclusive.
2021 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Acupuncture therapy on patients with recurrent implantation failure can improve the pregnancy outcome of patients. It is a relatively effective treatment with satisfactory safety and suitable for clinical application.
2021 Frontiers in Public Health
Based on the current evidence, acupuncture appears to be beneficial to increase the clinical pregnancy rate in women undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer.
2020 Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciences
Aromatherapy, specifically with lavender essential oil, can effectively alleviate maternal anxiety and labor pain.
2020 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Lavender can decrease the severity of labor pain, which could influence health policy makers and gynecologists.
2020 Acupuncture in Medicine
Acupressure offers promising pain relief and shorter labor duration during childbirth.
2020 BioMed Research International
Endometriosis and Adenomyosis can have impact on miscarriage risk in pregnancy.
2020 Nature and Science of Sleep
Acupuncture was shown to significantly improve the sleep quality in pregnant women, possibly through increasing melatonin secretion.
2020 European Journal of Integrative Medicine
Compared with western medicine, acupuncture significantly increased the pregnancy and ovulation rates, as well as reducing the rate of miscarriages among Chinese women with infertility.
2020 Medicine
Acupuncture could promote the recovery of menstrual cycles as well as downregulate the levels of LH and testosterone in patients with PCOS.
2019 Acupuncture in Medicine
Electroacupuncture reduced labour pain in rats by suppressing spinal inflammatory signalling and uterine prostaglandin receptor activity.
2019 Japan Journal of Nursing Science
Pressure applied to the spleen six point during labour reduced pain, shortened the first stage, and improved maternal satisfaction compared with touch alone.
2019 Medicine
Traditional Chinese medicine, particularly Jia Wei Xiao Yao San, Yi Mu Cao and Si Wu Tang, are prevalently utilised treatments for Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) by Taiwanese women.
2019 Women and Birth
Aromatherapy significantly reduces labor pain and duration without impacting emergency caesarean section, membrane rupture, and the onset of spontaneous labor.
2019 BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Acupuncture shows promise in improving endometrial receptivity and fertility outcomes in infertile women, but further high-quality research is needed to establish its effectiveness definitively.
2019 BioMed Research International
Acupuncture could reduce Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD) scores for postpartum depression.
2019 Acupuncture in Medicine
The use of acupuncture as a monotherapy significantly improved the rate of pregnancy among the study participants compared with the use of clomiphene citrate alone.
2019 Reproductive BioMedicine Online
Acupuncture may have a significant effect on clinical pregnancy rates, independent of comparator group, when used in women who have had multiple previous IVF cycles, or where there was a low baseline pregnancy rate.
2019 BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Our analysis finds a benefit of acupuncture for IVF outcomes in women with a history of unsuccessful IVF attempt, and number of acupuncture treatments is a potential influential factor.
2019 Medicine
Acupuncture and its combined therapy may be effective for treating female infertility, however, the included studies are not robust enough to draw a firm conclusion.
2019 Journal of Gynecology Obstetrics and Human Reproduction
Acupuncture appears to be beneficial to women with poor ovarian reserve or with previous unsuccessful attempts of in vitro fertilization with embryo transfer.
2018 Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research
Applying pressure to a point above the ankle during labor reduced maternal anxiety and the need for pain-relieving and sedative medicines.
2018 Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Inhalation aromatherapy with Boswellia Carterii essential oil can significantly reduce labor pain intensity in nulliparous women.
2018 Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Cancer Research
Aromatherapy with lavender demonstrated effectiveness in reducing labor pain during childbirth.
2018 British Journal of Midwifery
Acupuncture in postpartum depression was at least as effective as fluoxetine hydrochloride, supporting the notion that acupuncture may be a safe and effective option.
2018 JBRA Assisted Reproduction
Acupuncture performed on the day of embryo transfer has a significant effect on embryo implantation, however, a negative one.
2018 European Journal of Integrative Medicine
Acupuncture treatment is beneficial in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for improving the clinical pregnancy, implantation, and live birth outcomes.
2018 Acupuncture in Medicine
Acupuncture appears to be effective for postpartum depression with respect to certain outcomes.
2017 Acupuncture in Medicine
Acupuncture may increase the clinical pregnancy rate and ongoing pregnancy rate and decrease the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome in women with PCOS undergoing IVF or ICSI.
2016 BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Acupoint stimulation shows promise in alleviating nausea and vomiting in pregnancy.
2016 Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics
Acupuncture improves the clinical pregnancy rate among women undergoing IVF and the IVF outcome results were significantly superior in the acupuncture group when acupuncture was conducted during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation.
2016 BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
Acupuncture was a feasible intervention and reduced threatened miscarriage symptoms when compared to a touch intervention.
2015 Complementary Therapies in Medicine
Our review suggests that management of female infertility with Chinese herbal medicine can improve pregnancy rates 2-fold within a 3-6 month period compared with Western medical fertility drug therapy.
2015 Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation
We found pooled benefit of acupuncture for IVF when performed at follicle phase and 25 min before and after embryo transfer, as well as 30 min after embryo transfer and implantation phase.
2015 Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
There is moderate‐quality evidence from individual studies suggesting that acupuncture improved pelvic pain more than usual prenatal care.
2014 Acupuncture in Medicine
Acupuncture during pregnancy appears to be associated with few adverse events when correctly applied.
2014 Journal of Advanced Nursing
Acupuncture showed both clinically important changes and statistically significant results for management of low back and/or pelvic pain (LBPP) in pregnancy.
2013 Medical Acupuncture
Acupuncture's efficacy in treating gynecologic and obstetric disorders
2013 Human Reproduction Update
The meta-analysis indicates that while adjuvant acupuncture does not show a pooled benefit for in vitro fertilization (IVF) across all trials, it appears to have a more significant effect in trials with lower baseline pregnancy rates, warranting further investigation and confirmation in additional studies.
2013 Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Despite its widespread use during assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycles, acupuncture does not appear to improve live birth or pregnancy rates in couples dealing with subfertility.
2013 Medical Acupuncture
There is high-level evidence to support the use of acupuncture for treating major depressive disorder in pregnancy.
2012 Fertility and Sterility
Acupuncture appears to improve clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate in women undergoing in vitro fertilization, but the choice of control used in studies may influence the outcomes.
2012 The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
The meta-analysis suggests that acupuncture does not provide significant benefits in improving the outcomes of in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatments.
2012 BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies have the potential to provide supportive care for women presenting with threatened miscarriage.
2010 BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Acupuncture ineffective for labour pain relief:
Seek personalised healthcare and advice
Although well-conducted clinical research can help members of the public to make better-informed decisions about their healthcare, we cannot claim that any particular treatment may be effective for any individual person.
When you consult with our Chinese medicine practitioners, you’ll receive personalised advice and treatment based on your symptoms and Chinese medicine diagnosis.
Research papers
Browse our collection of scientific clinical research on acupuncture for pregnancy symptoms & postnatal depression.
It includes recent and reputable papers published by peer-reviewed journals within the last 10 years.
2026, May
Effects of SP6 Acupressure on Labor Pain During Childbirth Among Nulliparous Women: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research
Sanyinjiao acupressure reduced labor pain and was a safe, noninvasive, and cost-effective supportive midwifery practice alongside routine obstetric care among nulliparous women.
Basnett A, Devi B, Giri D Full Article
2026, Jan
Gastrodin produces therapeutic effects against preeclampsia by activating Wnt 3a signaling and inhibiting ferroptosis
Experimental Cell Research
Tianma Gouteng Decoction (TGD), specifically Gastrodin (Gtd), was found to upregulate Wnt 3a/β-catenin signaling, leading to increased expression of β-catenin-controlled target genes and suppression of ferroptosis, ultimately providing a potential new therapy for preeclampsia.
Xu Q, Xuan G, Zhu C, Zhu B, An Z, Jin M, Tang C Full Article
2025, Jul 28
Effect of Spleen 6 Point Acupressure on Severity of Labor Pain, Duration of Labor, and Women’s Satisfaction
Sage Open Nursing
Spleen 6 point acupressure reduced labor pain, shortened labor duration, and was associated with high maternal satisfaction.
Salama SI, Abo-Shabana KR, Yousif AM, Said NE Full Article
2024, Jan 15
The Effect of Ice Massage Applied to the SP6 Point on Labor Pain, Labor Comfort, Labor Duration, and Anxiety: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health
Ice application to the SP6 point during the first stage of childbirth reduced labor pain and anxiety and increased comfort without causing adverse events, indicating that it is a safe and effective midwifery intervention.
Türkmen H, Çetinkaya S, Kiliç H, Tuna SD, Şirvanci M, Mutlu H Full Article
2024, May 01
Chinese medicine Jianpi Antai formula improves pregnancy outcomes of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer in infertile women
Journal of Zhejiang University (Medical Sciences)
Jianpi Antai formula can safely improve the embryo implantation rate in infertile women undergoing IVF-ET, reduce the embryo miscarriage rate, increase the live birth rate, and improve the clinical outcomes.
LIU Q, LIN F, MIAO C, LI C, WEN G, ZHANG S, ZHANG Q Full Article
2024, Apr
Effect of omega-3 supplements or diets on fertility in women: A meta-analysis
Heliyon
Omega-3 intake significantly improves women's pregnancy and fertilization rates, with aggregated odds ratios of 1.74, 1.36, and 2.14 for women who received fertility treatment, those who conceived naturally, and fertilization rate, respectively.
Trop-Steinberg S, Gal M, Azar Y, Kilav-Levin R, Heifetz EM Full Article
2023, Oct 10
Pregnancy Benefit of Acupuncture on in vitro Fertilization: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine
This review suggests that acupuncture especially for transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) improved clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) and live birth rate (LBR) among IVF women. However, prudence in interpreting its clinical meanings should be exercised because the associations seemingly suggested not a substantially significant benefit.
Zhang H, Zhang C, Ma P, Sun C, Sun C, Liu X, Pu Z, Lin Y, Liu B, Liu C, Yan S Full Article
2022, Sept 07
The Treatment of Complementary and Alternative Medicine on Female Infertility Caused by Endometrial Factors
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
In conclusion, CAM therapy has certain advantages in the treatment of infertility caused by endometrial factors. Although it is not the main intervention and treatment measure for infertility caused by endometrial factors, it is still being more widely used because it can restore the physiological function of endometrium, improve the pregnancy rate, adjust the psychological state of women, and improve the quality of life.
Lin J, Ma H, Li H, Han J, Guo T, Qin Z, Jia L, Zhang Y Full Article
2022, Aug 18
Effectiveness of aromatherapy in reducing duration of labour: a systematic review
Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Some aromatherapies, such as lavender, can effectively reduce the length of labor and offer an inexpensive, holistic method for labor augmentation, though they should be used with caution.
Ghiasi A, Bagheri L, Sharaflari F Full Article
2022, Aug
Determining the effect of inhalation and lavender essential oil massage therapy on the severity of perceived labor pain in primiparous women: A randomized controlled trial
Explore: The Journal of Science & Healing
Inhalation and massage therapy applied using lavender essential oil contributed to the alleviation of perceived labor pain. For this reason, massage therapy and inhalation applications using lavender oil are recommended to be applied by midwives as a complementary method to adapt to labor pain during delivery.
Karatopuk S, Yarıcı F Full Article
2022, Aug 29
Acupuncture combined with metformin versus metformin alone to improve pregnancy rate in polycystic ovary syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Frontiers in Endocrinology
Based on the results of this study, compared with metformin alone, acupuncture combined with metformin has a positive effect on pregnancy rate, ovulation rate, and insulin resistance in PCOS. However, due to the limitations regarding the number and quality of the included studies, the above conclusions need to be verified by further high-quality studies.
Chen X, Lan Y, Yang L, Liu Y, Li H, Zhu X, Zhao Y, Long C, Wang M, Xie Q, Li Z, Wu J Full Article
2022, Sept 09
Effects of acupuncture on the pregnancy outcomes of frozen-thawed embryo transfer: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Frontiers in Public Health
Acupuncture could be instrumental in the pregnancy outcomes of FET, and has very few risks of severe adverse events; however, the quality of evidence is unsatisfactory. Further research with rigorous methodological quality should be considered, and the protocols of acupuncture also need more investigations
Zhu C, Xia W, Huang J, Zhang X, Li F, Yu X, Ma J, Zeng Q Full Article
2022, Mar 31
Effects of Acupuncture Combined with Moxibustion on Reproductive and Metabolic Outcomes in Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Among patients with PCOS, using acupuncture combined with moxibustion as a complementary therapy to basic treatments can improve pregnancy, ovulation, and miscarriage rates, the levels some sex hormones, and metabolic indicators, with good safety. Additionally, this combination therapy may have no effect on the FSH, oestradiol, or dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate level.
Li P, Peng J, Ding Z, Zhou X, Liang R Full Article
2021, Sept 30
Effect of Aromatherapy with Lavender on Labor Pain: A Literature Review
Disease and Diagnosis
Although the results of this study showed that lavender aromatherapy suppressed labor pain, more detailed randomized clinical trials with higher precision are needed to achieve an accurate outcome for data generalization regarding the use of labor pain management.
Hatami Rad R Full Article
2021, May 28
An Overview of Systematic Reviews of Using Chinese Medicine to Treat Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
At present, only low-quality evidence is available to suggest that combined treatment with Chinese and Western medicine is superior to Western medicine alone in improving the pregnancy rate, ovulation rate, serum hormone levels, and adverse effects of patients with PCOS. Future clinical trials and reviews of higher quality are recommended to clarify the efficacy of Chinese medicine and provide more accurate evidence.
Wang L, Liang R, Tang Q, Zhu L Full Article
2021, Jun 04
Chinese herbal medicine for subfertile women with polycystic ovarian syndrome
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Cochrane
There is insufficient evidence to support the use of CHM for subfertile women with PCOS. No data are available on live birth. We are uncertain of the effect of CHM on pregnancy rates for there is no consistent evidence to indicate that CHM influences fertility outcomes. However, we find that the addition of CHM to clomiphene may improve pregnancy rates, but there is very limited, low certainty evidence for this outcome. Furthermore, there is insufficient evidence on adverse effects to indicate whether CHM is safe. In the future, well‐designed, carefully conducted RCTs are needed, with a particular focus on the live birth rate and other safety indexes.
Zhou K, Zhang J, Xu L, Lim CED Full Article
2021, Apr 30
Complementary and Alternative Medicine for the Treatment of Abnormal Endometrial Conditions in Women with PCOS: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) may effectively ameliorate the endometrial condition of PCOS patients, and it can regulate the level of hormone secretion to increase the ovulation rate and the pregnancy rate.
Jiayu Hu, Wenhua Shi, Jiayue Xu, Shaoxuan Liu, Siya Hu, Wenjing Fu, Jing Wang and Fengjuan Han Full Article
2021, Jan
Meta analysis on acupuncture for postpartum depression
World Journal of Acupuncture-Moxibustion World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies
Acupuncture treatment for postpartum depression is effective compared with western medication. However, more high-quality clinical randomized controlled trials larger sample sizes are still needed to verify the result.
WANG, J., TAN, L., MEI, Q., ZHENG, Q., YANG, S., & MEI, Z. Full Article
2021, Jul 28
Effectiveness of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Hyperemesis Gravidarum: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Our study suggested that acupuncture was effective in treating HG. However, as the potential inferior quality and underlying publication bias were found in the included studies, there is a need for more superior-quality RCTs to examine their effectiveness and safety.
Haizhen Lu, Chengwen Zheng, Yanmei Zhong, Linhao Cheng, Yi Zhou Full Article
2021, Feb
Effects of acupuncture on the relief of anxiety and/or depression during in vitro fertilization: A systematic review and meta-analysis
European Journal of Integrative Medicine
The study indicated high efficacy of acupuncture treatments for IVF patients. The systematic review highlighted that patients were more likely to have reduced anxiety levels and improvements of release in hormones such as cortisol and neurotransmitters such as nore- pinephrine . Therefore increases the chances of fertility and pregnancy.
Ye JY, He YJ, Zhan MJ, Qu F Full Article
2021, Feb 04
The Effects of Acupuncture on Pregnancy Outcomes of Recurrent Implantation Failure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
The results of meta-analysis show that for the outcome measurements including clinical pregnancy rate, biochemical pregnancy rate, embryo implantation rate, and endometrial thickness, the use of acupuncture in the treatment group is higher than the sham or nonacupuncture group, in which the difference is statistically significant.
Li, M., Liu, Y., Wang, H., Zheng, S., Deng, Y., & Li, Y. Full Article
2021, Apr 20
An Overview of Systematic Reviews of Acupuncture for Infertile Women Undergoing in vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer
Frontiers in Public Health
Based on the current evidence, acupuncture appeared to be beneficial to increase the clinical pregnancy rates, on-going pregnancy rates and live birth rates in IVF females. The study also reported that acupuncture was more superior than no adjunctive treatment on miscarriage rate reduction, thus increasing the chances of overall pregnancy.
Wang X, Wang Y, Wei S, He B, Cao Y, Zhang N, Li M Full Article
2020, May 01
The Effectiveness of Aromatherapy in the Management of Labor Pain and Anxiety: A Systematic Review
Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciences
Aromatherapy, using methods such as inhalation, massage, and footbath with essential oils like lavender, has shown positive effects in reducing both labor pain and anxiety, supporting its role as a complementary and alternative medicine during childbirth.
Mahbubeh Tabatabaeichehr , Hamed Mortazavi Full Article
2020, Nov 11
The Effect of Lavender (Lavandula stoechas L.) on Reducing Labor Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
The results of this study showed that lavender can reduce labor pain, which can be considered by health policy makers and gynecologists.
Kazeminia M, Abdi A, Vaisi-Raygani A, Jalali R, Shohaimi S, Daneshkhah A, Salari N, Mohammadi M Full Article
2020, Aug 18
Acupressure for labor pain management: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Acupuncture in Medicine British Medical Acupuncture Society
Moderate evidence indicates that acupressure may have promising effects on labor pain and duration. However, high-quality trials to verify these findings are warranted.
Chen Y, Xiang XY, Chin KHR, Gao J, Wu J, Lao L, Chen H Full Article
2020, Dec 8
Miscarriage on Endometriosis and Adenomyosis in Women by Assisted Reproductive Technology or with Spontaneous Conception: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
BioMed Research International
Women with endometriosis had an augmented miscarriage risk in SC and a similar miscarriage risk during ART. Adenomyosis was associated with miscarriage in pregnant women using ART.
Yangxue Huang, Xianhong Zhao, Yiyuan Chen, Jie Wang, Weilin Zheng, Lixing Cao Full Article
2020, May 13
Effect of Acupuncture on Pregnancy-Related Insomnia and Melatonin: A Single-Blinded, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Nature and Science of Sleep
Acupuncture was shown to significantly improve the sleep quality in pregnant women, possibly through increasing melatonin secretion, and could be recommended as a low-cost and low-risk alternative treatment to pharmacological therapies.
Foroughinia S, Hessami K, Asadi N, Foroughinia L, Hadianfard M, Hajihosseini A, Pirasteh N, Vossoughi M, Vafaei H, Faraji A, Kasraeian M, Doroudchi M, Rafiee Monjezi M, Roozmeh S, Bazrafshan K. Full Article
2020, Dec
Effectiveness of different acupuncture for infertility: Overview of systematic reviews and network meta-analysis
European Journal of Integrative Medicine
The study showcased that acupuncture significantly increased the pregnancy and ovulation rates compared to no acupuncture group. The patients reported to have reduced rate of miscarriages and increased endometrial thickness. The overall review highlights the significant effectiveness of acupuncture for successful IVF process.
Zhang, J., He, Y., Liu, Y., Huang, X., & Yu, H. Full Article
2020, May 29
Effectiveness of acupuncture in polycystic ovary syndrome
Medicine
There was insufficient evidence to support that acupuncture could promote live birth, pregnancy, and ovulation. However, acupuncture could promote the recovery of menstrual cycles as well as downregulate the levels of LH and testosterone in patients with PCOS.
Wu J, Chen D, Liu N Full Article
2019, Apr
Electroacupuncture for pain relief in labour inhibits spinal p38 MAPK-mediated prostaglandin E2 release and uterine prostaglandin E2 receptor expression in rats
Acupuncture in Medicine British Medical Acupuncture Society
This study indicates that electroacupuncture relieves labour pain in rats, at least partly, by inhibiting spinal p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase-mediated prostaglandin E2 release and uterine prostaglandin E2 receptor expression.
Jiang GX, Jiang QY, Mo HX, Li L, Wang MY Full Article
2019, Oct 15
The effect of acupressure on labor pain and the duration of labor when applied to the SP6 point: Randomized clinical trial
Japan Journal of Nursing Science
Application of acupressure at SP6 positively affected pregnant women's labor experience by reducing labor pain, shortening the duration of the first stage of labor, and increasing satisfaction compared with touching SP6 alone.
Türkmen H, Çeber Turfan E Full Article
2019, Jun
The prescription patterns of traditional Chinese medicine for women with polycystic ovary syndrome in Taiwan
Medicine
Our study identified the characteristics and prescription patterns of TCM for patients with PCOS in Taiwan. We may need do further longitudinal research for TCM and its long-term response for improvement of pregnancy rate and reduction of metabolic disease rate.
Lin MJ, Chen HW, Liu PH, Cheng WJ, Kuo SL, Kao MC Full Article
2019, Aug
Labour pain control by aromatherapy: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
Women and Birth Australian College of Midwives
Aromatherapy is effective in reducing labor pain and duration, and is generally safe for mothers, although further trials with more stringent designs are needed to confirm these findings.
Chen SF, Wang CH, Chan PT, Chiang HW, Hu TM, Tam KW, Loh EW Full Article
2019, Mar 13
Acupuncture in improving endometrial receptivity: a systematic review and meta-analysis
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
The academic research indicated that acupuncture has a high efficacy in patients with low endometrial receptivity. Patients reported to have high double continuous pregnancy rate in the luteal phase. It also showed to improve the endometrial morphology, promote the microcirculation of the film inside the uterus and increase pregnancy rate.
Zhong, Y., Zeng, F., Liu, W. et al. Full Article
2019, Mar 20
Effectiveness of Acupuncture Used for the Management of Postpartum Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
BioMed Research International
Our meta-analysis suggested that acupuncture treatment may reduce HAMD scores, while no significant effects on EPDS, clinical response, and serum estradiol levels were observed.
Li W, Yin P, Lao L, Xu S Full Article
2019, Oct 03
Acupuncture and clomiphene citrate for anovulatory infertility: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Acupuncture in Medicine British Medical Acupuncture Society
The use of acupuncture as a monotherapy significantly improved the rate of pregnancy among the study participants compared with the use of CC alone. However, any results drawn from these studies should be interpreted with caution when considering the context of clinical practice.
Gao R, Guo B, Bai J, Wu Y, Wu K Full Article
2019, Jan 02
Acupuncture performed around the time of embryo transfer: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Reproductive BioMedicine Online
Acupuncture may have a significant effect on clinical pregnancy rates, independent of comparator group, when used in women who have had multiple previous IVF cycles, or where there was a low baseline pregnancy rate.
Smith, C. A., Armour, M., Shewamene, Z., Tan, H. Y., Norman, R. J., & Johnson, N. P. Full Article
2019, Jun 14
The effects of acupuncture on pregnancy outcomes of in vitro fertilization: a systematic review and meta-analysis
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
This review indicates that acupuncture improves clinical pregnancy rate among women with a history of unsuccessful IVF attempt, and number of acupuncture treatments is a potential influential factor. The study also indicated that electroacupuncture can be considered an alternative to hormone drugs in increasing the success rate of IVF.
Xie Z, Peng Z, Yao B, Chen L, Mu Y, Cheng J, Li Q, Luo X, Yang P, Xia Y Full Article
2019, Jul
Acupuncture for infertile women without undergoing assisted reproductive techniques (ART)
Medicine
This systematic review and meta analysis of randomised control trials indicated that acupuncture is significantly effective in improving pregnancy rate, ovulation rate, LH, and endometrial thickness. The result showed that acupuncture with combined therapy is more effective than clomiphene citrate (oral medication for fertility). This further indicate that acupuncture can provide an alternative choice with fewer side effects for ovulation induction.
Yun L, Liqun W, Shuqi Y, Chunxiao W, Liming L, Wei Y Full Article
2019, Oct
The effects of acupuncture on pregnancy outcomes of in vitro fertilization with embryo transfer: An interdisciplinary systematic review
Journal of Gynecology Obstetrics and Human Reproduction
This system review indicated that acupuncture appears to be beneficial to women with poor ovarian reserve or with previous unsuccessful attempts of IVF-ET.
Gu, Y.-E., Zhang, X., Zhang, Q., Dai, M.-C., Wu, Y., Zhou, Y., & Qu, F. Full Article
2018
The effect of acupressure at spleen 6 acupuncture point on the anxiety level and sedative and analgesics consumption of women during labor: A randomized, single-blind clinical trial
Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research
Compression of the Spleen 6 acupoint was an effective complementary method for decreasing maternal anxiety and analgesic consumption, especially pethidine.
Alipour Z, Samadi P, Lamyian M Full Article
2018, Jan
The effects of inhalation aromatherapy with Boswellia carterii essential oil on the intensity of labor pain among nulliparous women
Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Inhalation aromatherapy with BC essential oil was found to significantly reduce labor pain intensity in nulliparous women compared to the control group, indicating its potential as a nonpharmacological intervention for pain relief during the first stage of labor.
Esmaelzadeh-Saeieh S, Rahimzadeh M, Khosravi-Dehaghi N, Torkashvand S Full Article
2018, Feb 01
An Update on the Effect of Massage and Inhalation Aromatherapy with Lavender on Labor Pain Relief: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Cancer Research
Using aromatherapy with lavender among pregnant women reduces the labor pain.
Mirzaiinajmabadi K, Makvandi S, Mirteimoori M, Sadeghi R, , , , Full Article
2018, Oct 3
Acupuncture versus antidepressants in the management of postpartum depression: A systematic review
British Journal of Midwifery
Acupuncture in postpartum depression was at least as effective as fluoxetine hydrochloride, supporting the notion that acupuncture may be a safe and effective option.
Akari Komori, David Arthur, Samara Radford, Hsiewe Ying Tan, Li Zheng, Mira An, Rika Umeda, and Zhen Zheng Full Article
2018, Nov 1
Does acupuncture the day of embryo transfer affect the clinical pregnancy rate? Systematic review and meta-analysis
JBRA Assisted Reproduction Brazilian Society of Assisted Reproduction
This study showed that acupuncture performed on the day of embryo transfer decreases significantly the risk of achieving a pregnancy.
Schwarze, J.-E., Ceroni, J. P., Ortega-Hrepich, C., Villa, S., Crosby, J., & Pommer, R. Full Article
2018, Oct
Effects of acupuncture during in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis
European Journal of Integrative Medicine
Acupuncture treatment is beneficial in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for improving the clinical pregnancy, implantation, and live birth outcomes.
Zhang X, Lee MS, Smith CA, Robinson N, Zhou Y, Wu Y, Mao YY, Qu F Full Article
2018, Oct 1
Effectiveness of Acupuncture in Postpartum Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Acupuncture in Medicine British Medical Acupuncture Society
The result of this meta-analysis demonstrated that the acupuncture group had a significantly greater overall effective rate compared with the control group. Moreover, acupuncture significantly increased oestradiol levels compared with the control group. Acupuncture appears to be effective for postpartum depression with respect to certain outcomes.
Li S, Zhong W, Peng W, Jiang G Full Article
2017, Jun 1
Effectiveness of Acupuncture in Women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Undergoing in Vitro Fertilisation Or Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Acupuncture in Medicine British Medical Acupuncture Society
This review indicated that acupuncture may increase the clinical pregnancy rate and ongoing pregnancy rate and decrease the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) in women with PCOS undergoing IVF or ICSI.
Jo J, Lee YJ Full Article
2016, Jan 13
Effect of acustimulation on nausea and vomiting and on hyperemesis in pregnancy: a systematic review of Western and Chinese literature
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Although there is some evidence for an effect of acustimulation on nausea and vomiting or hyperemesis in pregnancy, results are not conclusive. Future clinical trials with a rigorous design and large sample sizes should be conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of these interventions for NVP and HG.
Van den Heuvel, E., Goossens, M., Vanderhaegen, H. et al. Full Article
2016, Dec 19
Therapeutic effect of acupuncture on the outcomes of in vitro fertilization: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gynäkologie und Geburtshilfe
This review shows that acupuncture improves the clinical pregnancy rate among women undergoing IVF. Optimal effect can be achieved with electroacupuncture, especially in Asian area.
Qian, Y., Xia, X.-R., Ochin, H., Huang, C., Gao, C., Gao, L., Cui, Y.-G., Liu, J.-Y., & Meng, Y. Full Article
2016, Oct 17
Does acupuncture have a role in the treatment of threatened miscarriage? Findings from a feasibility randomised trial and semi-structured participant interviews
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
Forty women were successfully randomised. For women receiving acupuncture there was a statically significant reduction with threatened miscarriage symptoms including bleeding, cramping and back pain compared with the control. Acupuncture was a feasible intervention and reduced threatened miscarriage symptoms when compared to a touch intervention. Further research is required to further explore acupuncture use for this common complication and whether it can reduce the incidence of miscarriage.
Betts D, Smith CA, Dahlen HG. Full Article
2015, Jan 3
Chinese herbal medicine for female infertility: an updated meta-analysis
Complementary Therapies in Medicine
Our review suggests that management of female infertility with Chinese herbal medicine can improve pregnancy rates 2-fold within a 3-6 month period compared with Western medical fertility drug therapy. In addition, fertility indicators such as ovulation rates, cervical mucus score, biphasic basal body temperature, and appropriate thickness of the endometrial lining were positively influenced by CHM therapy, indicating an ameliorating physiological effect conducive for a viable pregnancy.
Ried K. Full Article
2015, Jan
The Role of Acupuncture in in vitro Fertilization: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation
This study showed that acupuncture increased pregnancy rates when performed at follicle phase, 25 min before and after embryo transfer, or 30 min after embryo transfer and after the implantation phase in the IVF process.
Shen C.,Wu M., Shu D., Zhao X. and Gao Y. Full Article
2015, Sept 30
Interventions for preventing and treating low-back and pelvic pain during pregnancy
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Cochrane
There is low‐quality evidence that exercise (any exercise on land or in water), may reduce pregnancy‐related low‐back pain and moderate‐ to low‐quality evidence suggesting that any exercise improves functional disability and reduces sick leave more than usual prenatal care. Evidence from single studies suggests that acupuncture or craniosacral therapy improves pregnancy‐related pelvic pain, and osteomanipulative therapy or a multi‐modal intervention (manual therapy, exercise and education) may also be of benefit. Clinical heterogeneity precluded pooling of results in many cases. Statistical heterogeneity was substantial in all but three meta‐analyses, which did not improve following sensitivity analyses. Publication bias and selective reporting cannot be ruled out. Further evidence is very likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimates of effect and change the estimates. Studies would benefit from the introduction of an agreed classification system that can be used to categorise women according to their presenting symptoms, so that treatment can be tailored accordingly.
Liddle SD, Pennick V Full Article
2014, Jun 1
The Safety of Acupuncture during Pregnancy: A Systematic Review
Acupuncture in Medicine British Medical Acupuncture Society
Acupuncture during pregnancy appears to be associated with few adverse events when correctly applied.
Park J, Sohn Y, White AR, Lee H. Full Article
2014, Mar 9
A systematic review investigating the effectiveness of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) for the management of low back and/or pelvic pain (LBPP) in pregnancy
Journal of Advanced Nursing
Amongst Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), acupuncture showed both clinically important changes and statistically significant results for management of low back and/or pelvic pain (LBPP) in pregnancy.
Close C, Sinclair M, Liddle SD, Madden E, McCullough JE, Hughes C. Full Article
2013, Dec
Efficacy and Safety of Needle Acupuncture for Treating Gynecologic and Obstetric Disorders: An Overview
Medical Acupuncture American Academy of Medical Acupuncture
Evidence for the efficacy of needle acupuncture for treating the disorders showed promising results for reducing pelvic and back pain during pregnancy and climacteric vasomotor symptoms.
Selva Olid A, Martinez Zapata MJ, Sola I, Stojanovic Z, Uriona Tuma SM, Bonfill Cosp X. Full Article
2013, Jun 27
The effects of acupuncture on rates of clinical pregnancy among women undergoing in vitro fertilization: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Human Reproduction Update European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
In this study, only the baseline pregnancy rate variable showed a statistically significant subgroup effect and appeared to explain most of the heterogeneity in the results for the primary outcome measure (clinical pregnancy). No statistically significant pooled benefits of one to three sessions of acupuncture adjuvant to IVF, across all trials was found.
Manheimer, E. ., van der Windt, D., Cheng, K., Stafford, K., Liu, J. ., Tierney, J., Lao, L. ., Berman, B. ., Langenberg, P., & Bouter, L. Full Article
2013, Jul 26
Acupuncture and assisted reproductive technology
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Cochrane
This updated review reports no evidence of overall benefit of acupuncture in improving live birth rate (LBR) when acupuncture was performed around the time of oocyte retrieval or on and around the day of ET. However, in studies with controls without sham or needling, women who had acupuncture on and around the day of ET had a higher LBR than the control. Although there was no evidence that acupuncture had an effect on miscarriage rates or other treatment side effects but it is advised to practice safely.
Cheong YC, Dix S, Hung Yu Ng E, Ledger WL, Farquhar C Full Article
2013, Jan
Acupuncture for Treating Anxiety and Depression in Women: A Clinical Systematic Review
Medical Acupuncture American Academy of Medical Acupuncture
With respect to six reviewed studies, there is high-level evidence to support the use of acupuncture for treating major depressive disorder in pregnancy.
Sniezek DP, Siddiqui IJ. Full Article
2012, Jan 12
Effects of acupuncture on pregnancy rates in women undergoing in vitro fertilization: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Fertility and Sterility
The study indicated that acupuncture improves clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate among women undergoing IVF. The acupuncture group showed higher biochemical pregnancy rate and live birth rates compared to the control group.
Zheng, C. H., Huang, G. Y., Zhang, M. M., & Wang, W. Full Article
2012, May 17
Effects of Acupuncture on the Outcomes of In Vitro Fertilization: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine Society for Acupuncture Research
This study did not find any significant benefits of acupuncture to improve the outcomes of in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment.
Qu, F., Zhou, J., & Ren, R.-X. Full Article
2012, Mar 22
Acupuncture as a therapeutic treatment option for threatened miscarriage
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
While it is known that 50-70% of miscarriages occur due to chromosomal abnormalities, the potential for therapeutic intervention amongst the remaining percentage of women remains unknown. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies have the potential to provide supportive care for women presenting with threatened miscarriage. Within fertility research, acupuncture demonstrates beneficial hormonal responses with decreased miscarriage rates, raising the possibility acupuncture may promote specific beneficial effects in early pregnancy. With the lack of current medical options for women presenting with threatened miscarriage it is timely to examine the possible treatment benefits of providing CAM therapies such as acupuncture.
Betts D, Smith CA, Hannah DG. Full Article
2010, Jun 8
Acupuncture for pain relief in labour: a systematic review and meta-analysis
BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists
The evidence from RCTs does not support the use of acupuncture for controlling labour pain. The primary studies are diverse and often flawed. Further research seems warranted.
S-H Cho, H Lee, E Ernst Full Article
It is by virtue of the twelve channels that human life exists, that disease arises, that human beings can be treated and illness cured. The twelve channels are where beginners start and masters end.