2022 Frontiers in Endocrinology
PCOS patients suggests that combining acupuncture with metformin might enhance pregnancy and ovulation rates, as well as improve insulin resistance.
Acupuncture for Women's Health
For thousands of years Chinese medicine has cared about the physical and emotional health symptoms of women throughout all stages of their lives.
Women can experience a wide range of symptoms related to their menstruation including irregular cycles, period pain and endometriosis, pre-menstrual tension and menopausal syndrome which can greatly affect their quality of life each month.
Any unusually late periods or absence of menstruation (amenorrhoea) should be investigated for possible pregnancy or other medical causes such as PCOS.
What is our clinical experience?
Based on feedback collected from over 858 initial appointments for Irregular Menstruation & Period Pain, 95% of our surveyed patients reported improved quality of life after their first 6 appointments. See our detailed benchmarking statistics.
InitialConsults
858
AverageAppointments
6
ImprovedQuality of Life
95%
Refer Family &Friends
96%
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 women's health.
2022 Medicine
High prevalence of insomnia, anxiety, and depression among perimenopausal women, emphasizing the importance of exploring acupuncture as a potential green therapy for effectively addressing these interconnected issues.
2021 European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology
Phytoestrogens, used in various forms, have shown improvement in urogenital menopause symptoms and improved women's sexual function, promoting overall quality of life.
2021 Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
The addition of CHM to clomiphene may improve pregnancy rates.
2021 Acupuncture in Medicine
Acupuncture's potential in reducing menopausal hot flush frequency compared to sham acupuncture, and its similarity in impacting hormone levels to hormone therapy.
2021 Frontiers in Medicine
Adding acupuncture to conventional therapy may decrease the subsequent endometriosis risk in female rheumatoid arthritis patients.
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.
2020 BioMed Research International
Endometriosis and Adenomyosis can have impact on miscarriage risk in pregnancy.
2020 Explore: The Journal of Science & Healing
Modified Tao-Hong Siwu Tang (MTST) appears more effective than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and a combination of Tao-Hong Siwu Tang with oral contraceptives (OCs) offers benefits over OCs alone for treating primary dysmenorrhea.
2020 Complementary Therapies in Medicine
Acupuncture enhances Luteinized Unruptured Follicle Syndrome (LUFS) ovulation, hormone levels, artery characteristics.
2020 Frontiers in Pharmacology
Herbal medicines were shown to normalize female hormones, diminish male hormones, recover the estrous cycle, ameliorate insulin resistance, and improve lipid metabolism in PCOS.
2020 BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Acupuncture appeared to be beneficial for treatment and prophylaxis of recurrent urinary tract infections.
2020 Deutsches Arzteblatt International
Acupuncture may be considered in patients with persistent, idiopathic vulvar pruritus.
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 Journal of Acupuncture and Tuina Science
The present study indicated that acupuncture had an advantage over hormone replacement therapy in reducing serum FSH level and increasing serum E2 level in women with premature ovarian insufficiency.
2019 Biomedicines
Guizhi Fuling Wan, a traditional herbal formula, can improve peripheral blood flow in menopausal hot flush sufferers, despite not changing the frequency or severity of the flushes.
2019 JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports
Breast massage eases pain and symptoms in breastfeeding problems.
2019 DARU Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Range of herbs like Cinnamomum verum, Trigonella foenum-graecum L., and Vitex agnus-castus, which can potentially address various PCOS-related concerns such as menstrual irregularities, obesity, and insulin resistance.
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 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.
2019 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
This systematic review shows that the overall effectiveness of acupuncture treatment of premenstrual syndrome is superior to that of sham acupuncture and related medications.
2018 Journal of Clinical Medicine
Aromatherapy (via inhalation, massage, or oral use) appears to be more effective than a placebo for pain reduction in primary dysmenorrhea.
2018 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Despite some indications of improved clinical pregnancy rates, the overall effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment for couples with subfertility undergoing assisted reproduction therapy remains inconclusive and requires further high-quality research.
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 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
There is potential of acupuncture combined with conventional treatment for treating female chronic pelvic pain.
2018 Acupuncture in Medicine
Acupuncture appears to be effective for postpartum depression with respect to certain outcomes.
2017 Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics
Results support Wenjing decoction (a traditional Chinese medicine) clinical use in treating primary dysmenorrhea.
2017 Complementary Medicine Research
Both the total score and the subgroup analysis strongly indicated that acupuncture can alleviate menopause-related symptoms.
2017 PLOS One
Acupuncture is non-inferior to hormone therapy or other applied relaxation therapies in alleviating the symptoms of menopause for its safety, non-invasive and especially considering the side effect of hormone therapy.
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 European Journal of Integrative Medicine
Acupuncture may have a positive impact on recovering menstrual cycles, reducing BMI, and lowering luteinizing hormone (LH) levels in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
2016 Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem
The study's analysis of 272 articles comparing Traditional Chinese Acupuncture (TCA) and Sham Acupuncture (SA) for managing hot flashes in menopausal breast cancer patients indicates that while 3 studies leaned towards TCA's effectiveness, 2 showed both interventions to be beneficial.
2016 Maturitas
Meta-analysis showed that Danggui Shaoyao San had superior effects compared to analgesics for treating primary dysmenorrhea.
2016 Journal of Pain Research
Acupuncture could be tried as a complement in the treatment of pain in endometriosis as it is an overall safe treatment.
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 Neurourology and Urodynamics
Acupuncture has promising efficacy for patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.
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 Menopause
Acupuncture improves hot flash frequency and severity, menopause-related symptoms, and quality of life (in the vasomotor domain) in women experiencing natural menopause.
2015 The Journal of Sexual Medicine
Acupuncture appeared to reduce vulvar pain and dyspareunia with an increase in overall sexual function for women with vulvodynia.
2014 2014 IEEE Workshop on Electronics, Computer and Applications
Acupuncture shows promise in treating polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
2014 Acupuncture in Medicine
Acupuncture during pregnancy appears to be associated with few adverse events when correctly applied.
2013 Neuropediatrics
Hop extract, particularly its component 8-Prenylnaringenin (8-PN), demonstrates potential in alleviating symptoms common in menopause such as osteoporosis, vasomotoric disturbances, and sexual motivation.
2013 Medical Acupuncture
Acupuncture's efficacy in treating gynecologic and obstetric disorders
2013 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Limited evidence supporting the benefit of acupressure in alleviating menstrual pain and reducing symptoms.
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.
2011 Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Acupuncture shows potential for reducing dysmenorrhoea scores in endometriosis patients.
2011 BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Acupuncture seems promising for symptom improvement in women with premenstrual syndrome.
2010 Complementary Therapies in Medicine
Study finds acupuncture for PMS holds promise.
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 women's health.
It includes recent and reputable papers published by peer-reviewed journals within the last 10 years.
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, Jan 14
Can acupuncture improve sleep quality and anxiety among women during perimenopause?
Medicine
This study will provide new evidence on the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for the treatment of insomnia, anxiety, and depression in perimenopausal women, and provide additional options for clinicians and patients to improve insomnia and anxiety.
Ping Y, Liang C, Fan X, Zhang L, Ying D, Wang Z Full Article
2021, Jun
Impact of phytoestrogens on treatment of urogenital menopause symptoms: A systematic review of randomized clinical trials
European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology
Phytoestrogens in various forms have been shown to improve menopausal urogenital symptoms, including urogenital atrophy, urinary disorders, and sexual function.
Abdi F, Rahnemaei FA, Roozbeh N, Pakzad R 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, wellâ€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, Dec 13
Effect of acupuncture on menopausal hot flushes and serum hormone levels: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Acupuncture in Medicine British Medical Acupuncture Society
Acupuncture may not decrease hot flush frequency, but yet appears to have similar effects on serum hormone levels as HT, that is, increased E2 and decreased FSH and LH. Considering that no firm conclusions could be drawn due to the low quality and limited number of included trials included, further high-quality RCTs need to be conducted.
Liu C, Wang Z, Guo T, Zhuang L, Gao X Full Article
2021, Feb 22
The Relationship of Acupuncture Use to the Endometriosis Risk in Females With Rheumatoid Arthritis: Real-World Evidence From Population-Based Health Claims
Frontiers in Medicine
Findings suggest that adding acupuncture to conventional therapy may decrease the subsequent endometriosis risk in female RA patients. Prospective randomized trials are recommended to further clarify whether the association revealed in this study supports a causal link.
Chen Wei-Jen, Livneh Hanoch, Hsu Chien-Hui, Hu Ying-To, Lai Ning-Sheng, Guo How-Ran, Tsai Tzung-Yi 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
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, Sept
Herbal medicine (Taohong Siwu Tang) for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Explore: The Journal of Science & Healing
This systematic review and meta-analysis provides moderate quality evidence for the superiority of modified TST (MTST) over non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as well as that of Tao-Hong Siwu Tang (TST) plus oral contraceptives (OCs) over OCs in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea.
Ji HR, Park KS, Woo HL, Lee MJ, Yoon JG, Lee HJ, Hwang DS, Lee CH, Jang JB, Lee JM Full Article
2020, Mar
Effects of acupuncture on Luteinized Unruptured Follicle Syndrome: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Complementary Therapies in Medicine
Improved serum luteinizing hormone and estradiol levels, and decreased pulsatility index and resistance index of ovary artery were shown in both two subgroups. Evidences of most outcomes were “low†or “very lowâ€, so the results should be cautiously interpreted.
Xiaojuan Liu, Wenying Shi, Zhifeng Liu, Shuqing Shi, Chao Ke, Peiming Zhang, Zhenyu Tan, Wei Zhang Full Article
2020, Aug 12
Therapeutic Effects and Mechanisms of Herbal Medicines for Treating Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Review
Frontiers in Pharmacology
Herbal medicines are thought to be promising resources in the development of effective therapeutic agents for PCOS. Further studies that include methodological quality assessment and quantitative synthesis of outcomes are recommended.
Kwon Chan-Young, Cho Ik-Hyun, Park Kyoung Sun Full Article
2020, Jun 03
Acupuncture for recurrent urinary tract infection in women: a systematic review and metaâ€analysis
BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists
Given the growing challenge of antibiotic resistance, the chance of achieving a composite cure with acupuncture therapies was greater than that with antibiotics. Acupuncture appeared to be beneficial for treatment and prophylaxis of rUTIs.
Qin X, Coyle ME, Yang L, Liang J, Wang K, Guo X, Zhang AL, Mao W, Lu C, Xue CC, Liu X Full Article
2020, Feb 21
Vulvar pruritus-Causes, Diagnosis and Therapeutic Approach
Deutsches Arzteblatt International
As vulvar pruritus has multiple causes, standardization of its diagnostic evaluation and treatment would be desirable, both to achieve optimal efficacy and to meet the diverse needs of women who suffer from this condition.
Woelber L, Prieske K, Mendling W, Schmalfeldt B, Tietz HJ, Jaeger A. 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, Feb 24
Acupuncture for premature ovarian insufficiency: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Journal of Acupuncture and Tuina Science
The present study indicated that acupuncture had an advantage over hormone replacement therapy in reducing serum FSH level and increasing serum E2 level in women with premature ovarian insufficiency.
Yin, Yq., Xu, Hf., Fang, Yg. et al. Full Article
2019, Aug 18
A Classic Herbal Formula Guizhi Fuling Wan for Menopausal Hot Flushes: From Experimental Findings to Clinical Applications
Biomedicines
169 compounds were identified from GFW pills, tablets, and capsules. Therapeutic effects, including frequency and severity of MHFs, peripheral blood flow, hormones, neurotransmitter, and cytokines, were not consistent across different study types. ESR2 with genetic variation, CGRP receptor, and IL-8 were identified to be related to the mechanisms of actions of GFW on MHFs. The differences in therapeutic effects could be potentially due to dose variations among clinical and experimental studies and ESR2 gene differences in rats and homo species.
Li , Hung , Li , Yang Full Article
2019, Aug
Effectiveness of breast massage for the treatment of women with breastfeeding problems
JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports
Overall, different types of breast massage were reported as effective in reducing immediate pain for the participants.
Anderson L, Kynoch K, Kildea S, Lee N Full Article
2019, Nov 18
A comprehensive review of clinical studies with herbal medicine on polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
DARU Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Some plants as natural remedies may have beneficial effects on improving different aspects of PCOS.
Moini Jazani, A., Nasimi Doost Azgomi, H., Nasimi Doost Azgomi, A. et al. 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, 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
2019, Jun 25
Acupuncture for Premenstrual Syndrome at Different Intervention Time: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
This systematic review shows that the overall effectiveness of acupuncture treatment of premenstrual syndrome is superior to related medications, which is consistent with previous systematic review reports. Immediate and early acupuncture have shown to improve symptoms, and overall health state.
Zhang J, Cao L, Wang Y, Jin Y, Xiao X, Zhang Q Full Article
2018, Nov 10
Aromatherapy for Managing Pain in Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review of Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trials
Journal of Clinical Medicine
Aromatherapy (inhalational, massage, or oral use) demonstrated superior effects for pain reduction over placebo in primary dysmenorrhea.
Lee MS, Lee HW, Khalil M, Lim HS, Lim HJ Full Article
2018, Sept 20
Effects of Acupuncture on the Outcomes of Assisted Reproductive Technology: An Overview of Systematic Reviews
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
To conclude, the evidence for acupuncture to increase the success rate of ART is unclear. Thus, physicians should apply the evidence to make decisions about acupuncture for infertile women under ART with caution in clinical practice and consider the actual situation, combined with the patient’s value preferences and economic factors.
Xi, J., Chen, H., Peng, Z., Tang, Z., Song, X., & Xia, Y. 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, Sept 27
Acupuncture Treatment for Chronic Pelvic Pain in Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
The results of our review and meta-analysis suggest the effectiveness of AT combined with CT for treating women with CPP compared to use of CT alone. However, current evidence is insufficient to verify the efficacy of AT for CPP because of the small number of RCTs and low methodological quality and heterogeneity of interventions. Therefore, larger, more rigorous and adequately powered multicentre RCTs are needed to provide clinical guidelines for AT in treating female CPP patients.
Sung SH, Sung ADM, Sung HK, An TEB, Kim KH, Park JK 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, Aug 08
Wenjing decoction (herbal medicine) for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gynäkologie und Geburtshilfe
The results supported the clinical use of Wenjing decoction for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea.
Gao L, Jia C, Zhang H, Ma C Full Article
2017, Oct 12
Acupuncture May Improve Quality of Life in Menopausal Women: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Complementary Medicine Research
Both the total score and the subgroup analysis strongly indicated that acupuncture can alleviate menopause-related symptoms. However, the evidence is not very strong. Thus, further studies about the efficiency of acupuncture on menopausal symptoms based on well-designed trials are needed.
Li W, Luo Y, Fu W, Lei R. Full Article
2017, Aug 22
Effect of acupuncture on hot flush and menopause symptoms in breast cancer- A systematic review and meta-analysis
PLOS One Public Library of Science
Acupuncture significantly alleviated menopause symptoms, but had no effect on hot flush. Breast cancer patients concerned about the adverse effects of hormone therapy should consider acupuncture. Further large-scale studies that also measure biomarkers or cytokines may help to elucidate the mechanism by which acupuncture alleviates menopause symptoms in patients with breast cancer.
Chien TJ, Hsu CH, Liu CY, Fang CJ. 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, Feb
The effects of acupuncture on polycystic ovary syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis
European Journal of Integrative Medicine
This article highlighted the efficacy of acupuncture in significant improvements decrease in BMI and LH in women with PCOS.
Qu F, Wu Y, Hu XY, Barry JA, Zhou J, Wang FF, Ye YH, Zhang R, Han SP, Han JS, Li R, Taw MB, Hardiman PJ, Robinson N Full Article
2016, Aug 15
Effectiveness of Traditional Chinese Acupuncture versus Sham Acupuncture: a Systematic Review
Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem University of Sao Paulo at Ribeirao Preto College of Nursing
The evidence gathered was not sufficient to affirm the effectiveness of traditional acupuncture compared with sham acupuncture.
Carlos, LuÃs et al. Full Article
2016, Mar
Herbal medicine (Danggui Shaoyao San) for treating primary dysmenorrhea: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Maturitas European Menopause and Andropause Society
Our systematic review and meta-analysis provided suggestive evidence of the superiority of DSS over analgesics or placebo for dysmenorrhea. The quality of evidence for this finding was low to moderate because of a high risk of bias.
Hye Won Lee, Ji Hee Jun, Ki-Jung Kil, Byong-Seob Ko, Choong Hwan Lee, Myeong Soo Lee Full Article
2016, Mar 20
Is acupuncture effective in the treatment of pain in endometriosis?
Journal of Pain Research American Society of Pain & Neuroscience
This study indicated that acupuncture is effective in treating endometriosis related pain. Patients reported to have having reduced long-term pain conditions.
Lund I, Lundeberg T 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, Jan 06
The efficacy of acupuncture in managing patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: A systemic review and meta-analysis
Neurourology and Urodynamics
Acupuncture has promising efficacy for patients with CP/CPPS. Compared to standard medical treatment, it has better efficacy. Thus, it may also serve as a standard treatment option when available.
Chang SC, Hsu CH, Hsu CK, Yang SSD, Chang SJ 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, Feb
Effects of acupuncture on menopause-related symptoms and quality of life in women in natural menopause: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Menopause The North American Menopause Society
This meta-analysis confirms that acupuncture improves hot flash frequency and severity, menopause-related symptoms, and quality of life (in the vasomotor domain) in women experiencing natural menopause.
Chiu HY, Pan CH, Shyu YK, Han BC, Tsai PS. Full Article
2015, Apr 01
Acupuncture for the Treatment of Vulvodynia: A Randomized Wait-List Controlled Pilot Study
The Journal of Sexual Medicine The International Society for Sexual Medicine
This was the first randomized controlled pilot study to examine the use of acupuncture for the treatment of vulvodynia. The acupuncture protocol was feasible and in this small sample appeared to reduce vulvar pain and dyspareunia with an increase in overall sexual function for women with vulvodynia. This study should be replicated in a larger double-blinded randomized controlled trial.
Schlaeger JM, Xu N, Mejta CL, Park CG, Wilkie DJ Full Article
2014, Jun 30
Acupuncture for polycystic ovary syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis
2014 IEEE Workshop on Electronics, Computer and Applications Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Acupuncture was safe in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome. The total effective rate of acupuncture group was better than controlled group and the difference had statistically significance. The literature review shows that acupuncture is effective in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome, but it is not definite due to relatively low level of evidence. More high quality evidences are needed.
Hong Ma, Xiaohong Quan, Jianwei Li, Bin and Xiuhua Chen 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
2013, Mar 19
Hop Extracts and Hop Substances in Treatment of Menopausal Complaints
Neuropediatrics
Hop extract and 8-PN are promising candidates for relieving climacteric symptoms, but more data on safety and efficacy is needed.
Keiler A, Zierau O, Kretzschmar G 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, Jan
Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials of Acupressure Therapy for Primary Dysmenorrhea
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Acupressure improved pain measured with VAS (−1.41 cm 95% CI [−1.61, −1.21]), SF-MPQ at the 3-month followup (WMD −2.33, 95% CI [−4.11, −0.54]) and 6-month followup (WMD −4.67, 95% CI [−7.30, −2.04]), and MDQ at the 3-month followup (WMD −2.31, 95% CI [−3.74, −0.87]) and 6-month followup (WMD −4.67, 95% CI [−7.30, −2.04]). All trials did not report adverse events. These results were limited by the methodological flaws of trials.
Jiang H, Ni S, Li J, Liu M, Li J, Cui X, Zhang B 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
2011, Sept 07
Acupuncture for pain in endometriosis
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Cochrane
There is not enough evidence to support the effectiveness of acupuncture for pain in endometriosis based on the results of the single RCT included in this review. While the results of this trial (Xiang 2002) did show that auricular acupuncture decreased pain from endometriosis in comparison to Chinese herbal medicine, the overall lowâ€quality of methodology makes broad implications for practice difficult to determine.
Zhu X, Hamilton KD, McNicol ED Full Article
2011, May 24
Acupuncture for premenstrual syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists
Although acupuncture seems promising for symptom improvement in women with PMS, important methodological flaws in the included studies weaken the evidence. Considering the potential of acupuncture, further rigorous studies are needed.
Kim SY, Park HJ, Lee H, Lee H Full Article
2010, Apr
Efficacy of acupuncture in management of premenstrual syndrome: A systematic review
Complementary Therapies in Medicine
The study highlighted a significant difference in reduction of PMS symptoms for acupuncture treatment compared with pharmacologic treatment. Patients found acupuncture to have less side effects than taking pharmacologic treatment (such as progesterone, antidepressants or pyridoxine).
Seung-HunChoaJongwooKimb 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.