Abstract
Acupuncture is a nonpharmacological therapy to induce ovulation in women with polycystic
ovary syndrome (PCOS), but not until recently there has been a study reporting the
live birth rate following ovulation induction by acupuncture or its potential as an
adjuvant to pharmacological ovulation induction. Clomiphene citrate, the first-line
treatment for ovulation induction in women with PCOS, was twice as effective at achieving
live birth, with no effect of acupuncture alone or in combination with clomiphene.
Thus, the findings from the recent randomized control trial do not support acupuncture
as an infertility treatment, alone or in combination, in women with PCOS. The recent
trial has important clinical implications not only for women with PCOS with an active
wish for pregnancy but also for those with no active wish of pregnancy, as acupuncture
induces ovulation to a higher degree than no treatment and also relieves other PCOS-related
symptoms. This narrative review dissects possible mechanism of action of acupuncture
on reproductive function, it discusses stimulation parameters, it discusses the recent
findings on live birth, and it also discusses the control situation in potential future
acupuncture trials.
Keywords
polycystic ovary syndrome - infertility - acupuncture - electrical stimulation - ovulation
- testosterone
