NCT01449396

Acupuncture, Chinese Traditional Medicine, in Embryo Transfer

Chinese Traditional Medicine Contribution to Improve In-vitro Fertilization (IVF) Results: Acupuncture in Embryo Transfer

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 286 (actual)
• Sponsor: Instituto de Investigacion Sanitaria La Fe · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 18 Years – 37 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The aim of the study is to prove that acupuncture applied before and after embryo transfer is able to increase pregnancy rates by means of reducing stress and improving endometrial vascularization in women receiving in vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatments.

Detailed description

Around 75% of all in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments fail in providing a healthy baby at home. Most of the women undergoing those techniques suffer in some extent anxiety, depression and stress. Stress make IVF results worse and it has been prove by correlating cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline levels with failed cycles. Acupuncture has proved its ability to reduce stress levels. Moreover, Acupuncture has prove to have an effect inhibitory on the sympathetic system and this capacity improves vascularization in uterus and ovaries. Available literature concerning these two issues is not conclusive because of studies design. Acupuncture´s biological mechanism on controlled ovarian stimulation and embryo transfer has not been completely described; if it really has one. Published studies show very different designs and inconclusive/contradictory results can be withdrawn making very difficult to take the clinical decision of recommending acupuncture or not to in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients. If acupuncture really enhance pregnancy rates in IVF cycles still unanswered given that no randomized three arms study comparing no intervention to sham acupuncture to acupuncture has been published.

Conditions

• Pregnancy

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Bed Rest	Bed rest during 25 minutes on day 1, 4 and 6 of ovarian stimulation, before and after embryo transfer
PROCEDURE	Acupuncture	Sham acupuncture during 25 minutes on day 1, 4 and 6 of ovarian stimulation, before and after embryo transfer
PROCEDURE	Acupuncture	Acupuncture during 25 minutes on day 1, 4 and 6 of ovarian stimulation, before and after embryo transfer

Timeline

• Start date: 2011-10-01
• Primary completion: 2015-10-01
• Completion: 2018-03-01
• First posted: 2011-10-10
• Last updated: 2018-03-07

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Spain