Aktuell forskning
Forskning om akupunktur
och kvinnlig infertilitet
De senaste åren har en del forskning fortsatt belysa olika aspekter av hur akupunktur påverkar fertiliteten positivt. Här är några exempel om forskningsläget, t ex prematur ovarialsvikt (för tidigt klimakterium), äggstockssvikt, hormonreglering.
1 – Akupunktur är effektivt för kvinnlig infertilitet utan IVF
Acupuncture may be effective for treating female infertility in women who are not undergoing assisted reproductive techniques, according to Chinese authors. Twenty-two randomised controlled trials with a total of 2591 infertile women who were treated with acupuncture either alone or as part of combined Chinese medical therapy, were included in their systematic review. Evidence of significant effectiveness in the acupuncture group was observed for pregnancy rate, ovulation rate, luteinising hormone (LH) levels, and endometrial thickness, compared to controls.
Subgroup analyses of different types of intervention suggested that acupuncture either alone or combined with other therapies was more beneficial in terms of pregnancy rate than standard orthodox medicine alone.
Subgroup analysis according to the type of infertility also showed significant benefits of acupuncture treatment for different types of infertility, including that caused by polycystic ovary syndrome, tubal infertility, and ovulatory disorders. Acupuncture was also associated with fewer adverse effects than orthodox medicine.
Acupuncture for infertile women without undergoing assisted reproductive techniques (ART): A systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore). 2019 Jul;98(29):e16463.
2 – Akupunktur är effektivt för kvinnor som tidigare har misslyckats med IVF
Chinese systematic review authors have concluded that acupuncture is beneficial for IVF outcomes in women with a history of previous unsuccessful IVF attempts. Twenty-seven studies with 6116 participants were included in their meta-analysis.The pooled clinical pregnancy rate from all acupuncture groups was significantly greater than that of control groups. Subgroup analysis showed that patients undergoing repeated IVF cycles benefited more from acupuncture than women having acupuncture as part of their first IVF cycle.
The effects of acupuncture on pregnancy outcomes of in vitro fertilization: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2019 Jun 14;19(1):131
3 – ”Whole-systems Traditional Chinese Medicine” är bäst för IVF-resultat
Individualised treatment with ‘whole-systems Traditional Chinese Medicine’ – a combination of acupuncture, chinese herbal medicine and dietary and lifestyle recommendations – may be of benefit when added to IVF treatment, according to an American research team. In a retrospective cohort study, 1231 IVF patient records were reviewed to assess the effect of adjuvant “Whole system Traditional Chinese Medicine” on IVF outcomes.
Three groups of patients were compared: IVF with no additional treatment; IVF plus acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer; and IVF plus “Whole system Traditional Chinese medicine”. Of 1069 non-donor and 162 donor IVF cycles “Whole system Traditional Chinese medicine” was associated with greater odds of live birth compared with all other groups.
Impact of whole systems traditional Chinese medicine on in vitro fertilization outcomes. Reprod Biomed Online. 2015 Jun; 30(6): 602-12.
4 – Akupunktur och kinesiska örter för behandling av för tidig äggstockssvikt
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicines can serve as complementary therapies to alleviate menstrual and perimenopausal symptoms and improve serum sex hormone levels in women with premature ovarian insufficiency. Chinese authors conducted a systematic review, with meta-analysis performed on data from 14 trials involving 1030 women.
Acupoint stimulation and Chinese herbs resulted in normalised menstrual cycles and improved perimenopausal symptoms when compared with Hormone Replacement Therapy. Acupoint stimulation and Chinese herbs effectively decreased levels of follicle-stimulating hormone and increased the level of estradiol.
Acupoint stimulation and Chinese herbal medicines for the treatment of premature ovarian insufficiency: A systematic review and meta-analysis.* Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2020 Nov; 41:101244.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33039750/
* Metaanalys är en studie av vetenskapliga publikationer som används för att systematiskt bedöma resultaten av tidigare forskning. Metaanalys kan innefatta en mer exakt uppskattning av effekten av behandling än någon av de enskilda studierna.
5 – Akupunktur hjälper till att reglera hormoner och lindra psykologiska symtom hos kvinnor med för tidig ovarialsvikt
To investigate the effect of acupuncture on women with premature ovarian failure (POF), prospective consecutive case series study was applied. The results indicate that acupuncture may decrease serums FSH and LH level, raise serum E2 level, relieve anxiety, reduce mental stress, and improve the menopausal symptoms.
Effect of acupuncture on premature ovarian failure: a pilot study. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2014. Epub 2014 Mar 10.
6 – Akupunktur normaliserar förlossningsresultaten
Data collected from over 6000 births suggests that acupuncture normalises birth, leading to reductions in maternity service costs. A London-based maternity acupuncture service that provides birth preparation acupuncture, assessed its routine hospital maternity data over a two-year period to see what effect acupuncture had on labour and delivery outcomes.
Women self-refer to the service for birth preparation and receive weekly acupuncture sessions from 37 weeks of gestation using individualised point prescriptions according to traditional Chinese medicine principles. Data from the service was analysed and women who had birth preparation acupuncture were compared with those who did not receive it.
Women who received acupuncture had fewer surgical births, required less intrapartum analgesia, fewer components of induction of labour, and a reduced length of hospital stay, supporting the use of maternity acupuncture.
Birth preparation acupuncture for normalising birth: An analysis of NHS service routine data and proof of concept. J Obstet Gynaecol. 2020 Jan 23:1-6.
7 – Akupunktur är fördelaktigt för PCOS-patienter som genomgår IVF
Acupuncture is beneficial for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients undergoing in-vitro fertilisation, according to Chinese researchers.
102 infertile PCOS patients were randomised either to a treatment group who received follicular phase acupuncture or a control group who did not receive acupuncture. A number of embryos transferred, as well as clinical and ongoing pregnancy rates, were significantly higher in the intervention group, who also showed a significant decrease in rates of the ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome. Serum progesterone and estradiol levels were significantly lower in the intervention group.
The effect of acupuncture on anti-müllerian hormone and assisted reproduction outcome in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome patients undergoing in vitro fertilization. J Pak Med Assoc. 2019 Aug; 69 (Suppl 3) (8): S4-S
8 – Elektroakupunktur förbättrar oocyttillväxt vid PCOS
A study carried out in Indonesia suggests that electro-acupuncture can improve the growth of oocytes in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The case-controlled study recruited 44 patients with PCOS who were divided randomly into a PCOS lifestyle management control group and a group who received both lifestyle management plus electro-acupuncture.
Ultrasonographic analysis of the resulting ovarian follicles showed that follicle diameter increase was significantly greater in the acupuncture group on days 2, 6, 8, 10, and 12 after menstruation, compared with the control group.
Electroacupuncture Effect on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome to Improve Oocytes’ Growth. Med Acupunct 2019 Dec 1; 31 (6): 379-383.