Acupuncture and Good Prognosis IVF Patients: Synergy.
P. C. Magarelli, D. K. Cridennda, M. Cohen. Reproductive Medicine &
Fertility Center, Colorado Springs, CO; East Winds Acupuncture, Inc.,
Colorado Springs, CO.
FERTILITY
AND STERILITY®, Proceedings from the 2004 ASRM meeting in Philadelphia
OBJECTIVE:
To determine the role of electro stimulation acupuncture and traditional
combined with auricular acupuncture on IVF outcomes in good prognosis
patients.
DESIGN:
Retrospective case controlled clinical study. Acupuncture Consortium for
treatment standardization. Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility IVF
Private Practice and Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture Clinics. |
MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred fourteen infertile patients
undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation with gonadotropins and
GnRH agonist and antagonist for IVF-ET (2001 to 2003) in private
practice IVF clinic. Only IVF patients with normal Day 3 FSH, normal
uterine artery pulsatility indices, sperm morphologies over 7% normal by
Kruger Strict Criteria and good response to ovarian hyperstimulation
protocols (i.e., E2 over 2000 pg/ml) were analyzed.Intervention (s):
Electrostimulation acupuncture – reduction of Pulsatility Index (PI) of
the uterine artery and Traditional combined with Auricular acupuncture –
Pre/Post embryo transfer protocols were used alone or in combination and
resultant pregnancy outcomes were measured after IVF treatments. Main
Outcome Measure(s): Cycles were grouped according to those that received
No Acupuncture (Non-Ac) and those that received either one or both
acupuncture treatments (Ac). Comparisons were made between Acupuncture
treated IVF patients and Non–Acupuncture treated IVF patients in
clinical pregnancies, ongoing pregnancies and birth outcomes. The
statistics used for this analysis included; Tests for normal
distribution: chi-square test, Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test Unpaired T-tests
Stepwise Multiple regression Variance ratio test (F-Test) One-Way
analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Student-Newman- Keuls (SNK) test for
pair wise comparison of subgroups.
RESULTS: Total IVF cases 114, 53 with Acupuncture (Ac) and 61
without Acupuncture (Non-Ac). Demographics, Infertility Diagnoses, and
Treatment Protocols were statistically the same between both groups and
by design, the following parameters were similar: Sperm Morphology; Peak
Day 3 FSH; Average Pulsatility Index; Peak E2 at hCG; and Post hCG P4.
These parameters earned the designation of Good Prognosis group. Preg-
S80 Abstracts Vol. 82, Suppl. 2, September 2004 nancy rates (PR) and
Miscarriage rates (SAB) were statistically improved at the p < 0.05
levels in those patients that received Acupuncture (51% v 36% PR and 8%
v 20% SAB in the AC v Non-Ac groups). There were no ectopic pregnancies
in the Ac group and 9% in the Non-Ac group, p < 0.008. Finally, Birth
rates (BR) per cycle start and per pregnancy were significantly higher
in the Ac group, with 23% more births/pregnancy significant at the p <
0.05 level.
CONCLUSION: The use of adjunctive therapies in IVF protocols is
gaining popularity. In previously published data, Acupuncture was
reserved for Poorer Prognosis patients and enhanced outcomes were
observed. In this study, we demonstrated that Good Prognosis patients
would also benefit from inclusion of published Acupuncture protocols.
This is also the first publication of Birth outcome data in Acupuncture
treated IVF patients. Acupuncture significantly increased birth
outcomes; it significantly decreased ectopic pregnancies and miscarriage
rates. These data uniquely support a definitive role of both
Electrostimulation and Traditional combined with Auricular Acupuncture
in IVF in Good Prognosis IVF patients. Supported by: None.
Source: "Acupuncture and Good
Prognosis IVF Patients: Synergy." East Winds Acupuncture. 15 Oct. 2008 <http://www.eastwindsacupuncture.com/medicalarticles/diane+and+dr.+magarelli's+articles/3.html>.
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