Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine Research Library

Introduction

This page presents a curated library of peer‑reviewed research on acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine in reproductive health. The collection includes RCTs, observational studies, and systematic reviews across IVF, fertility, Pregnancy,  PCOS, endometriosis/adenomyosis, postnatal care, and emotional wellbeing.  For full-texts please see links or queries, please contact us

  1. IVF & Embryo Transfer

  • Acupuncture benefits to women with recurrent implantation failure: A propensity score-matched cohort study

Gan, Di et al.

Heliyon, Volume 9, Issue 7, e18193

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18193

  • The Role of Acupuncture in In vitro Fertilization: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Chunjuan Shen, Manxiang Wu, Defeng Shu, Xiaojie Zhao, Ying Gao;

Gynecol Obstet Invest 1 January 2015; 79 (1): 1–12.

https://doi.org/10.1159/000362231

  • Acupuncture performed around the time of embryo transfer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Smith, Caroline A. et al.

Reproductive BioMedicine Online, Volume 38, Issue 3, 364 – 379

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rbmo.2018.12.038

  • Impact of whole systems traditional Chinese medicine on in-vitro fertilization outcomes

Hullender Rubin, Lee E. et al.

Reproductive BioMedicine Online, Volume 30, Issue 6, 602 – 612

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rbmo.2015.02.005

  • Effects of acupuncture on pregnancy rates in women undergoing in vitro fertilization: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Zheng, Cui Hong et al.

Fertility and Sterility, Volume 97, Issue 3, 599 – 611

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2011.12.007

  • Influence of acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in patients who undergo assisted reproduction therapy

Paulus, Wolfgang E et al.

Fertility and Sterility, Volume 77, Issue 4, 721 – 724

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0015-0282(01)03273-3

  • Effects of acupuncture on pregnancy outcomes in women undergoing in vitro fertilization: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

Xu, M., Zhu, M., & Zheng, C. (2024)

Archives of gynecology and obstetrics, 309(3), 775–788.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-023-07142-1

  • Pregnancy Benefit of Acupuncture on in vitro Fertilization: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Zhang, H. R., Zhang, C., Ma, P. H., Sun, C. Y., Sun, C. Y., Liu, X. Y., Pu, Z. Q., Lin, Y. H., Liu, B. Y., Liu, C. Z., & Yan, S. Y. (2023).

Chinese journal of integrative medicine, 29(11), 1021–1032.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-023-3748-3

  • Acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer significantly improves the reproductive outcome in infertile women: a prospective, randomized trial

Westergaard, L. G., Mao, Q., Krogslund, M., Sandrini, S., Lenz, S., & Grinsted, J. (2006)

Fertility and sterility, 85(5), 1341–1346. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2005.08.070


  1. General Fertility & Preconception Studies

  • Si-Wu-Tang facilitates ovarian function through improving ovarian microenvironment and angiogenesis in a mouse model of premature ovarian failure

Fanru Zhou, Yufan Song, Xia Liu, Chu Zhang, Fan Li, Runan Hu, Yanjing Huang, Wenwen Ma, Kunkun Song, Mingmin Zhang,

Journal of Ethnopharmacology Volume 280,2021,114431,ISSN 0378-8741,

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2021.114431

  • Reduction of blood flow impedance in the uterine arteries of infertile women with electro-acupuncture.

Stener-Victorin, E., Waldenström, U., Andersson, S. A., & Wikland, M. (1996).

Human reproduction (Oxford, England), 11(6), 1314–1317.

https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.humrep.a019378

  • Traditional Chinese Medicine as a Remedy for Male Infertility: A Review.

Zhou, S. H., Deng, Y. F., Weng, Z. W., Weng, H. W., & Liu, Z. D. (2019).

The world journal of men’s health, 37(2), 175–185.

https://doi.org/10.5534/wjmh.180069

  • Clinical effect of acupuncture combined with traditional Chinese medicine in treatment of oligozoospermia/asthenozoospermia: a meta-analysis

Yang, B., Meng, Q. Y., Chen, H., Gao, Y. L., Shen, J., Mu, Y. Y., & Xia, Y. B. (2020). Zhen ci yan jiu

Acupuncture research, 45(3), 243–250.

https://doi.org/10.13702/j.1000-0607.190198

  • Effects and mechanism of action of transcutaneous electrical acupuncture point stimulation in patients with abnormal semen parameters.

Yu, Y., Sha, S. B., Zhang, B., Guan, Q., Liang, M., Zhao, L. G., Zhang, Q. Y., Wen, J., & Sun, W. (2019).

Acupuncture in medicine : journal of the British Medical Acupuncture Society, 37(1), 25–32.

https://doi.org/10.1136/acupmed-2017-011365


  1. PCOS Studies

  • Acupuncture for polycystic ovary syndrome – A cross-sectional survey of clinical practice amongst acupuncturists trained in reproductive medicine,

Sandro Graca, Mike Armour, Lara McClure,

European Journal of Integrative Medicine, Volume 54, 2022, 102161,ISSN 1876-3820,

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eujim.2022.102161.

  • Overview of systematic reviews of non-pharmacological interventions in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Pundir, J., Charles, D., Sabatini, L., Hiam, D., Jitpiriyaroj, S., Teede, H., Coomarasamy, A., Moran, L., & Thangaratinam, S. (2019).

Human reproduction update, 25(2), 243–256.

https://doi.org/10.1093/humupd/dmy045

  • Effectiveness of acupuncture in polycystic ovary syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Wu, J., Chen, D., & Liu, N. (2020)

Medicine, 99(22), e20441

https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000020441


  1. Endometriosis & Adenomyosis Studies

  • Chinese Medicine Sequential Therapy Improves Pregnancy Outcomes after Surgery for Endometriosis-Associated Infertility: A Multicenter Randomized Double-blind Placebo Parallel Controlled Clinical Trial.

Zhao, R. H., Liu, Y., Lu, D., Wu, Y., Wang, X. Y., Li, W. L., Zeng, C., Meng, Q. W., Lian, F. M., Zhou, J., Shi, Y., Sun, W. W., Han, Q., Tang, Y., & Shi, G. (2020)

Chinese journal of integrative medicine, 26(2), 92–99.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-019-3208-2


  1. Stress & Emotional Wellbeing Studies

  • Impact of a group mind/body intervention on pregnancy rates in IVF patients

Domar, Alice D. et al.

Fertility and Sterility, Volume 95, Issue 7, 2269 – 2273

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2011.03.046

  • Effect of Acupuncture vs Sham Acupuncture on Live Births Among Women Undergoing In Vitro Fertilization: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Smith, C. A., de Lacey, S., Chapman, M., Ratcliffe, J., Norman, R. J., Johnson, N. P., Boothroyd, C., & Fahey, P. (2018)

JAMA, 319(19), 1990–1998.

https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2018.5336

  • Acupuncture for Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Armour, M., Smith, C. A., Wang, L. Q., Naidoo, D., Yang, G. Y., MacPherson, H., Lee, M. S., & Hay, P. (2019)

Journal of clinical medicine, 8(8), 1140.

https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm8081140

  • The effects of acupuncture on the secondary outcomes of anxiety and quality of life for women undergoing IVF: A randomized controlled trial.

Smith, C. A., de Lacey, S., Chapman, M., Ratcliffe, J., Norman, R. J., Johnson, N. P., & Fahey, P. (2019).

Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica, 98(4), 460–469.

https://doi.org/10.1111/aogs.13528

  • Auricular acupuncture versus cognitive behavioural therapy in the discontinuation of hypnotic drug usage, and treatment effects on anxiety, depression and insomnia symptoms − a randomised controlled study,

Lena Bergdahl, Jan-Erik Broman, Anne H. Berman, Kristina Haglund, Lars von Knorring, Agneta Markström,

European Journal of Integrative Medicine, Volume 16, 2017, Pages 15-21, ISSN 1876-3820,

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eujim.2017.10.002

A Comparison of Stress Levels in Women Undergoing Single Versus Multiple Acupuncture Session Prior to Embryo Transfer

Sutton, C. et al.

Fertility and Sterility, Volume 103, Issue 2, e36 – e37

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2014.12.070

  • Can acupuncture combined with SSRIs improve clinical symptoms and quality of life in patients with depression? Secondary outcomes of a pragmatic randomized controlled trial.

Zhao, B., Li, Z., Wang, Y., Ma, X., Wang, X., Wang, X., Liang, Y., Yang, X., Sun, Y., Song, M., Guo, T., Bao, T., & Fei, Y. (2019).

Complementary therapies in medicine, 45, 295–302.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2019.03.015