Objective:

2

To evaluate the effect of manual acupuncture on endometrial blood flow parameters by three-dimensional (3D) power Doppler ultrasound in women undergoing

in vitro

fertilization embryo transfer (IVF-ET).

Methods:

2

Seventy patients undergoing IVF-ET were equally randomized into traditional or sham acupuncture treatment group for totally 4 days (from the day of oocyte aspiration to the day of embryo transfer) of treatment by random envelope method at the Reproductive Medicine Center and Outpatient Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine

Tongji Hospital

Tongji Medicine College

Huazhong University of Science and Technology from January 2013 to December 2015. Patients in the traditional acupuncture group accepted traditional acupuncture methods with manual acupuncture

and Zhongji (CV3)

Qihai (CV 6)

Sanyinjiao (SP6)

Taichong (LR 3)

Tianshu (ST 25)

Guilai (ST 29) and Zusanli (ST 36) were chosen. Patients at the sham acupuncture group accepted shallow acupuncture methods at 4 non-meridian points at each shoulder and upper arm. Outcome measures included endometrial ultrasonic indices such as vascularization index (VI)

flow index (FI) and vascularization flow index (VFI)

endometrial thickness and volume

subendometrial VI (sVI)

subendometrial FI (sFI)

subendometrial VFI (sVFI)

implantation rate

clinical pregnancy rate

abortion rate

live birth rate and number of live births.

Results:

2

Finally

34 patients in the traditional acupuncture group and 35 in the sham acupuncture group completed this trial. VI

FI and VFI of the traditional acupuncture group were significantly higher than those in the sham acupuncture group (

P

<

0.05). No significant differences were found in endometrial thickness

endometrial volume

sVI

sFI

sVFI

implantation rate

clinical pregnancy rate

abortion rate

live birth rate and number of live births (

P

>

0.05).

Conclusions:

2

Manual acupuncture performed after oocyte aspiration and before transplantation improved the endometrial blood flow parameters VI

RI and VFI in women who underwent IVF-ET

instead of sVI

sFI and sVFI. Therefore

acupuncture might be beneficial in women undergoing IVF-ET by increasing endometrial blood flow and endometrial receptivity. (Registration No. ChiCTR2100053354)