Effect of Acupuncture and Clomiphene in Chinese Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Wu XK, Stener-Victorin E, Kuang HY, Ma HL, Gao JS, Xie LZ, Hou LH, Hu ZX, Shao XG, Ge J, Zhang JF, Xue HY, Xu XF, Liang RN, Ma HX, Yang HW, Li WL, Huang DM, Sun Y, Hao CF, Du SM, Yang ZW, Wang X, Yan Y, Chen XH, Fu P, Ding CF, Gao YQ, Zhou ZM, Wang CC, Wu · JAMA Oncology · 2017 June 27

DOI 10.1001/jama.2017.7217

Objective

Acupuncture is used to induce ovulation in some women with polycystic ovary syndrome, without supporting clinical evidence. To assess whether active acupuncture, either alone or combined with clomiphene, increases the likelihood of live births among women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Conclusions

Among Chinese women with polycystic ovary syndrome, the use of acupuncture with or without clomiphene, compared with control acupuncture and placebo, did not increase live births. This finding does not support acupuncture as an infertility treatment in such women.

Critical Appraisal

Published research can offer valuable insights, but a paper’s conclusions may go beyond what its results support. Critical appraisal examines the methods, findings and limitations to clarify what can reasonably be concluded—and what remains uncertain.

This article has not yet been critically appraised by the Research Hub.

Learn more about Critical Appraisal