The effects of acupuncture on polycystic ovary syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Qu F, Wu Y, Hu XY, Barry JA, Zhou J, Wang FF, Ye YH, Zhang R, Han SP, Han JS, Li R, Taw MB, Hardiman PJ, Robinson N · European Journal of Integrative Medicine · 2016 February

DOI 10.1016/j.eujim.2016.02.001

Objective

Effectiveness of acupuncture on PCOS

Conclusions

This article highlighted the efficacy of acupuncture in significant improvements decrease in BMI and LH in women with PCOS.

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Insights

Acupuncture may have a positive impact on recovering menstrual cycles, reducing BMI, and lowering luteinizing hormone (LH) levels in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, the clinical effectiveness of acupuncture in treating polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) was investigated. The review included nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving a total of 531 women with PCOS. The analysis revealed that acupuncture showed promise in improving the recovery of menstrual cycles, reducing body mass index (BMI), and lowering luteinizing hormone (LH) levels among women with PCOS. However, caution is advised in interpreting these findings due to the limited methodological quality of the included RCTs. Despite the positive outcomes observed in certain parameters, further high-quality research is needed to establish the full scope of acupuncture's potential as a treatment for PCOS.