Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy and action mechanism of tongyuan acupuncture for ovulatory disorder infertility of ovarian induction period with clomiphene citrate (CC).
Methods: Through retrospective analysis, 36 patients with ovulatory disorder infertility were divided into CC group (16 cases) and tongyuan acupuoture group (20 cases) by method. The patients in the CC group were treated with oral administration of CC (50 mg) for 5 days from the 5th day of menstruation; based on the treatment of CC, patients in the tongyuan acupuncture group were treated with tongyuan acupuncture; the group A of acupoint was mainly consisted of acupoints of the conception vessel and the three yin meridians and front-mu acupoints in abdomen; the group B of acupoint was mainly consisted of acupoints of the governor vessel and back-shu acupoints. The two groups of the acupoints were selected alternately, combined with the si-guan points (Taichong (LR 3)、Hegu (LI 4)) and five-shu points. The needles were inserted with flying needling method, and the needles were retained for 30 min per treatment; acupuncture was given once every other day. All the patients were treated for 2 months, and treatment stopped if pregnancy occurred. The pregnancy rate, cycle ovulation rate, maximum diameter of follicle, endometrial thickness and adverse effects were compared between the two groups.
Results: The pregnancy rate of the tongyuan acupuncture group was 75.0% (15/20), which was superior to 37.5% (6/16) in the CC group (P<0.05). The cycle ovulation rates of two groups were 70.4% (19/27, P>0.05). The maximum diameter of follicle and the endometrium thickness in the tongyuan acupuncture group were superior to those in the CC group (both P<0.05). The incidence of adverse effects in the tongyuan acupuncture group was 0% (0/20), which was lower than 18.8% (3/16) in the CC group (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Tongyuan acupuncture combined with CC could improve the quality of follicle and the receptivity of endometrium in patients with ovulatory disorder infertility, so as to improve the pregnancy rate, which could be used as a safe and effective means to cooperate with modern assisted reproductive technology.
Keywords: acupuncture; adverse effects; clomiphene citrate (CC); endometrial thickness; follicular diameter; ovulation rate; ovulatory disorder infertility; pregnancy rate; retrospective analysis.