title: Effects of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation on ovarian reserve of patients with diminished ovarian reserve in in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer cycles.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on ovarian reserve in patients with diminished ovarian reserve undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 240 patients were randomly divided into the Han's acupoint nerve stimulator TEAS treatment (TES), comforting false Han's placebo (FHP), artificial endometrial cycle treatment (AEC), and control (CON) groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-six patients in TES, 56 in FHP, 54 in AEC, and 60 in CON fulfilled the study, respectively. Antral follicle count and anti-Müllerian hormone levels were increased, whereas the estradiol level, follicle-stimulating hormone level, and follicle-stimulating hormone/luteinizing hormone ratio were significantly decreased after treatment in the TES and AEC groups. After treatment, the number of oocytes retrieved and average number of embryos transferred were higher in the TES and AEC than in the CON and FHP groups. Clinical pregnancy rate in the TES group was markedly higher than values obtained for the other three groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TEAS and AEC treatments could improve basal endocrine levels in patients, and increase the number of oocytes retrieved and high-quality embryos. TEAS treatment could improve the clinical pregnancy rate in patients with decreased ovarian reserve during in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer cycles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Ji'nan, China.|Reproductive Medical Center, The Second Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ji'nan, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medical Center, The Second Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ji'nan, China.
authors.forename: Xiaojun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medical Center, The Second Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ji'nan, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mi
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medical Center, The Second Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ji'nan, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medical Center, The Second Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ji'nan, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medical Center, The Second Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ji'nan, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medical Center, The Second Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ji'nan, China.
authors.forename: Jiao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiao
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medical Center, The Second Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ji'nan, China.
authors.forename: Ailing
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medical Center, The Second Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ji'nan, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Ji'nan, China.
authors.forename: Xiaohui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Deng
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000328:Adult; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D065851:Ovarian Reserve; D011247:Pregnancy
keywords: acupuncture; follicle-stimulating hormone receptor; in vitro fertilization; poor ovarian reserve; transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation