Use of electroacupuncture and transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation in reproductive medicine: a group consensus

• Published in: Journal of Zhejiang University. B. Science 2017-03, Vol.18 (3), p.186-193
• Main Authors: Qu, Fan, Li, Rong, Sun, Wei, Lin, Ge, Zhang, Rong, Yang, Jing, Tian, Li, Xing, Guo-gang, Jiang, Hui, Gong, Fei, Liang, Xiao-yan, Meng, Yan, Liu, Jia-yin, Zhou, Li-ying, Wang, Shu-yu, Wu, Yan, He, Yi-jing, Ye, Jia-yu, Han, Song-ping, Han, Ji-sheng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acupuncture; Acupuncture Points; Analgesia; Animals; Asthenozoospermia - therapy; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; clinical trials; Clinical Trials as Topic; Disorders; Electric pulses; Electroacupuncture; Electroacupuncture - methods; Embryo Transfer; Female; Genital Diseases, Female - therapy; Humans; Infertility; Infertility, Female - therapy; Infertility, Male - therapy; Kidney; Male; Medicine; Medicine, Chinese Traditional; Oligospermia - therapy; Oocyte Retrieval; oocytes; Oocytes - cytology; Oriental traditional medicine; Ovarian Reserve; Pain; Polycystic ovary syndrome; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome - therapy; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Rate; Reproductive disorders; Reproductive health; Reproductive Medicine; Reproductive system; Reproductive technologies; Review; Stimulation; Traditional Chinese medicine; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation - methods; Uterus
• ISSN: 1673-1581; 1862-1783
• DOI: 10.1631/jzus.B1600437

With the rapid development of assisted reproductive technology, various reproductive disorders have been effectively addressed. Acupuncture-like therapies, including electroacupuncture (EA) and transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS), become more popular world-wide. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that EA and TEAS are effective in treating gynecological disorders, especially infertility. This present paper describes how to select acupoints for the treatment of infertility from the view of theories of traditional Chinese medicine and how to determine critical parameters of electric pulses of EA/TEAS based on results from animal and clinical studies. It summarizes the principles of clinical application of EA/TEAS in treating various kinds of reproductive disorders, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), pain induced by oocyte retrieval, diminished ovarian reserve, embryo transfer, and oligospermia/asthenospermia. The possible underlying mechanisms mediating the therapeutic effects of EA/TEAS in reproductive medicine are also examined.