Effect of Acupuncture vs Sham Acupuncture on Live Births Among Women Undergoing In Vitro Fertilization: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

This large study examined whether acupuncture could help women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) achieve successful pregnancies resulting in live births. Researchers enrolled 848 women at 16 fertility clinics in Australia and New Zealand between 2011 and 2015. Half the women received real acupuncture, while the other half received sham acupuncture (a placebo using non-penetrating needles placed away from actual acupuncture points). Women received their first treatment during ovarian stimulation and two additional treatments immediately before and after embryo transfer. The study followed participants through pregnancy to track which women delivered living babies. The results showed virtually no difference between the two groups: 18.3% of women receiving real acupuncture had a live birth compared with 17.8% of women receiving sham acupuncture. This difference was so small it could easily be due to chance rather than any real effect. The findings are important because many women undergoing IVF use acupuncture in hopes of improving their chances of success, often at considerable expense. This rigorous study suggests that acupuncture performed during IVF treatment does not increase the likelihood of having a baby. Women should discuss these findings with their fertility specialists when making decisions about complementary therapies during IVF. If you choose to pursue acupuncture for other reasons during fertility treatment, seek a licensed acupuncturist with appropriate credentials and experience in reproductive health.

This multicenter, single-blind randomized controlled trial enrolled 848 women undergoing fresh IVF cycles at 16 Australian and New Zealand fertility centers. Participants received either true acupuncture (n=424) or non-invasive sham control (n=424) with treatments administered during days 6-8 of follicular stimulation and immediately pre- and post-embryo transfer. The primary outcome was live birth (delivery ≥20 weeks' gestation or birth weight ≥400g). Among 809 women with outcome data available (98.2% follow-up), live births occurred in 74/405 (18.3%) in the acupuncture group versus 72/404 (17.8%) in the sham group (RD 0.5%, 95% CI -4.9% to 5.8%; RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.76-1.38). The study demonstrated methodological rigor with adequate sample size, appropriate sham control, and excellent follow-up rates. Clinical takeaway: These findings provide high-quality evidence that acupuncture administered during ovarian stimulation and embryo transfer does not improve live birth rates in women undergoing IVF.