Evidence mapPaperPMID 40343601Full record

SynthesisJournal of assisted reproduction and genetics2025

Effects of acupuncture-related therapies on pregnancy outcomes among women undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer: a Bayesian network meta-analysis.

Chengli Bin, Hanzhi Zhong, Shipeng Zhang, Yiping Luo, Jiali Su, Maoya Li, Shaobin Wei

Abstract readNetwork Meta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Chengli BinDepartment of Gynecology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinniu District, No. 37, Shierqiao Road, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
Hanzhi ZhongDepartment of Gynecology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinniu District, No. 37, Shierqiao Road, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
Shipeng ZhangGraduate School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinniu District, No. 37, Shierqiao Road, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
Yiping LuoChengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
Jiali SuGraduate School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinniu District, No. 37, Shierqiao Road, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
Maoya LiDepartment of Gynecology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinniu District, No. 37, Shierqiao Road, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China. lmy0321@stu.cdutcm.edu.cn.
Shaobin WeiDepartment of Gynecology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinniu District, No. 37, Shierqiao Road, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China. weishaobin5620@163.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8326-7397

Funding

Wei Shaobin, National Famous Old Chinese Medicine Expert Inheritance Studio CJJ2022126
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThis network meta-analysis aimed to assess the efficacy of different acupuncture-related therapies in improving pregnancy outcomes among women undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET).

methodsRandomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining acupuncture-related therapies as adjuncts to IVF-ET were systematically searched in eight databases from inception until January 15, 2025. Dichotomous outcomes concerning efficacy were evaluated as odds risk (OR) and continuous data as mean difference (MD) and 95% credible intervals (CrI) utilizing R 4.1.2 and Stata 16.1.

resultsThrough a comprehensive literature search, we ultimately identified 96 RCTs that involved 14,736 participants and 15 interventions in this systematic analysis. Based on the clinical pregnancy rate outcome, warm acupuncture for three menstrual cycles before oocyte retrieval (WA-TTP, OR 3.56, 95% CrI 2.05 to 6.25, low certainty, SUCRA = 89.54%), acupuncture combined with moxibustion for three menstrual cycles before oocyte retrieval (AC + M-TTP, OR 3.31, 95% CrI 1.05 to 11.77, low certainty, SUCRA = 78.70%), and acupuncture for one menstrual cycle before oocyte retrieval (AC-OTP, OR 2.69, 95% CrI 1.76 to 4.09, moderate certainty, SUCRA = 77.98%) demonstrated potential superiority compared to false acupuncture or no treatment (F/N). Significant subgroup differences between clinical pregnancy rates were observed by subgroup analysis.

conclusionAcupuncture-related therapies can potentially enhance clinical pregnancy rates among women undergoing IVF-ET, with WA-TTP, AC + M-TTP, and AC-OTP demonstrating potential superiority. AC-TTP demonstrated a greater efficacy in improving live birth rates, increasing endometrial thickness, and reducing pulsation index. Our findings emphasize that acupuncture-related therapies with a limited number of sessions before or after embryo transfer show minimal clinical benefit except auricular acupressure.

Indexed as

Acupuncture TherapyEmbryo TransferFertilization in VitroBayes TheoremFemaleHumansOocyte RetrievalPregnancyPregnancy OutcomePregnancy RateRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicAcupuncture-related therapiesIn vitro fertilization and embryo transferNetwork meta-analysisPregnancy outcomesRandomized controlled trial

Identifiers

PMID40343601
PMCPMC12229355

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.