Use of electroacupuncture and transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation in reproductive medicine: a group consensus
Fan Qu, Rong Li, Wei Sun, Ge Lin, Rong Zhang, Jing Yang, Li Tian, Guo-gang Xing, Hui Jiang, Fei Gong, Xiao-yan Liang, Yan Meng, Jia-yin Liu, Li-ying Zhou, Shu-yu Wang, Yan Wu, Yi-jing He, Jia-yu Ye, Song-ping Han, Ji-sheng Han
Women’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, China; Center of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital / Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education / Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, China; Center of Reproductive Medicine, the Second Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250001, China; Center of Reproductive Medicine, CITIC Xiangya Reproductive and Genetic Hospital, Changsha 410008, China; Neuroscience Research Institute, Peking University / Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences / Peking University Health Science Center / Key Lab for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education/Ministry of Health, Beijing 100083, China; Center of Reproductive Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China; Center of Reproductive Medicine, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing 100044, China; Center of Reproductive Medicine, the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Zhongshan University, Guangzhou 510655, China; Center of Reproductive Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital, Nanjing 210029, China; Center of Reproductive Medicine, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Beijing 100026, China; Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China; Wuxi HANS Therapy Medical Technology Co., Ltd., Wuxi 214092, China
hanjisheng@bjmu.edu.cn
Abstract: 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.