None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
To explore whether AA can relieve anxiety during the period from trans-vaginal oocyte retrieval (TVOR) to the embryo transfer (ET) in in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment and improve clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) and implantation rate (IR) of IVF.
Interventions
Auricular acupressure (AA)
Shenmen (TF4, located at the bifurcation of the crura of antihelix), Endocrine (CO18, located at the bottom part of the incisura intertragica), and Internal Genitals (TF2, located at the middle point of the anterior portion of the triangular fossa) were selected as the auricular acupoints . Shenmen (TF4) functions to relieve anxiety. Endocrine (CO18) and Internal Genitals (TF2) improve functions of the endocrine system and regulate functions of the female reproductive
Auricular acupressure (AA) Shenmen (TF4, located at the bifurcation of the crura of antihelix), Endocrine (CO18, located at the bottom part of the incisura intertragica), and Internal Genitals (TF2, located at the middle point of the anterior portion of the triangular fossa) were selected as the auricular acupoints . Shenmen (TF4) functions to relieve anxiety. Endocrine (CO18) and Internal Genitals (TF2) improve functions of the endocrine system and regulate functions of the female reproductive system. After the above acupoints were sterilized with 75% alcohol, AA was performed by using acupressure seeds named Semen vaccariae. The seed was kept in place by a piece of opaque adhesive patch and fixed onto the acupoint selected. The subjects were asked to press the acupoints four times a day (08:00, 12:00, 16:00 and 20:00 h respectively) with 15 min each time by themselves. The strength should make the local auricle congestive, flushed, hot and ache. The AA was conducted on the two ears simultaneously. The AA treatment consisted of 6 days (from 12:00 h of the last day of TVOR to 20:00 h of the next day of ET).
Sponsors
Women’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Primary purpose
Treatment
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
23 Years to 38 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
The women were healthy women with regular menstrual cycles and normal sex hormone levels. No structural abnormalities of uterus and ovaries were found by vaginal ultrasound or laparoscopy. None of the women had received any assisted reproductive technology (ART) therapy before.
Exclusion criteria
We excluded all the patients who were not fluent in Chinese, the patients with neurologic or psychiatric disorders, the patients who were taking any tranquillizer, acupressure or acupuncture therapy, patients with an ear deformity, or the patients with a history of smoking or drinking.
Outcome results
None listed