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The effects of acupuncture on IVF outcomes is still unknown. We carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCT to determine whether acupuncture performed at the time of ET improves outcomes. We searched Medline and Embase from January 1990 to June 2017, for the following terms): (acupuncture; acupuncture therapy) and (reproductive techniques, assisted; in vitro fertilization; embryo transfer). We selected RCT that compared acupuncture with sham acupuncture or no treatment. We included only trials in which acupuncture involved the insertion of needles into traditional meridian points. We evaluated the methodological quality of the trials using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. The measure of treatment effect was the pooled odds ratio of achieving a clinical pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, or live birth for women in the acupuncture group compared with women in the control group. For pooled data, summary test statistics were calculated using the Mantel-Haenszel method, using the Rev-Man software, version 5.1. We analyzed six studies, including 2,376. In all trials, there were no significant differences between the groups concerning the mean numbers of embryos transferred, the mean age of the women undergoing the procedure, diagnose and use of ICSI. Acupuncture performed the day of ET was associated with a reduced risk of clinical pregnancy (0.87, 95% confidence interval 0.77 to 0.98). The pooled rate difference was -0.06 (-0.12 to -0.01) for clinical pregnancy. None of the trials reported significant adverse effects of acupuncture.

Background: Endometriosis has been described to impair fertility through various mechanisms. However, studies evaluating the reproductive outcomes of women undergoing assisted reproductive technologies show controversial results. The aim of this study is to assess whether the reproductive outcome is impaired among women with endometriosis-associated infertility undergoing IVF., Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed, including women undergoing IVF reported by the Red Latinoamericana de Reproduccion Asistida (Redlara) registry, between January 2010 and December 2012. The study group included women with endometriosis-associated infertility, and the control group women with tubal factor, endocrine disorders or unexplained infertility. Women above 40 years, severe male factor and premature ovarian failure were excluded. The reproductive outcomes of between both groups were compared. The primary outcome was live birth. Secondary outcomes included clinical pregnancy, miscarriage, number of oocytes retrieved and number of fertilized oocytes. Outcomes were assessed after the first fresh IVF cycle, and were adjusted for age and number of embryos transferred., Results: A total of 22.416 women were included (3.583 with endometriosis and 18.833 in the control group). Mean age of patients in the endometriosis group and control group was 34.86 (3.47) and 34.61 (3.91) respectively, p = 0.000. The mean number of oocytes retrieved were 8.89 (6.23) and 9.86 (7.02) respectively, p = 0.000. No significant differences were observed between groups in terms of live birth (odds ratio (OR) 1.032, p = 0.556), clinical pregnancy (OR 1.044, p = 0.428) and miscarriage rates (OR 1.049, p = 0.623). Women with endometriosis had significantly lower number of oocytes retrieved (incidence risk ratio (IRR) 0.917, 95% CI 0.895-0.940), however, the number of fertilized oocytes did not differ among the two groups when adjusting for the number of oocytes retrieved (IRR 1.003, p = 0.794). An age-stratified analysis was performed, and no differences were observed in the reproductive outcomes between groups for women aged under 35 and 35 to 40., Conclusions: Reproductive outcomes among women undergoing IVF and diagnosed with endometriosis-associated infertility do not differ significantly from women without the disease. Although women with endometriosis generate fewer oocytes, fertilization rate is not impaired and the likelihood of achieving a live birth is also not affected.

Objective: To compare reproductive performance among pregnancies initiated with autologous oocytes and donated oocytes., Design: Retrospective cohort analysis., Setting: Clínica las Condes Hospital, a tertiary referral center in Chile; Fertility, Centro de Fertilizaçao Assistida, Brazil; and 130 institutions reporting to the Latin American Registry (RLA) of assisted reproductive technologies (ART)., Patient(s): Cohort 1 evaluates 70 women who conceived during an IVF cycle, and simultaneously donated fresh oocytes to other 70 oocyte recipients who also conceived. Cohort 2 evaluates the follow-up of 31,550 pregnancies after IVF and 6,024 pregnancies in oocyte recipients, both reported to the RLA between 1995 and 2005., Intervention(s): ART with autologous and donor oocytes., Main Outcome Measure(s): Embryo implantation rate, weight of newborns, gestational age at delivery, perinatal mortality and duration of lactation., Result(s): Oocyte donors and their recipients share similar embryo implantation rate, weight of newborns, gestational age at delivery, perinatal mortality, and duration of lactation., Conclusion(s): The establishment of pregnancy is as efficient with autologous as with donated oocytes. Embryos transferred into their progenitors or in different women have similar chances of implantation, weight at birth, and perinatal outcome. Embryo implantation is affected by the age of the recipient, suggesting that uterine senescence plays a role in fecundity., (Copyright 2010 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The clomiphene citrate challenge test is a tool to predict ovarian reserve and fertility. It has mainly been used as a predictor of success of IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. Infertile young women with diminished ovarian reserve have a worse prognosis than women with adequate ovarian reserve attempting IVF/ICSI cycles. Nothing is known regarding the outcome of young women with diminished ovarian reserve undergoing low-complexity assisted reproductive treatment such as ovulation induction plus intrauterine insemination (IUI). This study included all women under 37 years who consulted in the authors' centre between May 2004 and August 2005 who underwent ovulation induction and IUI. Ninety-six women younger than 37 years with adequate ovarian reserve, and 50 women with diminished ovarian reserve were found. The pregnancy rate and pregnancy rate per cycle in the adequate ovarian reserve group were significantly higher than those of the diminished ovarian reserve group (46.7% versus 25%, P < 0.02 ; 15.9% versus 7.6%, P < 0.02 respectively). It is concluded that the clomiphene citrate challenge test is a good predictor of low-complexity infertility intervention outcome, and represents an effective tool to establish a prognosis. Therefore, it is very useful in planning therapy, and advising the infertile couple.