Acupuncture and the Optimization of Reproductive Outcomes: An Integrative Review
Description
Introduction: Infertility is a critical global health issue with a growing incidence, affecting millions of couples worldwide. Although modern western treatments are effective, they face barriers such as high costs, limited access, and risks of serious complications, such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Acupuncture stands out as a therapeutic promise because it is a safe and accessible technique. It can potentiate clinical pregnancy rates, reduce anxiety, and balance hormones, in addition to optimizing uterine blood flow. Methods: This integrative review selected 24 studies through searches in four databases - PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Scopus - totaling 104,117 patients. Independent screening via Rayyan followed the removal of duplicates using Zotero software. Data extraction was performed independently by two researchers using a standardized form to ensure accuracy. Methodological rigor was ensured by the AMSTAR 2, Jadad, and QSAT tools. The complete search strategy was deposited in Mendeley Data, ensuring transparency and total research reproducibility. Results: Analysis of the studies indicates that acupuncture can optimize reproductive medicine outcomes. This impact is particularly relevant regarding clinical pregnancy rates, in which the largest reviewed sample (n=65,388) demonstrated the technique's superiority compared to both placebo (RR 1.31) and the absence of adjuvant treatment (RR 1.25). However, the literature still reflects controversies, with some analyses failing to identify statistical significance when compared to the placebo group. Conclusion: Acupuncture demonstrates therapeutic potential in female infertility, optimizing reproductive outcomes. However, further large-scale studies are still required to consolidate these findings and fill the gaps regarding its application in the treatment of pathologies associated with the male factor. Keywords: “Acupuncture therapy”, “Acupuncture”, “Infertility”, “Adult”, “Men”, “Women”