ArticleBMJ open2025
Effects of acupuncture on pregnancy outcomes in infertile women with polycystic ovarian syndrome: a protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.
Article in BMJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Effects of different acupuncture methods on polycystic ovarian syndrome: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.BMC complementary medicine and therapies · 2026Pooled it
- Acupuncture Versus Clomiphene for Ovulation Induction in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): A Randomized Clinical Trial.Health science reports · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionPolycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder that affects reproductive-age women, impairing their ability to conceive and sustain fertility. The efficacy of conventional therapies varies among individuals and is often accompanied by multiple side effects. Acupuncture has shown potential in fertility management for PCOS patients. However, the current evidence on its impact on pregnancy outcomes remains inconclusive. This study aims to synthesise the latest evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in infertile women with PCOS. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A comprehensive literature review will be conducted by searching for randomised controlled trials of acupuncture for infertile women with PCOS in English and Chinese language databases, including the Cochrane Database of Clinical Trials, PubMed, EMBASE, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP and SinoMed. The primary outcome will be live birth rat (LBR) and clinical pregnancy rate (CRP). The secondary outcomes will include multiple pregnancy rate (MPR), ongoing pregnancy rate (OPR), miscarriage rate (MR), ovulation rate (OR), hyperstimulation ovarian syndrome (OHSS) and adverse events. The risk of bias will be assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 tool. Meta-analysis will be conducted to synthesise the evidence for each outcome, if possible. The heterogeneity will be statistically assessed using a χ ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval is not required for this review. Our findings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42024601226.
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Registered trials
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