Acupuncture effective for depression

Chinese researchers have carried out studies to assess  the benefits of acupuncture as a treatment for depression. The analysis included eight randomised controlled trials involving almost 500 subjects. Their results suggested that acupuncture was an effective treatment for depression and could significantly reduce the severity of depression.

Acupuncture promising for pelvic pain

A systemic review of the effectivness of acupuncture in treating pelvic and back pain in pregnancy has found promising results. Two small trials on mixed pelvic/back pain and one large high-quality trial on pelvic pain met the inclusion criteria. The authors concluded that the current evidence, although limited, supports the use of acupuncture in these conditions (Acupuncture for pelvic and back pain in pregnancy; a systemic review. Am J Obstet Gynecol. March 2008 JCM.

Acupuncture increases IVF success

The beneficial effect of acupuncture on fertility treatment has once again been highlighted by the results of a major scientific study. The research found that women undergoing IVF treatment were much more likely to have a successful pregnancy if they also had acupuncture treatment on the day of embryo transfer. Acupuncture carried out on the day of embryo transfer was found to increase the chances of having a live birth from one in five to one in three. This was published as part of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and carried out by a team from the University of Southampton. Oct 2008.