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http://dx.doi.org/10.15204/jkobgy2014.27.1.176

The Effectiveness and Safety of Acupuncture and Moxibustion for Poor Semen Quality in Male Infertility : A Review  

Jo, Jun-Young (Dept. of Korean Gynecology, Graduate school of Korean Medicine, Kyung-Hee University)
Hwang, Deok-Sang (Dept. of Korean Gynecology, Graduate school of Korean Medicine, Kyung-Hee University)
Jang, Jun-Bock (Dept. of Korean Gynecology, Graduate school of Korean Medicine, Kyung-Hee University)
Lee, Jin-Moo (Dept. of Korean Gynecology, Graduate school of Korean Medicine, Kyung-Hee University)
Lee, Chang-Hoon (Dept. of Korean Gynecology, Graduate school of Korean Medicine, Kyung-Hee University)
Publication Information
The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology / v.27, no.1, 2014 , pp. 176-184 More about this Journal
Abstract
Objectives: The purpose of this study is to understand current situation of acupuncture and moxibustion for male infertility. Methods: We searched all relevant studies of male infertility patients treated with acupuncture and moxibustion. Electronic searches were conducted in Pubmed, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE and 4 Korean databases until October 2013. Results: A total of 10 reports were included in the review. Two case reports, one case series, three before and after studies, one cohort study, one non-randomized controlled study and two randomized controlled studies were reviewed. Although the majority of studies suggested a positive effect of acupuncture on male infertility, the quality of studies was low. Data on adverse effects were lacking. Conclusions: We found a benefit from acupuncture for poor semen quality in male infertility. These findings should be treated with caution as the evidence was low or very low quality. To further evaluate the effects of acupuncture and moxibustion in male infertility, well-designed randomized controlled studies are needed.
Keywords
Male infertility; Semen quality; Sperm; Acupuncture; Moxibustion;
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