Effect of Electro-acupuncture on Women With Diminished Ovarian Reserve

"For treatment group, two groups of acupoints will be used alternatively. The first group consists of some acupoints. The patients will be asked to stay in supine position. Disposable sterilized needles (Size: 0.25\*40/50 mm) will be inserted into a depth of 15\~35 mm and stimulated manually to evoke needle sensation. And then some acupoints will be thereafter connected to electrical stimulators and stimulated with low-frequency and the maximum tolerated intensity of the patients. The other needles without electrical stimulators will be manually stimulated to evoke Deqi every 10 minutes.~The second group consists of other acupoints. Patients will be asked to stay in prone position. The stimulation will be in the same way as the first group."

"For control group, four pseudo-acupoints are used, with two points on each shoulder and the two on each upper arm, which are not located on any meridians. The patients will be asked to stay in supine position and keep the whole body relaxed and comfortable. Disposable sterilized needles (Size: 0.18\*25 mm) will be inserted superficially to a depth of \< 5 mm without any manual stimulus and the needle sensation (Deqi in TCM) should not be evoked. Electrodes are connected to the needles, but the stimulators should be turned on at an intensity of zero. Each intervention lasts for 30 minutes."