Kyeong Han Kim1, Soobin Jang2, Ju Ah Lee3, Ho-Yeon Go4, Jeeyoun Jung2, Sunju Park5, Myeong Soo Lee2, Seong-Gyu Ko6. 1. 1 Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Korean Medicine , Woosuk University, Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do, Republic of Korea. 2. 2 Clinical Medicine Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea. 3. 3 Department of Korean Internal Medicine, College of Korean Medicine , Gachon University, Incheon, Republic of Korea. 4. 4 Internal Medicine College of Korean Medicine , Semyung University, Chungju, Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea. 5. 5 Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Korean Medicine , Daejeon University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea. 6. 6 Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Korean Medicine , Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Infertility has long been recognized as a treatable disease, and complementary and alternative medicine treatments, such as acupuncture and moxibustion, have been used in Korea and China. This study describes female infertility treatment programs that used traditional Korean medicine (TKM) and were conducted by local governments in Korea and evaluates its effectiveness and safety. METHODS: The authors officially requested related information from the report of the infertility treatment programs and related sources from 2006 to 2016 from the Health & Welfare Ministry of Korea and the Association of Korean Medicine (AKOM). Additional information was obtained from six Korean databases. Data including basic information about the programs, participant information, interventions, and outcomes were abstracted. RESULTS: A total of 9 reports, including multiple years of data from 6 programs (total 13 programs), were identified. In these 13 programs, a total of 1023 female subjects participated, and 205 of the 887 subjects who completed the program reported a successful pregnancy, indicating a 23.1% pregnancy rate. The programs lasted 3-9 months, and interventional elements, such as herbal medicine, acupuncture, fumigation, and massage, were identified. Significant adverse effects were not reported. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that infertility treatment programs with TKM interventions exhibited a positive effect on pregnancy in females with infertility. Thus, the infertility treatment programs with TKM interventions are expected to be useful and might serve as the primary treatment before assisted reproduction techniques.
INTRODUCTION:Infertility has long been recognized as a treatable disease, and complementary and alternative medicine treatments, such as acupuncture and moxibustion, have been used in Korea and China. This study describes female infertility treatment programs that used traditional Korean medicine (TKM) and were conducted by local governments in Korea and evaluates its effectiveness and safety. METHODS: The authors officially requested related information from the report of the infertility treatment programs and related sources from 2006 to 2016 from the Health & Welfare Ministry of Korea and the Association of Korean Medicine (AKOM). Additional information was obtained from six Korean databases. Data including basic information about the programs, participant information, interventions, and outcomes were abstracted. RESULTS: A total of 9 reports, including multiple years of data from 6 programs (total 13 programs), were identified. In these 13 programs, a total of 1023 female subjects participated, and 205 of the 887 subjects who completed the program reported a successful pregnancy, indicating a 23.1% pregnancy rate. The programs lasted 3-9 months, and interventional elements, such as herbal medicine, acupuncture, fumigation, and massage, were identified. Significant adverse effects were not reported. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that infertility treatment programs with TKM interventions exhibited a positive effect on pregnancy in females with infertility. Thus, the infertility treatment programs with TKM interventions are expected to be useful and might serve as the primary treatment before assisted reproduction techniques.
Entities:
Keywords:
acupuncture; herbal medicine; infertility; traditional Korean medicine