| Methods |
Randomised trial of fertility patients in Denmark |
| Participants |
200 patients randomised to either electro‐acupuncture (n = 100) or conventional analgesia (n = 100) at the time of oocyte retrieval. Both groups also received a para‐cervical block. |
| Interventions |
Electro‐acupuncture at the time of oocyte retrieval, given by specially trained nurses, versus conventional analgesia control (benzodiazepine, alfentanil) |
| Outcomes |
VAS scale
Clinical pregnancy rate |
| Assisted conception protocols |
Protocol breakdown not provided |
| Notes |
Study designed to assess effectiveness of acupuncture as an analgesic |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
Details not stated |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Low risk |
Adequate: randomisation using sealed unlabelled envelopes containing a study number |
| Blinding (performance bias and detection bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
‘doctors and patients are blinded to the arm of treatment’. |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
160 participants randomized; 8 in total withdrew from the study. |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Unclear risk |
LBR not a prestated outcome |
| Other bias |
Low risk |
None known |
