Sator‐K 2006.

Methods	Randomised controlled trial in fertility clinic in Austria
Participants	Patients were randomised in proportions of 1:1:1 to treatment with electro‐acupuncture (n = 32), auricular acupuncture without electrical stimulation (n = 32) or a control group without needles or electrical stimulation (n = 30). The mean ages (± SD) of the women undergoing IVF treatment in the group receiving electro‐acupuncture with remifentanil (EA), acupuncture with remifentanil (A), and remifentanil with placebo (CO) were 33.3 years (± 1.7), 34.2 years (± 1.1) and 33.9 years (± 1.9), respectively. There were no differences in the number of failed cycles or causes of subfertility.
Interventions	EA, or EA with electrical stimulation or control of conventional analgesia (remifentanil) at the time of oocyte retrieval
Outcomes	Pain intensity and subjective well being were assessed using a visual analogue scale Nausea and tiredness were also assessed using a visual rating scale Analgesic drug requirements during the entire study period
Assisted conception protocols	Protocol breakdown not provided
Notes	Study designed to assess effectiveness of acupuncture as an analgesic Each P‐Stim™ was programmed by an independent technician for electrical stimulation or no stimulation before the study. To ensure blinding of the investigator, each P‐Stim™ was packed in a non‐transparent case in which the respective permanent needles or adhesive tapes were also included. The packages were numbered consecutively, according to the randomisation list. Patients and investigators were blinded to the randomisation
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Low risk	computer generated sequence randomisaton
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	‘Randomisation was concealed until at least 30 patients were randomized.’ ‘Patients and investigators were blinded to the randomisation’. Method of allocation concealment not clearly reported
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) All outcomes	High risk	Control group had traditional I.V. pain relief.
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	94 were randomized. 1 drop out.
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Unclear risk	LBR outcome not reported.
Other bias	Low risk	None known