Acupuncture and Clomiphene Citrate for Live Birth in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Study Design of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Table 1

Acupuncture points, stimulation, localization, tissue in which needles are inserted, and innervations area in true acupuncture which consists of two protocols that are alternated every other treatment (A and B) and control acupuncture.

True acupuncture point	Stimulation	Localisation	Muscle	Muscle innervation
Protocol A
Zhongji; CV3	EA	4 cun caudal to the umbilicus	Fibrous tissue, linea alba	L1
Qihai; CV6		1.5 cun caudal to the umbilicus	Fibrous tissue, linea alba	Th11
Guilai; ST29	EA	1 cun cranial to the pubic bone and 2 cun lateral to the midline	M rectus abdominis	Th6-12
Sanyinjiao; SP6	EA	3 cun proximal to the medial malleolus	Mm. flexor digitorum longus, tibialis posterior	L4-5, S1-2
Yinlingquan; SP9		Below medial tibia condyle	M. gastrocnemius	S1-2
Hegu; LI4	DeQi 4 times	On the highest point at m. interosseus dorsalis	Mm. interosseus dorsalis I, lumbricalis II, adductor pollicis	C8, Th1
Baihui; GV20	DeQi 4 times	On the top of the head	Aponeurosis epicranii	C2-3, N. trigeminus
Protocol B
Zhongji; CV3	DeQi 4 times	1 cun cranial to the pubic bone in the midline	Fibrous tissue, linea alba	L1
Qihai; CV6	DeQi 4 times	1.5 cun caudal to the umbilicus	Fibrous tissue, linea alba	Th11
Guilai; ST29	EA	1 cun cranial to the pubic bone and 2 cun lateral to the midline	M rectus abdominis	Th6–12
Tianshu; ST25		2 cun lateral to the midline at the level of the umbilicus	M rectus abdominis	Th6–12
Sanyinjiao; SP6	EA	3 cun proximal to the medial malleolus	Mm. flexor digitorum longus, tibialis posterior	L4-5, S1-2
Taichong; LR3		Between metatarsale I & II, just distal to the caput	M. Interosseus dorsalis I	S2-3
Neiguan; PC6	DeQi 4 times	2 cun proximal to processus styloideus radii, between the tendons of palmaris longus and flexor carpi radialis	M. flexor digitorum superficialis	C8, Th1
Baihui; GV20	DeQi 4 times	On the top of the head	Aponeurosis epicranii	C2-3, N. trigeminus
Control acupuncture; point	Stimulation	Localisation	Skin	Skin innervation
No known point	Sham EA	On top of acromion	Skin	C3-4,; n. supraclavicularis
No known point	Sham EA	On humerus, behind LI14	Skin	C5-6,; n. cutaneous brachii lateralis

CV: conception vessel; ST: stomach; SP: spleen; LI: large intestine; GV: governor vessel; LR: liver; PC: pericardium.