Objective To assess the therapeutic effect of acupuncture of eight acupoints around the umbilicus in improving the metabolic level and reproductive function in endomorph polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS) infertile patients. Methods Retrospective analysis was performed on 96 cases of endomorph type PCOS infertility patients who were admitted to the clinic of the Reproductive Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from October 2015 to June 2018. Among them

fifty-six cases of the acupuncture group received treatment with acupuncture stimulation of eight acupoints(Shuifen [CV9]

Yinjiao [CV7]

Tianshu [ST25]

Wailing [ST26]

Huaroumen [ST24]

etc.) around the umbilicus

and 40 cases of the control group were treated by oral administration of Letrozole. Acupuncture was performed once every other day

and Letrozole(2.5 mg/day) given once daily for 5 days

if no pregnancy got

the treatment procedure was repeated once again next menstruation cycle

continuously for 3 months. The pregnancy outcomes including the pregnancy rate

persistent pregnancy rate

ovulation rate and the first trimester abortion rate

and the levels of fat-related factors including body mass index(BMI)

waist-to-hip ratio(WHR)

homeostasis model of insulin resistance(HOMA-IR=fasting insulin x fasting blood glucose/22.5)

leptin(LEP) and adiponectin(APN) of the two groups were compared. The ovulation rate(number of effective ovulation cycles/number of observation cycles) x 100%

the first trimester abortion rate(number of spontaneous abortion within 12 weeks÷pregnancy cases) X100% were calculated. The fasting blood samples were taken for assaying serum LEP and APN contents using ELISA

blood glucose level using hexokinase assay

and serum insulin by using chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay

separately. Results After the treatment

the pregnancy rate and the level of APN were significantly higher(P<0.05)

and the BMI

WHR

HOMA-IR and LEP levels were all obviously lower in the acupuncture group than in the control group(P<0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups in the persistent pregnancy rate

abortion rate and ovulation rate(P>0.05). Conclusion Acupuncture at the eight points around the umbilicus can raise the pregnancy rate in obese type PCOS patients

which may be related to its effects in up-regulating serum APN and lowering BMI

WHR

HOMA-IR

and serum LEP levels.