Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation alleviates the anxiety levels of IVF: a prospective, randomized and controlled study

Introduction It is recognized that all over the world, infertile women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) experience high levels of stress, but most remain undiagnosed and untreated. This study explored whether transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) could relieve anxiety levels in infertile women. Methods A total of 360 infertile women with tubal blockage were randomized into four groups: control group, TEAS–2 Hz group, TEAS–100 Hz group and TEAS-2/100 Hz group. After excluding patients who did not complete embryo transfer, 84, 84, 80 and 86 cases remained in the above groups respectively. Anxiety levels were measured using the Spielberger's State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS). Results We found that 2/100 Hz TEAS treatment significantly decreased the levels of state anxiety and preoperative anxiety (P<0.05). In addition, there were indications that a100 Hz TEAS treatment could decrease the scores of APAIS. Conclusions TEAS using a frequency of 2/100 Hz could help to alleviate state anxiety and preoperative anxiety levels.