Zhuran Wang, Ting Xiao, Guanglan Qi, Yue Zhong, Yue Zhu

Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Reproductive Immunology for Peri-Implantation, Shenzhen Zhongshan Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Shenzhen Zhongshan Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital (Formerly Shenzhen Zhongshan Urology Hospital), Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province, 518000, People’s Republic of China

Correspondence: Zhuran Wang, Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Reproductive Immunology for Peri-implantation, Shenzhen Zhongshan Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Shenzhen Zhongshan Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital (formerly Shenzhen Zhongshan Urology Hospital), No. 1001 Fuqiang Road, Futian District, Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province, 518000, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-13823398904, Email zhurannnw@outlook.com

Objective: This study analyzed the role of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment on the cumulative live birth rate (CLBR) in women with poor ovarian response to the patient-oriented strategies encompassing individualized oocyte number (POSEIDON) criteria.
Methods: This cohort study selected 3347 patients with low ovarian response and divided them into four subgroups according to the POSEIDON criteria: Group 1 (n=947), Group 2 (n=778), Group 3 (n=164), and Group 4 (n=1458). Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the role of TCM treatment on the CLBR of patients with poor ovarian response to POSEIDON criteria.
Results: In the unadjusted model, TCM treatment might be related to the heightened CLBR (OR=2.052, 95% CI: 1.745– 2.413). After adjusting for the POSEIDON group, a higher CLBR was identified in those with TCM treatment (OR=1.927, 95% CI: 1.615– 2.300). In Model 3, covariates including the POSEIDON group, age, body mass index (BMI), anti-mullerian hormone (AMH), and/or antral follicle count (AFC) were adjusted, and TCM treatment was associated with elevated CLBR of patients with poor ovarian response to the POSEIDON criteria (OR=1.905, 95% CI: 1.586– 2.289). This suggested that TCM increased CLBR by 19.05% in patients who used TCM compared with those who did not. Subgroup analysis indicated that TCM treatment might increase the CLBR of patients in POSEIDON criteria Group 1 (OR=1.83, 95% CI: 1.33– 2.51), indicating that TCM elevated the CLBR by 8.3% in POSEIDON criteria Group 1.
Conclusion: TCM treatment was related to increased CLBR in patients with poor ovarian response to the POSEIDON criteria.

Keywords: Traditional Chinese medicine, live birth rate, the POSEIDON criteria