I’ll keep my eye on the study testing the impact of acupuncture on women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), at the University of Virginia Health System (UVAHS) and let you know what information comes from their work.

To date, they seem to be having success. “Over the last year we have seen women who never had a regular menstrual cycle start having regular periods. We can also boast several pregnancies since the study began,” said Lisa Pastore, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at UVAHS. Dr. Pastore is the principle researcher of the study. She helps women with PCOS have regular menstrual cycles.

Five percent of reproductive age women are affected by PCOS. Symptoms can include small cysts on their ovaries, infrequent or irregular vaginal bleeding, male-pattern hair growth, and acne. Insulin resistance and pre-diabetes also can develop.

PCOS causes a hormonal imbalance, interfering with ovulation and ultimately, fertility. With several women in the study reporting pregnancies, Pastore believes acupuncture could be an important alternative, non-drug therapy for women with this disorder.

“Now we would like to recruit more people to the study in order to complete the study. It is important for research to have enough participants to ensure that the results are scientifically credible and not due to chance.”

I am glad to see that this study is being done. In my Chicago acupuncture practice I have treated several women with PCOS and had a lot of success in regulating their menstrual cycles.