THURSDAY, Nov. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Compared to real acupuncture, placebo acupuncture was associated with significantly higher overall pregnancy rates among women undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF), says a University of Hong Kong study.

In real acupuncture, fine needles are inserted into particular points on the body. In placebo acupuncture, blunt needles that look identical to real acupuncture needles retract into the handle of the needle when pressed on the skin, but still give the sensation and appearance of entering the skin.

The researchers gave real or placebo acupuncture to 370 women on the day of embryo transfer and found that 55.1 percent of those who received placebo acupuncture became pregnant, compared to 43.8 percent of those who received real acupuncture. The findings were published in the Nov. 13 issue of Human Reproduction.

"We found a significantly higher overall pregnancy rate following placebo acupuncture when compared with that of real acupuncture," study author Dr. Ernest Hung Yu Ng, an associate professor in the department of obstetrics and gynecology, said in a European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology news release. "In addition, there was a trend towards higher rates of clinical pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, live birth and embryo implantation in the placebo acupuncture group, although the differences did not reach statistical significance."

The results suggest that placebo acupuncture may not act as an inert control for real acupuncture and may be having a real effect. That theory is supported by the fact that the researchers noted significant changes in measurements for uterus receptivity and patient stress levels after the women received both the real and placebo acupuncture.

There are two possible explanations for the study results.

"Placebo acupuncture is similar to acupressure and therefore is good enough to improve the pregnancy rate," said Ng, who added it's also possible that real acupuncture may, in some way, reduce the pregnancy rate.

"So far, there is no evidence that real acupuncture would adversely affect IVF outcomes because, in a previous meta-analysis of several acupuncture studies, the pregnancy rate was higher in the acupuncture group than in the control group. However, we cannot draw a firm conclusion about this from our current study, as we did not compare the two groups with a third control group of patients who received neither form of acupuncture. Further studies should be conducted to compare placebo or noninvasive acupuncture and controls without acupuncture," Ng said.

More information

The U.S. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine has more about acupuncture.

TUESDAY, Nov. 11 (HealthDay News) -- High levels of lipoprotein particles may increase the risk of high blood pressure in women who currently have normal blood pressure.

That's the conclusion of a new study by U.S. researchers who analyzed data from thousands of participants in the Women's Health Study.

Lipoprotein particles carry cholesterol and triglycerides throughout the body. The particles travel into artery walls where they deposit the cholesterol, which forms artery-clogging plaque.

The researchers concluded that using nuclear magnetic resonance imaging to determine the number and size of lipoprotein particles can better predict a woman's risk of developing high blood pressure than checking standard cholesterol levels alone.

While there's a modest association between standard cholesterol measures and high blood pressure risk, this study suggests the link between high blood pressure and lipoprotein may be more important.

"This is the first study that examines whether the size of lipoproteins may affect blood pressure in women. Our findings indicate that even before the onset of hypertension, the size of the lipoprotein particles may indicate which women go on to develop hypertension," Dr. Samia Mora, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, said in an American Heart Association (AHA) news release.

The findings were expected to be presented Nov. 11 at the AHA's annual scientific sessions, in New Orleans.

Previous research had found that low concentrations of lipoprotein particles were associated with fewer cardiovascular disease-related events than equivalently low levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, according to background information in the news release about the study.

Currently, doctors use lipoprotein particle information to monitor the effects of cholesterol-lowering treatments, such as statin drugs, and in the management of a patient's cardiovascular health.

More information

The American Heart Association has more about women and high blood pressure  .

FRIDAY, Nov. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Calcium and vitamin D supplements may do more than strengthen bones in older women. These vital nutrients may also help younger, active women reduce their risk of stress fractures.

To illustrate that point, many bone health experts refer to a recent study of more than 5,200 female U.S. Navy recruits that found that women who didn't take additional calcium and vitamin D were about 25 percent more likely to suffer a stress fracture than women who took the vitamin and mineral combination.

"The most common time for a stress fracture is when you're increasing your exercise levels -- when you're going from doing nothing to doing a whole lot. It's too much, too fast, and the bone can't handle it," explained Dr. Sabrina Strickland, an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.

"Before you embark on any sort of exercise regimen, take calcium and vitamin D supplements to reduce your chances of a stress fracture," she advised.

Stress fractures occur when muscles become tired and can't absorb shock properly. That force is then transferred to the bone instead. After time, that added shock can cause a tiny crack in the bone. More than half of all stress fractures occur in the lower leg, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Women are more likely to suffer stress fractures, particularly women involved in just one particular sport, such as running, tennis, gymnastics or basketball.

"Stress fractures are seen in people who do the same activity over and over again," said Dr. Elton Strauss, an associate professor of orthopedic surgery at the Mount Sinai Medical School in New York City.

In the Navy recruit study, the women were undergoing eight weeks of basic training. All were between the ages of 17 and 35. The women were randomly divided into two groups. One group was given daily supplements containing 2,000 milligrams of calcium and 800 international units of vitamin D, while the other group took a placebo.

More than 300 women developed a stress fracture. About 170 women who took a placebo experienced a stress fracture. That means about 25 percent more of the placebo group had a stress fracture compared to those taking the supplements.

Results of the study were presented at a recent meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Society.

"I recommend that all of my female patients take 1,200 to 1,500 milligrams of calcium citrate and 800 international units of vitamin D3 daily," said Strickland.

Strickland also advised that athletes should cross-train to avoid stress fractures. If you're a runner, she suggests lifting weights. "Don't just participate in impact activities," she cautioned.

Strauss agreed that cross-training is crucial for strengthening muscles and ligaments, which will help prevent stress fractures. "You shouldn't do the same sport seven days a week," he said.

Strauss also suggested making sure you get plenty of sleep. And, if you're participating in a lot of exercise, you should "push for at least 12 to 15 grams of protein at each meal." Protein is important for the metabolism of muscles and bones, he said.

Strauss also recommended getting adequate levels of calcium, because it's "good for the entire musculoskeletal system." He said he thought most runners and other athletes spend enough time outdoors that they might not need a vitamin D supplement, because the body makes vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. However, athletes who are vigilant about applying sunscreen may need the additional vitamin D.

Finally, when you begin a new activity, take it slow, Strickland advised. "Don't do too much too fast. The typical rule for runners, and one almost nobody follows, is to increase the amount of running by 10 percent each week," she said.

More information

To learn more about stress fractures, visit the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons  .

THURSDAY, Nov. 6 (HealthDay News) -- A free online service that provides clinical trial information for women diagnosed or at risk for breast cancer was launched this week by the University of California, San Francisco, Center of Excellence for Breast Cancer Care.

BreastCancerTrials.org includes information about clinical trials taking place at more than 1,100 medical facilities across the United States.

"BreastCancerTrials.org is an exciting, win-win development for the breast cancer community," Dr. Laura Esserman, director of the UCSF Center of Excellence for Breast Cancer Care and the UCSF Carol Franc Buck Breast Care Center, said in a university news release.

"Every advance in our understanding and treatment of breast cancer has come from clinical trial results. The more we can empower our patients to find out about and participate in trials, the faster we will be able to complete trials, and the sooner this new knowledge will translate into better care and outcomes for all patients," she said.

It's hoped that many more women will consider taking part in clinical trials if they're encouraged to do so, and it's easy for them to find and evaluate clinical trials for which they may be eligible.

Web site users enter a detailed health history and are then matched to trials specific to their personal health situation. The site provides additional criteria for enrollment in a trial, along with details on how to get more information. Women can use BreastCancerTrials.org once or store their health history on secure servers for continual matching to newly listed trials. Users' health information is never sold or shared with external parties.

It can be a challenge for researchers to recruit patients for clinical trials, because very few patients know that they may be eligible to participate in research studies, according to the Clinical Research Roundtable at the Institute of Medicine.

More information

The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about clinical trials.