PCOS is a complex hormonal disturbance in which women do not ovulate regularly, and their ovaries produce excessive quantities of male hormones, such as testosterone. To achieve pregnancy, women with PCOS must often have their ovaries stimulated, usually with fertility drugs. In addition, they often need long-term treatment to decrease their risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, or cancer of the uterus. But these treatments often bring unwanted side effects.

The women were treated for 30 minutes twice a week for two weeks, then once a week, for a total of 10-14 treatments. Tiny needles were inserted in their skin at acupuncture points on the abdomen and calf thought to be associated with the ovary and uterus. These were attached to an electrical stimulator and stimulated with low-frequency energy for 30 seconds, causing non-painful muscle contractions.

Of the 24 women, 38% experienced a "good effect," which was defined as repeated ovulations or pregnancy during the treatment period or the three months after treatment. The number of ovulations per woman, per month, had averaged 0.15 in the three months before treatment, it increased to 0.66 during and after the treatments.