it's the one complementary therapy that we really thought could make a difference to IVF outcomes, and it wasn't just patients who were convinced - some clinics have allowed acupuncturists in to work with patients going through fertility treatment. Now, researchers are claiming acupuncture makes absolutely no difference. A team from Guy's and St Thomas' analysed all the published research on the subject, and concluded that there was no evidence that acupuncture had any effect at all on the chances of getting pregnant after IVF.
It had been thought that acupuncture could increase the likelihood of an embryo implanting in the womb if it was carried out around the time of embryo transfer, and that's one reason why it has proved so popular with fertility patients. In fact it seems the only clear effect of acupuncture is to reduce the need for pain relief at the time of egg collection.
When I wrote The Complete Guide to Female Fertility , I interviewed dozens of women who'd been through IVF, and many of them had tried acupuncture. Not one of them felt it had been a waste of time or money, and in fact most claimed they were sure it had made a real difference. Perhaps this is all psychological, but when we know that stress has a role in causing infertility, anything that helps reduce that must surely be of some benefit.
You can read more on this on the BBC website
No comments:
Post a Comment