International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

Women trying to get pregnant through fertility management treatments such as IVF may find alternative remedies like Chinese herbal medicines and acupuncture beneficial.

This is according to NHS consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Michael Dooley who noted that these therapies can have a direct impact on the effect of more conventional medication.

"I am convinced that the way forward for women's healthcare is an integrated approach, looking after the whole person," he remarked.

Mr Dooley - who is also the medical director of the Poundbury Clinic in Dorchester - went on to say that it could prove advantageous if the patient remains active, as opposed to waiting for the doctor to "provide some technical fix".

Those who are not ill may also find that undergoing such treatments helps their general wellbeing, as the expert said that they can improve fitness and assist in dietary changes such as giving up alcohol and quitting smoking.

However, his comments conflict with the latest guidelines from the British Fertility Society, which claimed that there is no evidence that acupuncture and other similar methods boost pregnancy chances.

Posted by David Smith