Based on information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, seven million women of reproductive age have had fertility treatments. Acupuncture, hypnotherapy, and a few other therapies are promoted as cost-effective alternatives to high-tech reproductive treatments, but do they work?
Despite the lack of solid studies on the subject, some experts believe that alternative fertility treatment is definitely worth giving a shot if you are having difficulty conceiving.
Mind and Body Techniques
In much of the research on fertility and guided imagery, cognitive behavioral therapy, in which individuals are trained to change negative into positive, and deep breathing is encouraged. According to a recent study conducted by Dr. Domar and her colleagues, 52% of the women who had IVF treatments and attended mind and body sessions from a place such as HypnoFertility International became pregnant after two IVF cycles, compared to only 20% of those who did not.
Acupuncture
The results of studies on the alternative fertility treatment acupuncture, an ancient Chinese therapy in which small needles are inserted into places of the body known to promote conception, are varied.
Research published in the journal Fertility and Sterility in 2006 found that 36% of the women who underwent acupuncture before and after embryo transfer during IVF became pregnant, compared to only 22% of those who did not. However, three years later, the same journal published a second study that found no significant difference in the rates of conception between the two groups of women.
