Chinese medicine no help to get pregnant: British experts

Couples who use acupuncture and Chinese medicine to try and increase their chances of having a baby were warned there was no evidence it worked by British fertility experts Wednesday.

The British Fertility Society (BFS), which represents fertility clinics, issued the guidelines after collecting information from 14 studies involving 2,670 patients.

Adam Balen, who chairs its policy and practice committee, said: "There is currently no evidence that acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine, when used in conjunction with assisted fertility treatment, have any beneficial effect on live birth rate, pregnancy rate or miscarriage rate.

"Patients should be made aware of this fact before commencing treatment."

The British Acupuncture Council said it was "surprised" by the findings, published in the BFS's journal Human Fertility, citing "significant research" that acupuncture could help couples trying to conceive.

"Many women we see at the clinic who have experienced IVF (in vitro fertilisation) both with and without acupuncture frequently report that they are convinced that acupuncture made a difference," said Zita West of the council.

One in seven couples in the West has trouble conceiving, according to the BFS.

(c) 2010 AFP