Herbal medicines ‘may hinder IVF treatment’
(wz) Infertile women who supplement their fertility treatment with alternative medicines may be harming their chances of becoming pregnant, according to controversial research by psychologists. A year-long study of 818 women found that those who turned to complementary therapies such as herbal medicines, reflexology and acupuncture while having IVF treatment were at least 30% less likely to become pregnant than women who did not.
A team led by Jacky Boivin, a psychologist at Cardiff University, investigated the effects of alternative therapies because they are increasingly being used by women undergoing fertility treatment. Some herbal treatments are marketed as natural remedies for infertility, while others claim to improve women’s chances of getting pregnant by reducing their stress levels. Dr Boivin said it was unclear what was to blame for the apparent drop in pregnancy rates, but said the effect may be due to herbal medicines interacting with and disrupting drugs and hormones used in fertility treatment. more…
From: »The Guardian« (UK)