Acupuncture may increase the success rates of fertility treatment, according to a study. The Dutch and US research, published in the British Medical Journal, found for every 10 IVF cycles with acupuncture, there would be one extra pregnancy. However, the study, which looked at more than 1,300 women, hinted that patients at European clinics might not benefit as strongly. A UK alternative medicine expert said he was not convinced by the results. On the face of it, these results sound fantastic. I would, however, be very cautious, said Dr Professor Edzard Ernst, Peninsula Medical School Approximately 10% to 15% of British couples have difficulty conceiving at some point in their lives and look for specialist fertility treatment. IVF involves fertilising the egg with sperm outside the woman’s body then putting the resulting embryo back into the womb. Some couples face repeated expensive attempts to achieve a pregnancy. Acupuncture has been used for centuries in China to regulate female fertility, and in recent years, scientists have been looking at whether it could boost IVF chances. Studies have been mixed, with some showing benefits, and some even showing a reduced chance of conceiving. […]