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Trouble Conceiving

It's Been a Year: Now What?

Part I

By Lyn Mettler

Other options for couples not yet ready to dive full force into infertility treatments include alternative routes, such as acupuncture. Drs. Barmat, Horvath and Keye all say if a couple expresses interest, they may refer them on to a certified acupuncturist in their area, though usually just as a complementary treatment. In fact, a 2002 study in Germany appearing in the journal Fertility and Sterility found that performing acupuncture on IVF patients greatly enhanced their chances of becoming pregnant.

Meyers-Thompson says she received acupuncture treatments periodically during the three years she was trying to conceive and had a treatment during the cycle that she finally became pregnant. She found the main benefit was that it helped her relax. "It really seemed to help my disposition and helped my anxiety go down," she says.

Couples might also incorporate an activity that they find relaxing, such as yoga, visualization or meditation, into their regular routine to help them de-stress. Some studies have shown stress causes a reduced chance of pregnancy, Dr. Barmat says.

"There's no question that there's a mind-body connection, and that certain alternative therapies can be helpful," Dr. Horvath says. He suggests that often the best benefits can be derived at the intersection of Eastern and Western medicine. But, says Dr. Keye, "Don't hang your hat on just [alternative treatments] and delay getting appropriate medical therapy."

Read Part II of this article here.

Want to see more?

• Who's Who? An Infertility Starting Lineup
• The Infertility Marketplace: Terms You Need to Know
• Trouble Conceiving? Get the Right Medical Care!
• To the Point: Acupuncture for Conception
• Fertility and Flexibility: Yoga When You're Trying to Conceive
• Predicting Ovulation Using Saliva: A Review of the Ovulite Fertility Test
• Check out our Article Library.
• Join the discussion on our Family.com community!