Here are highlights from the 2006 conference of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine in New Orleans.

Writing in Medscape, Dr. Peter Kovacs from the Kaali Institute IVF Center in Budapest and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York says, “Increasing numbers of patients ask about and/or turn to alternative medical solutions when traditional medicine fails.”

With respect to 2 studies of acupuncture?

Needle acupuncture, laser acupuncture, relaxation, and sham laser acupuncture, vs no treatment in 481 women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF).

• Chemical, clinical pregnancy, and implantation rates were highest in the needle acupuncture group.
• But differences failed to reach statistical significance.

A retrospective analysis of IVF outcomes with acupuncture vs no acupuncture.

• No benefit associated with acupuncture use

Dr. Kovacs concludes, “Although acupuncture might improve IVF outcome, convincing evidence is not yet available.”

Despite this, there is a trend towards using acupuncture in fertility clinics, as summarized here.

4/29/07 19:29 JR