Infertile couples often use alternative medicine

NEW YORK, Mar 13 (Reuters) Alternative medicines and therapies such as herbs, chiropractic care, and acupuncture, are widely used by couples seeking treatment for infertility, often in conjunction with prescription medicine, a study shows -- and the fertility specialist is often unaware of it.

It's possible that these therapies may interact with each other and impact the odds of a woman becoming pregnant, experts say, as the safety and efficacy of complementary medicines used to treat infertility or in conjunction with established treatments is unclear.

Dr Marcin Stankiewicz, a fertility specialist at Flinders Medical Center, Bedford Park, South Australia, said it's important to ''tell your doctor/fertility specialist'' about complementary medicine use. ''Ask about ingredients and interactions with other drugs as well as safety.'' In a survey of 97 new patients being seen at an infertility clinic, reported in the Australia&New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stankiewicz and colleagues discovered that two-thirds reported using complementary medicine.

Nearly half of them said they had consulted with a complementary therapy provider, such as a chiropractor, acupuncturist, or naturopath.

Over three-quarters of the patients reported taking over-the-counter multivitamins, and about a quarter to one-third used herbal remedies including chamomile, echinacea, peppermint, and chaste tree berry.

It's been shown that the hormonal effects of chaste tree berry may promote the development of a serious condition called ''ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome'' in women having in vitro fertilization, Stankiewicz pointed out.

Use of complementary medicines and therapies declined 6 months after the initial visit to the infertility clinic, a follow up survey showed.

Only 29 per cent of those surveyed at the infertility clinic said they talked to their doctor about their use of complementary medicine. In addition, a review of 200 patient records at the same clinic showed that use of complementary medicine was ''poorly documented by clinical staff.'' Better documentation, Stankiewicz said in a statement, ''may contribute to identifying any positive or negative effects it (alternative medicine) has on fertility outcomes.'' REUTERS SB BST1005