Infertile couples often use alternative medicine

By Megan Rauscher

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - 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 percent 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."

SOURCE: Australia & New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, April 2007.