Alternative therapies continued

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Acupuncture

Claudine Mark, 30, from London, hadn't had a period for two years and was desperate to conceive when she went to Naava Carman, who offers a Fertility Support Programme. This combines acupuncture (in which fine needles are inserted into specific points to correct imbalances in the body's energy flow), Chinese herbs and nutrition with Western diagnostic techniques. 'Within a month of taking the herbs, my periods had returned. Naava told me not to try to get pregnant for the first three months, but a month later we conceived Talia,' says Claudine.

Naava Carman claims an 85 per cent success rate, a figure that has increased since she's asked patients to take a three-month break from trying to conceive. 'This helps people recover their emotional equilibrium and rekindle their relationship with their partner,' she explains.

'Stimulating energy flow through acupuncture enables a woman's natural cycles to work properly,' says acupuncturist Barbara Moss. 'Someone with polycystic ovary syndrome or endometriosis might need drugs or surgery to help them get pregnant. In such cases acupuncture can help, but medical intervention is also important.'

No guarantees

When it comes to getting pregnant, alternative therapies offer no guarantees. Liana Braune, 42, from London, has had two miscarriages in the past two years and is hoping that acupuncture will help her to conceive for a third time. 'So far, I've had five sessions and have yet to see a result,' she explains. 'Whether it will work or not, I just don't know.'

Read on: Ten ways to boost your chances of pregnancy