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Herbal therapy lowers fertility

Alternative medical treatments and herbal supplements may reduce a woman's chance of getting pregnant, according to a study presented July 4 at a meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in France.

According to the Associated Press, the study was conducted on 800 Danish women who were receiving in vitro fertilization. Alternative medical treatments and/or herbal supplements such as reflexology, homeopathy, kinesiology and acupuncture were used by 261 of the participants, the wire service reported.

The results showed that the women who used one or more of these therapies were 20 percent less likely to become pregnant. While more research is needed to determine a cause and effect relationship, one of the researchers, Dr. Jacky Boivin of Cardiff University, told the A.P. that the lowered fertility incidence didn't seem to be accidental.

"There still seems to be an association between the use of complementary therapies and the reduced chances for pregnancy," Boivin said. "Doctors tend to think that these kinds of therapies are benign, but maybe they're not as benign as we think they are." – (HealthDay)

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July 2007

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