# Alternative Therapies - useful tips!



## shazd

Infertility Network in Northern Ireland would like to encourage all couples about to embark on an alternative/complementary treatment to check out the qualifications of the alternative therapists and their staff and reassure yourself that the therapist and the therapy are right for you and your circumstances.  

Some of the issues that we have become aware of include: -

•	Therapists asking for a large amount of money up front.  We would advise that a “pay as you go basis” is best for alternative treatments as a client’s medical needs can change especially if they are in the process of fertility treatment through an NHS or private fertility clinic (licensed by the HFEA)
•	Some therapists have a “no refund policy” should you be unable to attend an appointment. Check this out beforehand so that you can cancel, due to personal circumstances, and not be out of pocket.  
•	Reports of high pressure selling techniques which include being told there are long waiting lists and the need to sign up quickly then being contacted within days to say that there has been a cancellation.
•	The most qualified therapist may treat a client during the first appointment; however, subsequent appointments may be with much less qualified staff. 
•	Therapists suggesting to clients that they should ask their Fertility Clinician to prescribe certain medical procedures when they are not medically trained to provide such advice. 
•	Therapists claiming that their particular alternative/complementary treatment has resulted in a large number of pregnancies or live births. What the therapist may fail to offer are statistics about how many were at the same time undergoing IVF or ICSI treatments or other medical procedures. The figures may not factor in that some clients may have become pregnant naturally without their intervention.

Hoping this helps when choosing an alternative therapist.


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## klaire80

Very helpful thank you. I am embarking on my second cycle and will be doing some acupuncture and massage. You post was quite helpful


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## amber-ruby

this is really helpful, thanks for posting x


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## Haydan

_*bump*_


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