Hypnotherapy for infertility

[alkar]

Apologies if this is in the wrong place

I am a qualified hypnotherapist and already offer hypnotherapy for childbirth. I am considering a course in hypnotherapy for infertility. What do people think? Is hypnotherapy something anyone with fertility problems may consider?

TIA

I can understand it for child birth, stopping smoking, weight loss but how would it work for infertility? Like we're struggling with ttc due to DH's poor sperm count....it can't make his swimmers go straighter surely?! Is it about helping the body relax?

Yes, pretty much

Please don't. Best case you provide a placebo. Worst case your intervention delays a woman with treatable fertility issues seeking medical help.

Lozster - I totally disagree. Obviously hypnotherapy in not going to help if you have something seriously wrong.
However, I think hypnotherary is pretty powerful stuff if done in the right way and can really help with stress and relaxation.
I have used it very successfully for treating my own mild depression/anxiety and as we know, TTC can be very anxiety inducing!

I think there is some evidence of better IVF success rates with positive visualisation/hypnotherapy as well.

I can see no scientific evidence that hypnotherapy is associated with improved rates of conception. Not surprisingly, claims are made by hypnotherapy centres. Individuals may well report positive outcomes but that is more likely to be attributable to regression to the mean than to a cure.

Alternative therapies such as this relating to fertility annoy me as women having problems conceiving are going through an emotional time and are vulnerable to any ray of hope no matter how costly or time consuming. You can down play it by saying that it's harmless but actually, I don't think it is if it delays one person from seeking medical advice or even from directing their cash away from hypnotherapy and towards private fertility treatment. I'm assuming that the poster isn't a qualified GP or fertility expert so in a position to take a case history, establish that anxiety is the cause of the fertility issue, and make recommendations based on this, including advising on whether hypnotherapy is a useful or best option.

The problem with all hypnotherapy is that it's a solution looking for a problem. You wouldn't go to your GP and ask for anti-biotics without describing your symptoms and case history. Going to a hypnotherapist is a bit like going to a car sales room and expecting the salesman to determine that a bicycle would actually better meet your needs. You may encounter a hypnotherapist who is reputable and will give you good guidance, however, it's worth knowing that hypnotism is completely unregulated and that there are no recognised qualifications. That's not to say that hypnotherapy does not have it's place in a medical/therapeutic battery of treatments for phobia's, social anxiety, pain management etc but connecting it with infertility seems opportunistic.

If it suggests it can 'cure' medical causes for infertility then it's very dodgy ground and taking advantage of vulnerable people. However if it helps manage the stress of ttc (after 20 months ttc believe me I know the stress!) and improves quality of life then great :)

Scientific Research and Statistics

Hypnosis Increases Natural Conception by 50%Infertile women utilizing mind/body techniques such as hypnosis have a 42 ? 55% conception rate as compared to 20% with in vitro fertilization (IVF).The Journal of the American Medical Women?s Association 1999 and The Journal of Fertility and Sterility 2000. (Studies conducted by Alice Domar, PhD, director of the Beth Israel Deaconess Behavioural Medicine Program for Infertility in Boston

Hypnosis and natural conception.
Hypnosis based on imagery and a relaxation strategy was successful in facilitating pregnancy. The treatment was considered to have resulted in beneficial modification of attitude, optimism, and mind-body interaction. The American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis. (Volume 38, Issue 1, 1995, 22-26): Hypnosis in the Treatment of Functional Infertility.

Hypnosis Doubles IVF rate
The success rate of IVF treatment doubled when subjects underwent hypnosis during implantation. Israeli study conducted by Professor Eliahu Levitas.

Thanks for the opinions...

It would be for unexplained infertility, where a couple has had all the tests and the cause is still unknown. There is lots of research (thanks farfallarocks!) that says hypnotherapy can considerably improve a couples chances of conceiving. I will go ahead with the course