Hypnosis 'doubles IVF treatment success rate'

Hypnosis can double a woman's chances of getting pregnant after in-vitro fertilisation treatment, according to new research.

Scientists in Israel made the discovery after a group of 89 women were hypnotised while embryos were being transplanted into their wombs.

Their success rate was 28 per cent, compared with 14.4 per cent for another group of 96 women who did not undergo hypnosis. In both groups roughly the same number of eggs was obtained for IVF treatment, and the same kind of ovarian stimulation applied.

The women, all aged about 32, were first interviewed to test their susceptibility to hypnosis.

Those selected underwent embryo transfer in the presence of a specialist therapist who sat with them throughout the procedure.

Study leader Dr Elihu Levitas, from Soroka University in Beer-Sheva, Israel, said embryo transfer, normally performed without anaesthesia, was often a highly stressful experience for women.

Dr Levitas said there might be practical difficulties involved in making hypnotism routinely available to women undergoing IVF treatment.

But he added: "The bottom line is I think it's a good thing, it will work. Patients should be given the option if the facilities are available."

However, doubts about the research were raised at the conference by Dr Francoise Shenfield, an IVF specialist from University College Hospital, who is head of ethics at ESHRE.

She pointed out that the non-hypnotised women had been trying to become pregnant almost twice as long as the hypnotised women.

The average pregnancy success rate for IVF clinics in the UK is about 25 per cent.