The Zita West Clinic in London, UK, has opened a Womb Room to complement its existing facilities, offering a short-notice acupuncture service for mothers-to-be visiting the fertility clinic.

The service is expected to be of particular interest to women undergoing IVF as, according to Zita West, a recent study showed that women who had acupuncture immediately before and after embryo transfer had a 42 per cent success rate per cycle, compared to 26 per cent among those who did not. Studies also support the contribution that relaxation can make to improving conception rates.

Launching the service, Zita West said: “I wanted to create a space where women could really relax before and after the embryo transfer. IVF clinics aren’t usually a helpful environment in which to wind down.

“Evidence shows how using acupuncture as well as stress reduction therapies at the right time can significantly increase the chances of IVF success.”