Table 1.
Use of complementary medicine for infertility as measured by questionnaire among NHS and private clinic patients (n = 400).
| NHS Male n = 57 | NHS female n = 124 | Private male n = 37 | Private female n = 120 | |
| nutritional advice | 2 (0.3) | 9 (7) | 2 (5) | 21 (18) |
| Reflexology | 0 | 11 (9) | 1 (3) | 19 (16) |
| Acupuncture | 1 (0.2) | 10 (8) | 1 (3) | 15 (13) |
| traditional Chinese medicine | 0 (0.3) | 5 (4) | 1 (3) | 6 (5) |
| herbalism | 2 (0.3) | 6 (5) | 0 | 6 (5) |
| hypnosis | 0 | 1 (1) | 0 | 5 (4) |
| spiritual healing | 2 (0.3) | 5 (4) | 0 | 2 (2) |
| CAM (all types) | 7 (12) | 29 (23) | 5 (13)a | 48 (40)b |
Note: data presented as patient number (%)
aCAM use by females at private clinic vs. males at private clinic, p < 0.01 by Fishers exact test.
bCAM use by females at private clinic vs. females at NHS, p < 0.01 by Fishers exact test