For the past 2 years, I have been assisting couples undergoing cycles of In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) with Acupuncture in Philadelphia. The results have been fantastic. Overall, the success rate for my patients has been up to 55% better than that of the average IVF clinic's non-Acupuncture patients. The treatment procedure I use was outlined in a German study published in Fertility and Sterility in 2002, has since been replicated with equal success in 2006, and is quickly becoming a standard addition to IVF protocols worldwide.

Though this is great news, it is only the beginning. Being a holistic medicine practitioner, I feel there are ways for couples to completely avoid invasive fertility procedures and hormone replacements. Recent preliminary research shows that, in many cases, Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine alone can produce successful pregnancies at the same rate as IVF.

Imagine a safe and natural alternative to IVF -- without injectibles, retrieval/transfer protocols, and almost daily bloodwork and ultrasounds. All we use is Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine.

Since this research is still in the preliminary phase, the Acupuncture community is working to establish a standard treatment protocol. There are many different treatment combinations using Acupuncture and Herbs, and the most successful combination is still under debate. Before attempting a clinical study like the one in Fertility and Sterility, we must first establish a standard method that is effective for a majority of couples. In order to provide an environment to determine this method, I created the IVF Challenge.