How long is too long?

Abstract

Hardly a week goes by these days without an article appearing in the press about acupuncture and IVF. Practitioners certainly report an increase in the number of patients seeking their help to conceive. Here, Katie Scampton demonstrates the ethical dilemmas and emotional rollercoaster that accompanied one particularly difficult case - for both patient and practitioner - and asks when, if ever, should one admit defeat and stop treatment?