Pricey IVF add-ons fail to improve pregnancy odds

Up to 90 per cent of IVF patients are opting for add-ons that cost thousands without increasing their chance of falling pregnant.

Acupuncture, steroids and plasma injections are popular and expensive, with some treatments adding thousands of dollars to the already-pricey final IVF bill.

But these extra procedures give would-be parents either a tiny or no improvement on their odds of falling pregnant, according to Australian-led research published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, and Women's Health.

The study analysed the effectiveness of 10 of the most popular IVF add-ons, including medications, procedures and techniques offered in the hopes of boosting the chance of taking home a baby.

"Unproven add-ons can lead to false hope, greater financial strain and unnecessary medical procedures at what already can be a very difficult time for patients," lead author Sarah Lensen said.

The study found up to 90 per cent of IVF patients have tried at least one add-on, the University of Melbourne senior research fellow said.

People undergoing IVF were likely to try additional procedures after one or two failed cycles, Dr Lensen said.

These patients are much more prone to making an emotional decision driven by desperation than considering the evidence logically.

"People get itchy and they want to do something different," the researcher said.

"There's a feeling that you have to leave no stone unturned to avoid future guilt."

She pushed for better safeguards to ensure patients have access to clear and evidence-based information.

The second-largest service provider in Australia, Monash IVF, is transparent about the lack of proven benefit for some additional treatments they offer.

"It is important to note that for many of these add-ons there is little or no evidence of their effectiveness to improve live birth rates," its website says.

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