“When we tried for a baby, it seemed simple. I stopped taking contraception and waited for a missed period. After two years, it still hadn’t happened.

“My doctor referred me to the fertility unit at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital but there was a long waiting list. In the meantime, they advised my partner to have a sperm test and the results showed that he had an abnormal sperm count. To speed things up we went to a private clinic. This time, tests found that my hormone levels were abnormally high for a 33-year-old woman — more like those of a 40-year-old — which meant that my body clock was ticking faster than normal. They also found that one of my Fallopian tubes was blocked and my left ovary was an abnormal shape — any one of these things could prevent pregnancy.

“We were advised to start IVF treatment as soon as possible, as our chances of conceiving were becoming slimmer all the time.

“In January 2003 I started IVF, which made me feel unwell. Even worse, it didn’t work. Then an article about a woman called Zita West caught my eye. It said she helped women to get into the best possible shape to help IVF treatment work.

“I made an appointment immediately. Zita talked properly with me — and she listened. She convinced me that my situation was not so gloomy and made me feel less stressed about my ticking body clock.

“A balanced diet was recommended for us both, nothing faddy — things like rye bread and brown rice, as well as carbohydrates and regular protein. My partner had to cut down on caffeine and to drink more water.

“The other part of the plan was weekly acupuncture. My body was full of the IVF drugs, so it focused on flushing out my liver and kidneys, and getting my circulation working again. After the first session I felt great. A month later, I had a blood test. My hormones had already dropped to below usual for my age.

“After three months, just before my second round of IVF, my period was late. I didn’t dare to think I was pregnant. I was annoyed as it meant a delay for the IVF treatment. I took the test anyway, which was positive. But I still didn’t celebrate until I’d had two more tests.

“I saw Zita every week throughout my pregnancy. Twelve days after my due date, I had some acupuncture to induce the labour. Sure enough, a couple of days later, I gave birth to my daughter, who is now a healthy one-year-old. I’m planning to have another, so I’ll be straight back on the acupuncture.”

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