STILL TRYING FOR A BABY AFTER FOUR YEARS

Agnes Soh, 42, has a stressful job in private banking. She is trying acupuncture for the first time.

"I started trying for a baby six months after I got married.

I was 38 years old then and I did three rounds of IUI (or artificial insemination). A tube was inserted through my cervix and into the uterus, into which my husband's sperm was deposited.

This is supposed to increase the chance of the egg being fertilised. I did get pregnant after the third round but the foetus had no heartbeat so we had to terminate the pregnancy.

I tried IVF next.

I read up about it and knew that my chances were only 20 per cent, but I had to try.

Despite two rounds of IVF, I did not get pregnant. And that was last year.

My problem is my age. My eggs are not as good or healthy. It's quite horrifying to realise that fertility declines so rapidly in your 30s.

When you want to have a kid, it doesn't matter how much you spend, what pain you have to go through or the time it takes to have fertility treatments.

Recently, I read about acupuncture and decided to give it a try.

I've had two sessions so far and then I'll try IVF or artificial insemination again.

I don't think there are any other solutions for me."

TRIED FOR FIVE YEARS AND FINALLY PREGNANT

Grace Low, 38, is a private tutor. She did acupuncture with IVF early this year. Her baby is due in October.

"It's been a long, hard road.

We started trying to get pregnant five years ago. After one year of no success, we tried medical intervention. The specialists were all baffled as to why it seemed to be a problem for me to conceive. I even had exploratory surgery, but it just confirmed that there was no reason for me not to conceive.

My first IVF attempt was at the beginning of last year. It was our last resort. If IVF didn't work, then we were going to look at options like adoption.

I knew the chances were low but I was sure I'd be in that 20 per cent who would succeed at IVF.

It didn't work.

I tried again. But again, no luck.

Before my third try, I thought I'd give my body a break and look after my general health and well-being.

I read about acupuncture and came to the Raffles clinic at the end of last year - and I wasn't even thinking about fertility treatment then. I just wanted acupuncture to help revitalise me.

I had one or two sessions a week and felt that something good was happening. I was sleeping better and felt much more relaxed.

I told my acupuncturist that I was thinking of trying IVF again, and she told me that acupuncture could complement IVF.

So that's what I did.

I had no expectations whatsoever. I just enjoyed the acupuncture sessions before, during and after the implantation.

At the end of February, I found out I was pregnant. I was both shocked and delighted, but I didn't believe it.

I went out and bought six different pregnancy testing kits, and each one had a blue line."