Since IVF was first introduced in Britain 40 years ago more than 8 million babies were born through IVF. Funding crisis in the NHS in UK has lead to 60% of IVF treatment is being done through the private sector. Because patients are desperate to conceive, the clinics often offer other “add on treatment” for an extra cost to boost their chances for a positive outcome. One of this add on procedure involves scratching a groove in the endometrium which is supposed to help embryos to implant in the area.

A study published at the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Barcelona indicated that such treatment did not help. The clinical trial involved more than 1,300 patients in the UK, New Zealand, Belgium, Sweden and Austria.
Half the women were given scratches and half were not. Both groups had a clinical pregnancy rate of 31 per cent and live birth rates of 26 per cent. Previous research found that 83 per cent of IVF clinicians recommended endometrial scratching.