Israeli medical researchers found that women undergoing IVF have a higher success rate if they’re entertained by a professional “medical clown” after the embryos are transferred. Dr. Shevach Friedler says he got the idea after reading about how laughter is a “natural anti-stress mechanism,” probably because he was too ashamed to admit he was just watching Patch Adams on cable.
While we’d prefer to watch a few Golden Girls reruns, Friedler tells Reuters that only clowns will do. In fact, it has to be a particularly type of clown — "the red nose clown doesn’t work."
