Footage of a doctor practicing traditional Chinese medicine determining if a woman is pregnant by just feeling her pulse is usually the preserve of Chinese movies, with few people questioning the accuracy of the technique.

But Ning Fanggang, a doctor at Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, has declared publicly that pregnancy cannot be determined by this method.

He has offered a cash award to any senior doctor performing traditional Chinese medicine at a reputable hospital who can demonstrate the effectiveness of the technique.