Acupuncture & TCM Articles

Chinese Medicine and Infertility

Chinese Medicine and Infertility

By Lindsey Seigle,
Licensed Acupuncturist - Iatria Spa and Health Center
  
According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, infertility affects 6.1 million American women and their partners or about 10 percent of the reproductive age population. Approximately one-third of infertility cases can be attributed to male factors, and about one-third to factors related to the female partner. For the remaining one-third of infertile couples, infertility is caused by a combination of problems in both partners, or in about 20 percent of cases, is unexplained.[1]

The most common reasons for male infertility include azoospermia (no sperm cells are produced) and oligospermia (few sperm cells are produced). In some instances, sperm cells are malformed or they die before they can reach the egg. Many people do not know that acupuncture has been shown to improve sperm quality, as detailed in the July 2005 issue of the journal Fertility and Sterility.[2]

The most common female infertility factor is an ovulation disorder. Ovulation is the process which occurs 13 to14 days after the first day of bleeding. In this part of the menstrual cycle, the high level of estrogen secreted by the ovaries triggers a release of luteinizing hormone (LH). This surge in LH causes the egg to be expelled into the fallopian tube. Other causes of female infertility include blocked fallopian tubes, which can occur when a woman has had pelvic inflammatory disease or endometriosis (a sometimes painful condition causing adhesions and cysts). Congenital anomalies (birth defects) involving the structure of the uterus and uterine fibroids are associated with repeated miscarriages.[3]

A normal menstrual cycle ranges from 25 to 30 days, with the average cycle lasting 28 days. During the first five days (with day 1 being the first day of bleeding), the estrogen level is low and the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) level rises, stimulating a dominant follicle that later ruptures and releases an egg during ovulation. As estrogen rises, FSH falls, and LH peaks to cause ovulation on Day 14. During the last 14 days of the cycle, called the luteal phase, the walls of the follicle collapse and form the corpus luteum. The corpus luteum secretes large amounts of progesterone, which helps prepare the uterine lining for implantation of the fertilized egg. Acupuncture before and after embryo transfer can significantly improve the pregnancy rate in women undergoing Assisted Reproduction Therapies (ART) such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF), as seen in the April 2002 issue of Fertility and Sterility.[4]

Chinese medicine, which consists primarily of acupuncture and herbal medicine, can treat infertility in women due to its effects on progesterone, FSH, LH, and estrogen levels.[5] For female patients, an acupuncturist will ask detailed questions about your menstrual cycle, such as whether it is typically early, late, or alternates between being early and late, as well as pre-menstrual symptoms. For male patients, questions may focus on genitourinary issues. For men and women, other questions relate to how your body is working in general, including digestion, breathing and temperature preference. The answers to these questions will allow your acupuncturist to make an accurate diagnosis in terms of Chinese medical theory. Once the diagnosis is made, the acupuncturist will choose specific points in which to insert the needles, and will choose specific Chinese herbs to create a customized herbal formula.

Finding a qualified acupuncturist that can also recommend herbal medicine may help you attain a healthy pregnancy. The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine administers examinations to acupuncture school graduates upon completion of their master´s degree. Upon passage of these exams, state licensing boards then scrutinize each applicant before awarding the acupuncture license.

For more information about Chinese medicine and infertility, contact Lindsey Seigle, L.Ac. at Iatria Spa & Health Center of Cary at 919-256-4376.

Chinese Medicine in Fertility Disorders

Written by experts in Chinese medicine, this textbook provides a comprehensive overview of Chinese medicine therapies for fertility disorders. It opens by reviewing the basics of current Western reproductive medicine in terms of diagnosis, treatment options, and possible risks. The book then introduces the reader to traditional Chinese fertility treatments, providing information about how they complement Western reproductive medicine.
The authors describe in detail the different treatment methods, ranging from qi gong and tui na to moxibustion and acupuncture to Chinese dietetics and medicinal therapy. The main section of the book provides in-depth discussion of specific fertility disorders and their management, including menstrual disorders, early menopause, sexual disorders, male infertility, endometriosis, and polycystic ovary syndrome. It closes with a section on patient support, addressing issues such as the mind-body relationship and the impact of stress.