Treatment of Infertility
By Dr Roger C Hirsh OMD, LAc
 

The benefits of Chinese medicine for the treatment of an infertile couple can be found in early Chinese medical literature dating back to the 11AD.  Not only do these techniques assist in regulating the menstrual cycle and invigorating the sperm, but they also serve to enhance the function of the whole body.  This "whole body" health approach, in turn, provides a key to unlock unlimited potential in healing. 

PMS, amenorrhea, endometriosis, blocked fallopian tubes and immune system incongruities are many of the problems related to infertility. In Chinese medicine herbal formulas that tonify the Kidney energy and Kidney essence (called Jing) are treated to raise sperm count and motility.

SOME ADVANTAGES OF USING CHINESE MEDICINE


There are several advantages of using Chinese medicine as an approach to counteract infertility:

It stimulates the body’s natural healing potential by treating the root cause rather than just symptoms.
 
It minimises undesired side effects and accumulated toxicity from invasive procedures and drug therapies, known and unknown.
 
It can be used to strengthen and balance one's general health so that IVF, GIFT, ZIFT, ICSI, AHT and TET procedures are more effective. Pregnancy also becomes easier to achieve as the patient is deriving general health benefits. 

It can be used with or without the integration of Allopathic medical techniques.  This is known as INTEGRAL CHINESE MEDICINE. Ancient medical techniques of acupuncture and herbs utilized with modern procedures seem to work best in treating infertility.

UNEXPLAINED INFERTILITY

Irritability, depression, frustration are key symptoms to Liver Qi Stagnation. Whenever an organ is mentioned in Chinese medicine it implies to the related meridian. A meridian is a pathway along which Qi energy flows. The psychological aspect of the Liver is to assist us in planning easily and wisely.  A patient who suffers from Liver Qi congestion may be found in a job that they do not enjoy, working late hours, and with a history of taking birth control pills. There frequently exists an inner psychological frustration about having and raising children.  Dysfunctional family factors play a major role in the upset Liver, as the condition may have existed for many years.

Physical symptoms of irregular periods, PMS, dark colored blood with small clots, breast pain with distention, worry and frequent sighing and headaches often accompany the psychological symptoms.  Pulse diagnostic usually reveals a wiry and small quality pulse in the person with a Liver imbalance. The different pulses can confirm a diagnosis and be used to monitor a patient's progress.  Pregnancy and the sex of a child can be determined from the pulse diagnoses by a skilled practitioner. 

Infertility due to Liver Qi Stagnation manifests mostly in women and is a frequent cause of unexplained infertility.  This is because this type of Liver stagnation affects the blood flow in the pelvic cavity. Acupuncture at the right time in the menstrual cycle, in conjunction with an herbal formula and some counseling can clear the congestion in several months.  Liver Qi Stagnation may take 9 months or more to release the stress, trauma, and toxin in the system.
 

MISCARRIAGE; A CHINESE MEDICINE VIEWPOINT

Treatments for a threatening miscarriage include acupuncture, herbs, diet and a different approach to exercise. It must be remembered that treating infertility and miscarriage using any method is complicated and involved.  The medicine that helps the patient attain a healthy vital energy can greatly aid the woman who has had miscarriages due to a hormonal imbalance.  For the woman over 40 there are herbs that nourish the deeper vitality that is necessary for the body to produce a healthy ovum.

If a woman has miscarried, it is important to build and conserve her Qi and build her Blood. This usually means building and conserving Kidney Qi. Within the Kidney both Yin (Blood) and Yang (Qi) are generated. 

All chronic imbalances affect the Kidney organ and meridian network.  If a person has a weak constitution i.e., is pale, feels cold, is undernourished, etc., this is a result of either their genes and/or lifetime habits and illnesses.  These conditions can be treated with acupuncture, herbs, diet, and exercise.  Kidneys are responsible for the nourishment and growth of the bones in the human body. In Chinese medicine the Blood nourishes, the Qi protects, and the Kidney Qi holds the fetus. The Kidney is injured by the invasion of a cold in the body. Therefore dietary considerations are generally applicable for the patient. Recent studies have also shown that good dental hygiene and quality dental work can increase fertility.

SEX DURING PREGNANCY

Sexual intercourse during the first trimester of the pregnancy is not recommended, especially for the woman that has a history of miscarriage, as the placenta is not yet fully formed.  It is probably best for all couples to abstain for the whole nine months of pregnancy.  For the couple, where the woman is over 40, even Allopathic physicians do not recommend intercourse for the entire pregnancy.

Chinese medicine works quite differently than Allopathic medicines.

At the CHINESE HOSPITAL Chinese medical specialists will provide the best and most effective treatment to couples who suffer from infertility.  Patients can rest assured that the Chinese medical specialists will provide a confidential and comfortable diagnosis and treatment for their condition.   A lady doctor can treat female patients.
 

More information can be found on Dr Hirsh website:

http://www.metamed.com/articles/article030.htm