Treatment of Infertility in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are chosen by couples who are having difficulty conceiving or chosen by those who would like to try a natural form of medicine. Couples who are preparing for pregnancy or who are undergoing IVF also choose Chinese medicine. More recently, couples who have had failures with IVF are also trying out acupuncture with Chinese herbal medicine.

In Chinese medicine, it is considered that if a couple is in sexual relationships for 2 years, the reproductive function of both partners being normal with no contraceptive measures taken, the female should have fallen pregnant. If this is not the case, Primary Infertility should be considered.

In western medicine, one year is the time period considered for primary infertility. The main reason for this difference as we understand it rests with Chinese cultural and philosophical differences regarding frequency of sexual relations and the loss of semen.

And if the female has not conceived in over 2 years after labour or abortion, it is considered Secondary Infertility.

Some parallels can be drawn between Chinese medicine and western gyneacology. The gametes for example is Jing or Essence in Chinese medicine while the influence of the sex hormones parallels the Kidney Yin and Kidney Yang. The sphere of the hypothalamus and the pituitary are under Chinese medicine’s Heart while the ovaries, the tubes, the endometrium and the cervix all fall under the Uterus in Chinese medical gyneacology.

So you’ll need to have an open mind because different a language will be used when you begin your acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine therapy.

Chinese medical gynaecology is safe; it is inexpensive when compared to other forms of treatment such as IVF, and it is very effective for functional disorders such as embryo implantation problems in IVF or problems with ovulation. Above all, Chinese medicine treats the individual as a total entity, where mind body and emotions play a part in treatment.

Consider also that there are some limitations with Chinese medicine. It can be ineffective when there are significant tissue changes. Being a natural medicine, it can also be slow acting for some couples therefore it can be time consuming.

Differential diagnosis of infertility in acupuncture and Chinese medicine

The major syndromes below could form your diagnosis in infertility. Nowadays, in most cases, a mixture of syndromes is usually present in most couples. So it is up to the acupuncturist or Chinese medicine doctor to skillfully establish a diagnosis, which will vary among couples.

So it is a good idea to have some knowledge of what these syndromes represent and how you fit into the overall picture.

• Kidney Essence Deficiency, encompassing Kidney Yin-Essence deficiency or Kidney Yang-Essence deficiency

• Qi-Blood dual deficiency

• Phlegm-Damp retention

• Blood stasis

• Liver Qi stagnation

• Heart Qi stagnation

• Mixed Syndromes (combinations and complications)

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Don’t forget to come back here and click on the links for a general understanding of these syndromes of Chinese Medical Gynaecology.

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Furthermore, your acupuncture and Chinese medicine doctor applies another level of differentiation which is important in the treatment of infertility. This determines whether the syndrome is of a Deficient nature or whether is it is of an Excess nature.

In the Deficiency category, for example those seen in hormonal imbalance, Kidney Essence deficiency (including Kidney yin and Kidney yang deficiency) and/or Qi-Blood dual deficiency are the usual presentation.

In the Excess category, for example those with tubal obstruction, Phlegm-Damp retention and/or Blood stasis form the normal presentation.

In addition, Liver Qi stagnation, through either a deficiency or an excess type, generally appears together with one or more of the abovementioned syndromes. And Heart Qi stagnation also plays a part in infertility.

Finally, you need to know that your acupuncturist or Chinese herbalist will not be performing any pelvic or vaginal examinations which are normally conducted by a western medical gynecologist or general practitioner. However, your tongue will be examined, the pulses on both wrists will be taken, there may also be some abdominal palpation but overall a series of questions that may seem to be unrelated will form part of your diagnosis.

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