Acupuncture and Herbal Therapy are ancient Chinese methods used for the treatment and prevention of disease. These systems are as ancient and effective as any other medical techniques used in the world today. They have been practiced consistently for the past five thousand years in the Orient. Seventy percent of one-quarter of the world’s population uses acupuncture and herbs as their main form of health care. Whenever I worked in the Hospitals in China, patients nearly always received Acupuncture and Herbal medicine first before any drugs or surgery was given, you could say the opposite is true here.

A natural form of medicine that can do no harm or have any side effects surely has to be the medicine of choice when it comes to properly looking after your health.

Treating the Whole Person

The benefits of Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs in treatment for the 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. Furthermore, herbal formulas that tonify the Kidney energy (renal and adrenal function), and Kidney essence (jing) are especially beneficial in raising sperm count and motility. Whether you are planning to use high tech fertility treatments, or take the more natural approach, acupuncture can increase your chances of achieving a pregnancy and a Take Home Baby.

Acupuncture uses the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as well as herbal prescriptions for maintaining a balanced system. Our goal is to allow patients to conceive naturally. By strengthening the patient’s health, it allows the inborn ability of conception to take place. A healthy more balanced body will conceive more naturally. Many women feel a sense that their “biological clock” is running out, it stands to reason that pregnancy is more likely to occur in a “healthy” 40-year-old versus an “unhealthy” 40-year-old. It will take more than three months to improve the quality of your internal and external health. This doesn’t mean lost time; it means giving your body a head start. If you do not conceive naturally and decide to use ART, IVF or IUI; you can rest assured that the time spent on improving your health will give you the best possible outcome. There are several advantages to using Traditional Chinese Medicine as an approach to heightening a couple’s fertility.

Some Advantages of Using Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM for short), which includes acupuncture and herbal therapy sees the person as an integral Mind/body organism, thereby does not treat just symptoms/diseases. TCM ventures to stimulate the body’s natural healing potential by treating root causes rather than just symptoms.

TCM, used in the treatment of infertility, minimizes undesired side effects and accumulated toxicity from invasive procedures and drug therapies, known and unknown.

Traditional Chinese medicine may be used to strengthen and balance one’s general health so that IVF, GIFT, ZIFT, ICSI, ART, IUI and TET procedures are more effective. The TCM patient derives general health benefits and endocrine system balancing from specific acupuncture and herbal regimes. Pregnancy becomes easier to achieve and postpartum recuperation happens faster. Medical studies have been done in China to verify this type of whole-body health enhancement in bringing about pregnancy.

The widespread use of TCM suggests that it is a complete traditional medical health care system and can be used very successfully with or without the integration of Western medical techniques.

This is how Traditional Chinese Medicine can Enhance Fertility it regulates the menstrual cycle,

regulates hormones by reducing stress, Improves ovarian function; encourages production of follicles; enhances their quality, Improves blood flow to ovaries and uterus, reduces miscarriages, enhances immune system, lessens uterine contractions after embryo transfer, improves thickness of uterine wall lining, lessens side effects of medications, improves sperm parameters (takes 3 mon.), improves quality of oocytes (immature female reproductive cells) (takes 3 mon.) In part 2 next week we will continue and explain the involvement of liver congestion and its impact on fertility.