Infertility and Chinese Medicine

There are several causes for infertility, which is usually diagnosed as such after two years of trying to get pregnant without contraception.

I say if you have not been successful after one year, it could be a good time to try Chinese medicine before trying more Western conventional methods like Clomid and IVF. However, if your case needs either intervention, Chinese medicine can be a nice complement.

We usually think of the different reasons why a woman cannot conceive but sometimes overlook the man’s contribution. Early in my career, I once treated a woman who was having trouble conceiving, using acupuncture, acupressure and herbs. After three cycles of weekly treatments all her systems seemed to be in balance. When she came back and said she was not pregnant, I was surprised. I asked if her husband had been evaluated. She began to tell me about some of his regular habits like taking hot baths, drinking caffeinated coffee in excess and some other habits that could impair his sperm count and motility. After making suggestions that he stop and change his habits, especially during her ovulation, she immediately got pregnant.

In Chinese medicine each organ has a list of jobs, responsibilities and functions. The kidney controls reproduction and the aging process and is usually the primary organ system that needs attention and balancing. It is the organ that relates to the hormonal system in Western medicine.

The liver controls the smooth flow of energy in the body, which includes the menstrual cycle and also needs to be evaluated and balanced. The other organ which is sometimes overlooked, is the spleen. The spleen is in charge of transforming and transporting your food to energy and manages the blood. Two of the eight extra channels, the Chong (penetrating vessel) and the Ren (conception vessel) may also need to be addressed, especially in cases of blood stagnation in the uterus.

Usually the kidney imbalance is connected to one’s constitution, age or lifestyle that may have caused a depletion of your kidney yin and/or yang energies. Hereditary factors and the emotion, fear, can also affect the kidney energy. I had one patient who feared she would not be a good mother because she had terrible role modeling from her parents.

Recharging the kidneys can take a few months of regular treatments. But with regular treatments and counseling she was able to overcome her fear and have a baby boy.

The liver is often associated with anger and frustration and is affected by everyday stressors. Calming the liver energy and reducing stress sometimes does the trick sooner than later. Helping the spleen with dietary changes and lessening worry is also helpful in many cases. I have had many patients get pregnant after a few sessions of stress reduction and minor lifestyle changes.

Assessing the physical, mental-emotional, spiritual, socio-economic and life style issues are all important factors when addressing infertility. Usually there is a combination of contributing factors. One of my patients came to me with very weak kidney energy. She also had a high stress job, which often caused liver qi stagnation. Once those two energies were more in balance a past memory came up during her guided relaxation that seemed to be another piece blocking her from getting pregnant.

We went “down the rabbit hole” to discover unresolved trauma and emotions regarding an abortion she had 15 years prior. I guided her through a process of speaking with the spirit of the unborn child, releasing the trapped emotions from her body, and allowing herself to forgive her younger self. She got pregnant immediately on her next attempt.

Although it has been difficult not to be able to see and touch my patients in person in my office and to feel the effects emotionally and financially, I am grateful that I can still help several of my patients through phone and video sessions and can actually reach more people teaching using the internet. May we all continue to find ways to adapt to these ever changing times being mindful of caring for our bodies, minds and spirits.