An infertility success story with acupuncture and herbal medicine treatment.

An infertility success story with acupuncture and herbal medicine treatment. After 8 weeks of 11 visits of acupuncture treatments and 56 days of herbal decoction. Patient is pregnant.

When diagnosing infertility, the most important thing is clearly differentiated if the pattern is deficient or excess. Treatment principle will be decided to tonify and nourish the body's Qi or to eliminate pathogenic factors.  Woman’s physiology is rooted in Blood. Uterus store blood, Blood is not only the source of the periods but also of fertility, conception, pregnancy and childbirth. Therefore, treating infertility the first thing is treating Woman’s Menses.

To establishing and maintaining a good regular menstrual cycle is needed for fertility.  From the Western point of view, there are four phases within the menstrual cycle. Acupuncture and herbal treatments will adapt to these four phased.

1. During the Menstrual cycle(Blood moving)- sharp fall in estrogen and progesterone. Treatment method is move the blood and stop heavy bleeding.
2. Post- Menstrual cycle(Follicular phase)- Blood and yin fluid is empty, Treatment method is nourishing the body yin and blood.
3. Mid-cycle(ovulatory phase)- Promote Ovulation, Nurish the essence, essence so egg can get fertilized and implant.
4. Pre- Menstrual cycle(Luteal Phase)-if pregnancy treatment will focus on Tonify the essence and rise the yang/qi to preventing miscarriage. If not treatment will focus on move the Liver qi and ready for the menstrual cycle to start again.

1. Female pathology in Western medicine- Hormone Deficient type

Besides regulating the menses, balancing hormone level is important. FSH levels above 10 indicate the ovarian function has declined, making pregnancy more difficult to achieve, and often results miscarriage. In addition, Low estrogen and progesterone level, thin endometrium, no ovulation, small uterus, poor quality of eggs or follicles. All these factors affect the implantation of the embryo.

TCM medicine diagnosis- In order for fertilization to occur the yin, yang Qi Blood of the kidneys all need to be perfectly balanced. When one or more of these elements is out of balancing, infertility may occur.

2. Female pathology in Western medicine- Cystitis, fibroid

Uterine fibroid ovarian cystitis, adhesions, endometriosis, and fallopian tubes block is corresponded to TCM medicine diagnosis are qi stagnation, blood stsis or phlegm damp obstruction.

3. Female pathology in Western medicine- infection

Cervical, vaginal, pelvic, fallopian tube infection are point to TCM medicine diagnosis of Damp heat or Toxins or Blood Stasis

Case study:

Infertility Success Case using Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine

Case study:

Female, mid-30’s has tried to get pregnant for one year. She had 5 unsuccessful IUI before and one miscarriage. She was on Clomid* for one year before seeking acupuncture help. Based on my diagnosis, her Kidney yang and spleen qi was deficient causing damp accumulation. Treatment principle was followed this directions at the same time, I followed the four phases of the Menses cycle to modify my acupuncture prescription and Herbal formula to regulate, nourish and tonify the body.

Patient was treated by acupuncture 1-2 times a week. Patient was also on different herbal formulas modified according to the four menses phases every day for 8 weeks. Before she went on the last IUI, I also applied Moxa to raise kidney yang (body temperature) and prepare for fertilization. One week later, patient is pregnant.

*Clomid is a synthetic drug that is similar to estrogen.

Patient continues to come for acupuncture treatment. Acupuncture is only applied on her head, face and ear to raise the qi and calm the mind. Since patient had one miscarriage before, she is on herbal formula specific for preventing miscarriage.