Traditional Chinese Medicine and Infertility

A new review noted the growing use of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of infertility.

Researchers explained that recent studies demonstrated that traditional Chinese medicine could regulate the gonadotropin-releasing hormone to induce ovulation and improve the uterus blood flow and menstrual changes of the endometrium. In addition, it also has an impact on patients with infertility resulting from polycystic ovarian syndrome, anxiety, stress and immunological disorders.

Although study design with adequate sample size and appropriate control for the use of traditional Chinese medicine is not sufficient, the effective studies have already indicated the necessity to explore the possible mechanisms, including effective dose, side effects and toxicity of traditional Chinese medicine, in the treatment of infertility.

The authors concluded that the growing popularity of traditional Chinese medicine used alone or in combination with Western medicine highlights the need to examine the pros and cons of both Western and traditional Chinese medicine approaches.

They suggested integrating the principle and knowledge from well-characterized approaches and quality control of both traditional Chinese medicine and Western medical approaches.

For more information about traditional Chinese medicine, please visit Natural Standard’s Health & Wellness database.

Comments

[Dave]

I'm not surprised that TCM is gaining popularity in the west. It has been around for thousands of years. However, I wonder what specific therapies are being used to treat infertility. TCM encompasses many different types of therapies, such as cupping, herbs, foods, moxibustion, acupuncture, acupressure, shiatsu and meditation.

[Misha]

Dave,

There is some evidence to suggest that acupuncture plus moxibustion may help correct semen abnormalities, such as low percentage of normal-form sperm in infertile patients with oligoastenoteratozoospermia (Gurfinkel E, Cedenho AP, Yamamura Y, et al. Effects of acupuncture and moxa treatment in patients with semen abnormalities. Asian J Androl 2003;5(4):345-348).

[Lacey]

I don't think there is a whole lot of evidence that any particular alternative therapy is effective. The majority of research in this area has produced inconclusive or inconsistent results.

There is some early evidence that tribulus, an herb commonly used in TCM, may help treat infertility in both men and women. But that's just it - the results are not substantial enough to form a firm conclusion about its efficacy.

[Lauren]

If anyone has tried to overcome infertility, then you know it can be heartbreaking if you don't get the results you want.

I think herbal therapies can be helpful for people who are having trouble getting pregnant, especially if procedures, like IVF, are not an option because of your financial situation or religious beliefs.

[Michaela]

I wonder how OB-GYNs feel about this use of TCM. Chinese herbs can have serious side effects and can also interact with other drugs, herbs or supplements. I would think doctors would be wary out of concern for the safety of an unborn child.

[Agostina]

Early research using a combination product called FertilityBlend has been associated with some success in helping women conceive. However, studies with green tea alone are needed to confirm these early results.

It should also be noted that green tea contains caffeine and should be used cautiously during pregnancy.

[Billy]

I'm also curious what types of TCM people are using for fertility. If I had to guess, I'd probably say acupuncture and herbs. My aunt had a really hard time getting pregnant, and she saw a TCM practitioner for a while. He prescribed her a whole bunch of different herbs, and she underwent acupuncture once a week.

TCM has become pretty trendy in SoCal. A lot of my friends and coworkers are trying it for all kinds of medical ailments. I think it's a combination of wanting less invasive medical procedures and wanting a more holistic treatment approach.

[Beth]

The whole theory behind TCM is really quite fascinating to me. In TCM, nature and the laws that govern the ongoing, harmonious flow of life energy through the natural world are used to understand the body and health. The person is viewed as an ecosystem who is embedded in, and related to, the larger ecosystem of nature and subject to the same laws.

The life force (chi) circulates through the body and enlivens it. Health is a function of a balanced, harmonious flow of chi and illness results when there is a blockage or an imbalance in the flow of chi. Yin and yang are opposite and complementary qualities of chi. Yin is regarded as the feminine principle and yang the masculine principle.

[Leslie]

I think it's great that people are turning to TCM to help them conceive. It is often less expensive and invasive than conventional treatment options.

However, I would still be cautious about possible herbal side effects/interactions and other contraindications. Also, you should talk to your doctor about whether or not therapies should be continued once you become pregnant. For instance, the abdominal area and the lower back are traditionally avoided during pregnancy in both cupping and moxibustion out of concern for adversely impacting the uterus or fetus.

[mo]

I see a lot of parallels between the use of TCM for infertility and the use of dietary supplements in general among cancer patients. Both “conditions” tend to be poorly understood, and many conventional medical approaches have multiple shortcomings and side effects. While people with cancer are presumably only affecting themselves; however, people using unproven therapies for infertility may also affect a developing fetus.

In other news…if the presumed mechanism of action of TCM for improving fertility is increasing blood flow, would other means of doing this have similar effects? For example, fish oil?

[Leah Cohen]

To comment on a previous comment - there certainly are a wide range of herbal therapies that can increase blood flow and have other effects that may indirectly or directly help with fertility. However, there may be important interactions for these therapies and contraindications for pregnancy, even in the first weeks of pregnancy. I imagine that this may be a concern for women who have irregular menstrual cycles and may become pregnant and not be aware of this immediately.

[Mihir]

On a somewhat related note - I've head that acupuncture can help with pregnancy-related back and pelvic pain.

[Kara]

Here's some background info on the philosophy of TCM.

According to TCM, chi flows through a system of pathways called "meridians." The body has been mapped with these meridians that pass through all its organs, and specific meridians correspond to specific organs or organ systems.

Illness is thought to occur when the balance and harmony of the circulation of chi is disrupted. Harmony and disharmony are understood in two main conceptual frameworks: the eight principles, and the five elements.

The eight principles are actually four pairs of complementary opposites describing patterns of disharmony within the person. Briefly the principles are interior/exterior, referring to the location of the disharmony in the body (internal organs vs. skin or bones); hot/cold, referring to qualities of the disease pattern, such as fever or thirst vs. chilliness or desire to drink warm liquids; full/empty, referring to whether the condition is acute or chronic, and whether the body's responses are strong or weak; and the balance of yin/yang, which adds further to the description of the other six principles. The eight principles are the theoretical basis of the TCM approach.

The five elements are fire, earth, metal, water, and wood. These terms do not refer to basic constituents of matter, but are dynamic qualities of nature. They are used to describe the changing qualities of chi energy as it circulates through the person. Five element theory is the basis of traditional acupuncture (also referred to as classical or five element acupuncture), which does not use herbs. However, some TCM practitioners also use the concept of the five elements.

The body has five organ networks, each corresponding with a particular element: heart/small intestine with fire, spleen/stomach with earth, lungs/large intestine with metal, kidneys/bladder with water, and liver/gall bladder with wood. The organ networks are named for the common meridian that circulates through and connects the organs, as it circulates chi throughout the larger, body-wide, meridian system. The practitioner's efforts to harmonize the five elements promote greater harmony in the functioning of all the organ networks.

[Carl]

According to the five-element theory of TCM, infertility is influenced by the water element (kidney and bladder meridians) and the earth element (stomach and spleen spleen meridians).

[Lacey]

A type of TCM, called acupressure, has also been suggested as a possible treatment for infertility (in both men and woman).

I've read that pressure applied to specific points on the hands and feet may help stimulate the ovaries, uterus, and adrenal, pituitary, thyroid, and parathyroid glands to balance hormone production.

I've also read that in men men, acupressure applied to specific points on the hands and feet may help improve circulation to the genitourinary tract.

[Leah Cohen]

Lacey - great point here. Acupressure is a great alternative for patients that may not be interested in acupuncture. Some massage practitioners, such as shiatsu practitioners, offer acupressure as part of an overall therapeutic plan. I have found some success with acupressure, and this may be worthy of further investigation.

[Ed]

I am glad that there is evidence of new assistance for those looking to have a child. I believe, however, that until more attention is paid to the stress side of this problem, we will be looking externally to solve what may be, in large part, an emotional issue. With couples looking to procreate at older ages and with an expectation that it will be difficult, the belief system may, to some degree, be the author of the result.

When one of my children was unable to become pregnant after trying for six months, I suggested that instead of counting the months (a negative and pressured approach), she just relax and enjoy the process! Shortly thereafter, she and her husband happily (and I reinforce "happily") conceived.

We are not patient people. We have, too often, forgotten that we are children of nature and that natural things happen in their own sweet time "naturally."

[natural pregnancy]

I think a holistic approach to fertility is the best way forward. My partner studies reflexology and found that with a few clients it seemed to have a really positive affect on them when they were trying to conceive. Prior to this they had not been successful.