Infertility is a human reproductive health problem that many are concerned about.
Both men and women can hinder the conception process. Statistics show that about 40-55% of women hinder the process, while 25-40% of men are infertile.
About 20% of couples are both infertile, while immunity and unknown causes make up around 10%. Overall, the total incidence rate is 10- 15%. The WHO defines the time limit for infertility as 1 year.
THE CAUSE OF INFERTILITY
The causes of infertility can be rather complicated and require multiple checks to find out where the root cause lies. From here, experts are able to treat the issue in a targeted manner to achieve results.
Western medicine believes that conception is a complex and coordinated physiological process. The following conditions must be fulfilled for a healthy conception:
- the ovary discharges a normal egg;
- the semen is normal and has a normal sexual life;
- the egg and sperm can meet in the fallopian tube and combine to form a fertilized egg and can be smoothly transferred into the uterus
- The endometrium is well prepared and suitable for implantation of the fertilized egg.
Any abnormality in each link can lead to infertility. The most common causes of infertility in women are ovulation disorders and fallopian tube problems.
In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine has seeped into all aspects of modern assisted reproductive technology to play a role. For example, TCM assists in regulating menstruation and assisting pregnancy before pregnancy, inducing ovulation, improving endometrial receptivity, and increasing the pregnancy rate. Chinese physicians of all generations have attached great importance to the research on infertility.
“Shang Gu Tian Zhen Lun” (上古天真论) : It means that the mechanism of pregnancy lies in the abundance of kidney “qi” in men and women, which promotes the arrival of the substance “Tian Kui” (天癸). This enables women to menstruate on time and boosts men’s semen excretion, such that “yin” and “yang” can be harmoniously combined for a successful pregnancy.
There is another quote from “Zhu Dan Xi” (朱丹溪): “A man cannot be a father if he suffers from the loss of the “Yang Dao”; “a woman cannot be a mother, she who has vaginal congestion.” This has been verified in the ovulation disorders and fallopian tube factors that are more common in clinical female infertility today.
THE IMPORTANCE OF A HEALTHY MENSTRUATION CYCLE
The key to increasing fertility rates in women is to first focus on regulating menstruation.
This can be done by ensuring one’s spleen and stomach are constantly replenished. It’s important to nourish the kidney “qi”, and strengthen the spleen as these organs not only regulate one’s menstruation cycle, but it is also the basis for the modulation of infertility.
It’s also crucial to keep one’s mental health and psychology in check. A healthy body is key! Women should avoid situations that lead them to feel depressed, anxious, or nervous, as this can hinder their ability to conceive healthily. It’s important to be in a healthy state of mind – mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and psychologically to promote the chances of conceiving.
THE ROLE OF MEN IN CONCEPTION
Men also have a big role to play in the conception process. Men need to ensure their kidney “qi” is vigorous and the yin essence is abundant. There is a time and place for everything – this also applies to conception!
The causes of infertility are complicated as there is no way to determine the treatment, nor is there any proper prescription. It is necessary to find out the situation of both parties, understand the root cause, and treat them in a targeted manner.
TCM History, the Basics of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Infertility in Women
In TCM, infertility is often caused by an imbalance in the flow of qi. Qi is a vital life force that affects the health and well-being of every organ in the body.
The first thing to do is to balance your qi by eating a healthy diet and taking herbs, which can be prescribed for you by a TCM practitioner.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been practiced for over 3,000 years and has been used to treat many ailments including infertility. TCM practitioners use acupuncture, moxibustion, herbal medicine and dietary therapy to help bring balance back into the body.
TCM is based on the belief that the human body has a self-healing ability. It focuses on the relationship between “qi” (气）, which is a vital energy or life force, and “xue” （血）, which refers to blood circulation and bodily fluids.
Female Reproductive System and What Affects It to Cause Infertility?
The female reproductive system is the most complex and intricate part of a woman’s body. It has a lot of different parts that work together to make sure that a woman can get pregnant and carry a baby.
The female reproductive system is composed of internal and external parts. The external parts are the vulva (the opening to the vagina) and the labia (the folds of skin around the vagina).
The internal parts are the uterus, which holds a developing fetus; fallopian tubes, which carry eggs from ovaries to uterus; ovaries, which produce eggs; and cervix, which connects uterus to vagina.
The main organs in female reproductive system are: Ovaries: These organs produce hormones like estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and others that have an effect on menstruation cycles as well.
TCM Treatment Options For Women With Fertility Issues
Fertility problems in women are often due to hormonal imbalances, which can be treated with a holistic approach. TCM treatment for fertility problems is an ancient Chinese medical therapy that has been used for thousands of years.
In TCM, the body is seen as a system of channels and energy pathways that are responsible for the flow of qi or vital life energy.
This qi is said to be the driving force behind all natural processes within the body. When this qi becomes unbalanced or stagnant, health issues can arise such as infertility.
How Can Traditional Chinese Medicine Help You Prepare for Pregnancy?
Infertility affects one out of every six couples. Being diagnosed with infertility, especially for women, can be quite challenging for that one pair.
The energy balance in the reproductive organs’ meridians (energy highways) is essential in TCM. Kidney, Liver, and Spleen are the three major organ systems involved in fertility.
Your natural hormone production will enhance if you seek TCM fertility treatments in Singapore to assist these organs and balance the energy. As a result, your chances of becoming pregnant will improve.
Fertility issues are tackled front on by fertility practitioners from TCM clinics. Treatment regimens have one goal: to increase your chances of conceiving naturally. However, the first step in achieving this is to address the reasons of infertility.
What role does acupuncture play in assisting you in becoming pregnant?
After your TCM practitioner has diagnosed your current condition, they will devise a strategy for rebalancing your body using acupuncture.
Acupuncture for fertility involves placing needles into acupoints on your body to relieve blocked energy that prevents your body from regaining its natural equilibrium. Following that, the fertility process will be boosted.
It dispels negative energies and restores harmony.
Meridians, often known as energy highways, run through the human body. Each meridian is linked to an organ and has its own set of acupuncture sites, each with its own set of functions. These points help to tone up your entire body, including your reproductive system.
According to TCM, an imbalance of these energies interferes with your body’s ability to ovulate and regulate hormonal swings.
The delicate insertion of thin, disposable sterile needles into the 14 major channels of your body by practitioners in TCM clinics in Singapore will help restore that balance and boost your fertility.
It works in tandem with conventional fertility therapies.
In TCM clinics, herbal cures and prescriptions are frequently combined with multiple acupuncture sessions. When these natural treatments are combined, your body’s hormonal systems are strengthened and regulated.
When you insert a needle, the pressure creates a tiny electric charge, which causes prostaglandins to be released into the bloodstream. It activates the part of the brain that regulates hormone action.
As a result, acupuncture can aid in both women’s and men’s fertility by stimulating the hormonal system. As a result, consistent acupuncture treatment during natural conception or assisted reproductive technology (ART) can help you conceive.
It improves the reproductive organs’ effectiveness.
Fertility treatment with TCM is similar to soil preparation in the garden. The seed has a better chance of growing if it is well-nourished and irrigated.
Acupuncture can help to increase the flow of energy and deliver much-needed nutrients to the reproductive organs, allowing them to function more efficiently.
Acupuncture points are primarily found on the lower abdomen, legs, and arms, and are strongly linked to the three primary organ systems of the kidney, liver, and spleen, all of which are important in fertility.
When it comes to fertility, how long does TCM take to work?
This procedure normally takes 3 to 6 months, and some people have been pregnant naturally during this time. TCM can also aid with unexplained infertility by assessing the individual’s internal balance.
Is TCM beneficial to fertility?
The Kidney, Liver, and Spleen are the three organs in TCM that are responsible for one’s fertility. These organs are responsible for storing and regulating the Reproductive Essence, Qi, Blood, and Fluids in our bodies, all of which are necessary for healthy fertility.
Why should we turn to TCM for fertility issues?
A non-invasive, natural method
When ingested correctly, Chinese herbal medicine, which is derived from natural ingredients that are plant, animal, or mineral-based, has no or minimum negative effects.
A qualified TCM physician will prescribe the medicine after taking into account any other prescription medications or treatments the patient is undergoing.
To improve one’s body constitution, changes to one’s lifestyle or food habits may be recommended. Some people may be able to conceive naturally without the use of invasive surgeries or hormonal medicines if TCM helps with infertility disorders including lowering inflammation or increasing blood circulation and reproductive organ functions.
TCM provides Holistic Health Restoration
Common fertility concerns are considered as a loss of balance in the body that precludes natural conception, according to TCM.
While Western medicine concentrates on addressing a specific medical problem, TCM focuses on the patient’s entire health. While treating each particular reproductive issue, a suggested TCM regimen strives to improve the patient’s complete health.
TCM Aids and Enhances Western Fertility Procedures.
Studies, such as one published in the Magazine of Integrative Medicine, a peer-reviewed journal published by Changhai Hospital in Shanghai, have demonstrated that treating PCOS with TCM is more beneficial than using simply Western medical treatments.
A competent TCM physician who is conversant with Western fertility therapies can guarantee that a couple seeking to conceive receives the best possible counsel and TCM regimen that compliments – rather than contradicts – their current Western treatments.
TCM Treatments are personalized for you.
TCM practitioners who treat fertility patients can find the best therapy combination to address any difficulty a patient may be experiencing. For example, to accommodate varied physical constitutions, the course of treatment prescribed to one patient with PCOS may differ from that of another who has been diagnosed with the same condition.
