Chinese Medicine for Fertility
A study recently showed one in five couples has seen their physician for fertility issues. Chinese medicine can be a powerful and effective tool to help couples conceive-and carry to term-a healthy baby. Chinese Medicine can be very beneficial for those who are just starting to try to concieve, as well as for those who are doing assisted fertility treatments such as IUI’s or IVF.

For those trying to conceive naturally Chinese Medicine can:

• regulate irregular cycles
• treat endometriosis, fibroids and/or PCO’s
• help improve circulation to the reproductive organs and improve egg quality
• help “pin-point” ovulation and the best time to concieve
• secure a pregnancy once conceived

For those going through assisted fertility treatment (IUI’s or IVF):

• improve quality and quantity of follicles
• improve lining of uterus
• reduce side effects form Western drugs
• reduce stress associated with a cycle
• strengthen immune system (or regulate if autoimmune conditions such as elevated NK assay levels)
• increase the success of implantation
• decreases chance of miscarriage once pregnant
• improve male issues such semen quality and quantity

Unfortunately Chinese Medicine is not a therapy that can be rushed. It is said in order to grow a healthy crop one must prepare the soil before planting. Such is the case with a pregnancy. It is critical that one focus on the health of their body and make changes that will prepare their body to create a strong and healthy pregnancy. Traditionally in Chinese Medicine we expect three months to make a significant change in the body. It has also been shown that it takes an ovarian follicle approximately 90 days to fully develop. During that time the follicle quality (and eventually egg quality) can be influenced by the environment of the body. Therefore the ideal situation would be to prepare your body for approximately three months before trying to conceive or do a cycle. That should include looking into dietary and lifestyle changes to support the goal of pregnancy. In addition to acupuncture another very powerful modality is the use of Chinese Herbs which are optional.

For those doing an IVF cycle the minimum recommended protocol is:

• In preparation for a cycle we try to have a minimum of eight acupuncture sessions before transfer
• We highly recommend having acupuncture sessions as close as possible. These two treatments alone have been shown to increase the success of a cycle from 26% o 42%! At Sage we have created a schedule with on-call acupuncturists 7 days a week. That way if your cycle falls on a weekend or holiday we usually still can accommodate your needs.

However for those who do not have three months of preparation time there are still many ways Chinese medicine can increase the success of your fertility. It has been shown that Chinese Medicine still can have incredible benefits, even when used short-term. So it is never too late!

Below we have listed many of the recent research articles showing the benefits of Chinese Medicine for fertility. As Western Medicine is learning and seeing the ability of Chinese Medicine to increase successful pregnancies it is becoming a recommended therapy by many doctors and fertility centers. At Sage, Yvette has taken great measures to attend advanced trainings and be very familiar with medical tests, procedures and medications. One can be assured that the sessions they receive at Sage are customized to enhance any medical treatment, and there will be no conflict or negative interactions.

Fertility Research
Below are research articles available for you to download and print. Just click on the link to download the word document.

IVF Fertility Research
Fertility Research
Male Fertility Research

Other Fertility Therapies available at Sage Wellness Center
Chi Nei Tsang
A Chinese traditional therapy of abdominal massage working with the organs and meridians. Can regulate cycles, improve blood flow and circulation to the reproductive system and provide overall balance.