While modern fertility treatments offer hope to many, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is gaining interest as a gentle, holistic complement. Can ancient wisdom support today’s reproductive science? Here’s how TCM may help the body prepare for conception.
WORDS HU KEE YIE
 FEATURED EXPERTHU KEE YIE Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner Sunway TCM Centre |
When it comes to fertility issues, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM for short) attempts to focus on the following:
- Increasing the blood flow to the uterus and ovaries
- Balancing the person’s hormones and restore synergies to improve fertility
- Reducing stress, as stress can have a negative impact on fertility rates
- Improving the quality of uterine lining
- Reduce uterine contractions
For example:
- Acupuncture stimulates the release of beta-endorphins which are responsible for reducing stress to achieve the ‘balanced’ situation.
- Nourishing Chinese herbs can increase the blood circulation and thicken the uterine lining.
TCM TREATMENT PLANS CAN BE PERSONALIZED
Many TCM fertility centres offer treatment plans using effective and evidence-based methods to improve fertility and reproductive health.
Additionally, these plans help to prepare couples physically and mentally during the pre-conception stage.
A TCM treatment plan typically includes:
- Chinese herbal therapy
- Chinese herbal hot packs
- Dietary therapy
- Acupuncture
- Auriculotherapy (ear acupuncture)
- Moxibustion, or the use of burning dried plant materials (moxe) at or close to the surface of the skin, in order to warm and invigorate the flow of chi in the body
HOW CAN ACUPUNCTURE HELP WITH INFERTILITY?
- Clinical studies have shown that acupuncture performed 3 to 6 months prior to fertility procedures (such as in-vitro fertilization) has increased the rates of pregnancy by as much as 35-50%.
- Furthermore, another study found that improvement of sperm quality was seen after 10 sessions of acupuncture treatment.
CAN SOMEONE UNDERGOING WESTERN INFERTILITY TREATMENTS ALSO GO FOR TCM?
TCM can play a complementary role to Western fertility treatments.
Discussion with and the information provided by Western fertility specialists play an integral role in the planning of TCM personalized treatments.
For example:
- Acupuncture is generally safe for a couple who is undergoing Western infertility treatments.
- In fact, acupuncture has been recommended 3 to 6 months before pregnancy or fertility treatment.
- Moreover, it has also been recommended for the women during the pre- and post- embryo transfer stages.
| You can consult a TCM physician for more information on how TCM can help with your infertility. As we know, it takes both parties to get involved and support each other throughout the journey. Hence, it is important for both you and your partner to come together, particularly for the first consultation. |
| This article is part of our series on traditional and complementary medicine. |
References:
- Guven, P. G., Cayir, Y., & Borekci, B. (2020). Effectiveness of acupuncture on pregnancy success rates for women undergoing in vitro fertilization: A randomized controlled trial. Taiwanese journal of obstetrics & gynecology, 59(2), 282–286. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjog.2020.01.018
- Pei, J., Strehler, E., Noss, U., Abt, M., Piomboni, P., Baccetti, B., & Sterzik, K. (2005). Quantitative evaluation of spermatozoa ultrastructure after acupuncture treatment for idiopathic male infertility. Fertility and sterility, 84(1), 141–147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2004.12.056
