Chinese Herbal Medicine & Infertility Research Review
By Dr. Pamela Frank, BSc(Hons), ND
A new meta-analysis compared Western medicine treatment to Chinese Herbal Medicine with respect to mean pregnancy rates. Forty randomized controlled trials involving 4247 women with infertility were included in this systematic review, including women with PCOS, endometriosis, anovulation, fallopian tube blockage, or unexplained infertility.
This review suggests that management of female infertility with Chinese herbal medicine can double pregnancy rates within a 3-6 month period compared with Western medical fertility drug therapy. Also, fertility indicators such as ovulation rates, cervical mucus score, bi-phasic basal body temperature, and appropriate thickness of the endometrial lining were positively influenced by Chinese Herbal Medicine therapy, indicating enhanced hormone balance and overall improved physiology that would be conducive to a healthier pregnancy and infant.
I customize Chinese Herbal Medicine therapy to the individual woman and her particular fertility challenges and characteristics. Rather than force the body into balance, I address the organ systems that are not functioning well and nurture them back to optimal health. I have successfully used Traditional Chinese Medicine along with acupuncture, nutritional support, dietary and lifestyle changes to improve female fertility since 1999. Rather than using just Chinese medicine or Chinese medicine plus acupuncture, I can also enhance fertility with Western herbs, nutritional supplementation, diet changes, and lifestyle counselling. According to this research, incorporating Traditional Chinese Medicine can double your chances of a successful pregnancy. Click here to book an appointment.
Reference:
Ried K. Chinese herbal medicine for female infertility: an updated meta-analysis. Complement Ther Med. 2015 Feb;23(1):116-28. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2014.12.004. Epub 2015 Jan 3.