Acupuncture & Anovulatory Infertility

Acupuncture & Anovulatory Infertility
Honora Lee Wolfe
Keywords: Chinese medicine, acupuncture, gynecology, anovulatory infertility, amenorrhea
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Over nine million women per year in the US consult or use infertility services. (1) It is an
unfortunate truth that most of these women will never know that Chinese medicine may be
able to increase their chances of becoming pregnant without invasive Western medical
procedures or, at least, increase their odds when they do use such procedures. The following
article from Ji Lin Zhong Yi Yao (Jilin Chinese Medicine & Medicinals), Issue #5, 2004 by Pang
Baozhen
and Zhao Huanyun titled, "The Treatment of 106 Cases of Anovulatory Infertility
with Acupuncture," describes one potentially effective treatment for some women. A summary
of this article follows.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Cohort description:
All the women enrolled in this study were 2243
years of age with an average age of 33. All
these women had been married for from 220
years, with an average duration of marriage of
four years. Thirtyseven
of these women had polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), eight had
anovulatory functional uterine bleeding, 26 had secondary onset amenorrhea, and 35 had
anovulatory menstrual cycles. In terms of pattern discrimination, there were 38 patients with
kidney yang vacuity, 32 with kidney yin vacuity, 15 with liver depression, 15 with phlegm
dampness, and six with blood stasis.
Treatment method:
During days 59
of the menstrual cycle, Pi Shu (BI 20), Shen Shu (BI 23), Qi Hai (CV 6), San
Yin Jiao (Sp 6), Zu San Li (St 36), Nei Guan (Per 6), and Qi Men (Liv 14) were needled. If
there was early menstruation, Tai Chong (Liv 3) and Tai Xi (Ki 3) were added. If there was
delayed menstruation or amenorrhea, Xue Hai (Sp 10) and Gui Lai (St 29) were added. If
there was sometimes early, sometimes late, no fixed schedule menstruation, Jiao Xin (Ki 8)
was added. Then, during days 1215,
Shen Shu (BI 23), Ming Men (GV 4), Zhong Ji (CV 3),
Xue Hai (Sp 10), Xing Jian (Liv 2), and Zi Gong (CV 4) were needled. One menstrual cycle
equaled one course of treatment. During days 59,
supplementing hand technique was used.
During days 1215,
even supplementingeven
draining hand technique was used. Excessively
strong stimulation of the needles was not necessary and, during the ovulatory period, may be
counterproductive.
Study outcomes:
Presumably, after a single course of treatment, 41 patients conceived and 65 did not. In terms
of the different types of infertility, 15 women with PCOS conceived and 22 did not. Three with
functional uterine bleeding conceived and five did not. Four with secondary amenorrhea
conceived and 22 did not, and 19 with anovulatory menstrual cycles conceived and 16 did not.
Discussion:
According to the Chinese authors' rationale, the spleen and stomach are the latter heaven root
which govern the digestion of water and grains, transform the finest essence, and engender
the qi and blood. If the source of blood is full and sufficient, then the egg will grow and
develop well. Therefore, from days 59
in the cycle, Pi Shu, Zu San Li, and San Yin Jiao are
needled in order to fortify the spleen and stomach. The kidneys govern reproduction and are
the former heaven root. If the kidney qi is effulgent, then the essence and blood are
automatically full. This also promotes the growth and development of the egg. Therefore,
Shen Shu and Qi Hai are needled to supplement the kidney qi. It is also a clinical reality that
many women who are infertile suffer from some degree of liver depression. The liver governs
coursing and discharge, and the proper development of the egg is closely associated with the
liver's control over coursing and discharge. Therefore, Nei Guan is needled to loosen the chest
and resolve depression, while Qi Men, the mu point of the liver, is needled to course and
discharge the liver and gallbladder channel qi. If there is early menstruation, needling Tai
Chong clears liver heat, and needling Tai Xi boosts kidney water. If there is delayed
menstruation or amenorrhea, needling Xue Hai and Gui Lai move the qi and quicken the blood.
If there is sometimes early, sometimes late, no fixed schedule menstruation, needling Jiao Xin
banks the root and secures the source. Together, these points promote the growth and
development of the egg. During ovulation, i.e., days 1215,
Ming Men is chosen to warm
kidney yang and Shen Shu is chosen to supplement the kidney qi. Zhong Ji rectifies the chong
and ren and courses and regulates the lower burner. Xue Hai, a point on the foot tai yin spleen
channel, and Xing Jian, a point on the foot jue yin liver channel, move stasis and transform
stagnation respectively while freeing the flow and regulating the qi of the liver and spleen. Zi
Gong promotes the health and function of the uterus. Therefore, as a group, these points
promote ovulation.
Translator's commentary
Only a moderate percentage of women in this study were helped by these acupuncture
treatments alone. Furthermore, the women in this study were slightly younger than those we
typically see in fertility clinics in the West, so outcomes using this treatment with the age
group of women we are more likely to see (3743
years) would predictably be somewhat
lower. Even so, if even 1015%
of women seeking help with a specific fertility issue can be
helped by a treatment this simple and inexpensive, it would be worth more women being
aware of it before going through the emotional rollercoaster
and expense of hightech
infertility therapies.
Copyright [c] Blue Poppy Press, 2004. All rights reserved.
Reference
1. National Center for Health Statistics, http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/fertile.htm
abstracted & translated by Honora Lee Wolfe, Dipl. Ac., Lic. Ac., FNAAOM
c/o Blue Poppy Press * 5441 Western Ave. #2 * Boulder, Colorado 80301 USA
www.bluepoppy.com
COPYRIGHT 2004 The Townsend Letter Group
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group