Chinese Herbal Therapy and Fertility: Ancient Chinese Secrets That Work
When I went to school and got a Doctorate Degree in Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Therapy, I thought I would be utilizing herbal therapy as much as I do acupuncture in my business. However I found out quickly that, in general, midwest folk are more reticent to try herbals than east and west coast cultures. There is a large distrust of something foreign and not prescribed by medical doctors. So this blog is an homage to the 5000 year old therapy of herbal medicine. It is my hope that I can at least convince some of my fertility patients to open their minds alittle to considering this very wonderful, very safe therapy.
So, why am I focusing this blog only on fertility patients? Because man, oh man, did the Chinese concentrate hard on herbal medicine for female reproductive issues and they perfected it in a way no other culture has.
Around 3000 B.C, China was a very advanced culture for the time. There was a belief though that somewhere in the world, there was an elixir of life that would make the emperors of the time immortal and, thus, solidifying their reign. They tasked their doctors of the time to find that elixir so a significant amount of energy was spent collecting medicinal herbs from vast areas and formulating them to help any symptom imaginable. Using patient feedback, the results were recorded, produced into compendiums, and passed to the next dynasty. Chinese Herbal Therapy (and Acupuncture) literally became the longest clinical trial in the history of mankind. Even today, pharmaceutical companies are researching various Chinese herbs as the Chinese were truly the only culture with the most extensive knowledge of herbal benefits. Tao Ren is a seed that is now used in cardiovascular medicine for its ability to break down blood coagulation. Rehmannia is now discovered to have powerful positive effect on gestational diabetes. The first therapy to work in SARS and Covid outbreaks was a classic four herb formula used in China for centuries for viral outbreaks. Chinese herbal therapy is one of the most effective therapies out there in the realm of natural medicine!
One of the biggest focus (beyond the elixir of life) the Chinese had in herbal formula creation had to do with fertility because of the demand to have children was so strong. Every woman was tasked with birthing children and lots of them. Any failure was truly forbidden. So, for centuries (at least 2000 years), the Chinese have researched this field and now have a variety of commonly used, powerful formulas to help with most infertility conditions. But even though I say this, the proof is in the pudding and here is the pudding.
In a meta-analysis of 40 different clinical trials where 4247 women were separated into control placebo groups and Chinese Herbal Therapy groups, researchers found improved “pregnancy rates 2-fold within a 3-6 month period compared with Western medical fertility drug therapy. In addition, fertility indicators such as ovulation rates, cervical mucus score, biphasic basal body temperature, and appropriate thickness of endometrial lining were positively influenced by CHM (Chinese Herbal Medicine) therapy, indicating an ameliorating physiological effect conducive for a viable pregnancy”. Click link.
And so, it is my hope that fertility patients consider including Chinese Herbal Therapy in combination with Acupuncture when seeking to get pregnant.
