The Pathology
of Infertility
Primary pathologies
that may interfere with a female’s ability to
achieve pregnancy:
Ovarian
Factors: It is a normal stage of a woman’s
development for the function of the ovaries to begin
to decline after a certain age. This decline results
in the production of lesser quality eggs. Fertilization
of these eggs is more difficult and generally they
do not develop as well after fertilization. When the
ovaries decline in function, follicle stimulating
hormone (FSH) levels increase in order to induce ovulation.
FSH levels above 10 indicate that the ovarian function
has declined, making pregnancy more difficult to achieve.
Even when pregnancy does occur, it is usually more
difficult for the woman to carry the embryo to term,
and miscarriage often results. In addition, estrogen
and progesterone levels decrease, causing a thinning
of the endometrium. All of these factors affect the
implantation of the embryo.
Another condition
of the ovaries is the occasional or total failure
to ovulate. This may be due to hormonal changes causing
irregular menstruation, amenorrhea, or heavy uterine
bleeding. This condition may also be due to polycystic
ovaries.
The treatment
for these conditions focuses on regulating the menses,
balancing hormone levels, and if needed, treating
polycysts and endometriosis. Once this is achieved,
fertility is greatly increased.
Acupuncture and IVF:
In clinical observation,
the ultrasound shows that after acupuncture, the color
of a woman’s ovaries change from cloudy to bright
and clear. The follicles usually double in number,
and the number of embryos increases significantly.
Patients experience
fewer side effects from the western drugs and feel
more at ease and happy. In male patients, the semen
quality significantly improves and the sperm number
greatly increases. In brief, Chinese medicine can
help to improve the success rate of IVF in a number
of ways:
· Improve
the function of the ovaries to produce better quality
eggs.
· Regulate the hormones to produce a larger
number of follicles.
· Increase the blood flow to the uterus and
increase the thickness of the uterine lining.
· Relax the patient and decrease their stress.
· Prevent the uterus from contracting.
· Lessen the side effects of drugs used for
IVF.
· Strengthen the immune system.
· Improve semen to create better quality and
quantity of embryos.
· Decrease chances of miscarriage.
