Infertility

Sterility refers to inability to conceive three years after marriage with normal sexual life and without contraception, or inability to conceive for two years after giving birth to a baby or after abortion without contraception.

Aetiology:

(1). Tubal factors: fallopian tubes underdevelopment results in the poor movement of the hair inside the tubal cavity and the tube itself or the tubal inflammation or infection makes the tubes obstructed.

(2). Ovary factors: the pathologic changes of ovaries or the dysfunction of the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary axis or the systematic diseases interfere with the function of ovaries. All of these can cause infertility.

(3). Cervical factors: the quality and quantity of the cervical mucus interfere with the sperm entering the uterus. The others such as cervical orifice stenosis, cervical polyps or tumours may also prevent the sperm from entering the uterus.

(4). Uterine factors: the malformation, myomas, tuberculous endometritis, or endometritis, and the endometrial improper reaction to progesterone can interfere with the embryo implantation.

(5). Vaginal factors: stricture, inflammation or abnormal PH value may interfere with the fertilization.

Aetiology explained in TCM:

(1). The deficiency of kidney: (a). The kidney yang deficiency, cold uterus can't take the sperm fertilize the egg. (b). The kidney yin deficiency and the insufficiency of Chong and the Ren channels fail to nourish the Bao channel result in infertility.

(2). The deficiency of blood: the blood insufficiency of Chong and the Ren channels fail to nourish the Bao channel result in infertility.

(3). The stagnation of the liver: liver fails to disperse, Qi and the blood disharmony, irregular menstrual cycle causing infertility.

(4). Phlegm dampness: impediment of the Qi activity, the Bao channel obstructed, and menstrual disorder.

(5). The blood stasis: the Chong and Ren blocked and the Bao channel obstructed.

Treatment:

(1). Take different herbal formulas according to different aetiologies, such as tonic kidney to accelerate the follicular development and ovulation with the ovulation formulae; use the herbs for promoting blood circulation, eliminating blood stasis, nourish the yin and purging the fire for the immune-infertility and infertility caused by tubal obstruction; use the herbs to regulate the menstrual cycles for infertility caused by irregular menstruation; use the herbs to warm the kidney, enrich the essences, promote blood circulation and nourish the blood for the patients with abnormal semen.

Choose different herbs and make different formulas with differentiation to treat the syndrome in TCM terms, depending on the aetiology of the disease diagnosed.

(2). Acupuncture.

(3). External application with herbs.

(4). Iontophoresis with herbs.