According to Chinese medicine philosophy, it is important to ‘nourish the soil before planting the
seed’. It is essential to consider the time before conception because this phase significantly influences the health of the baby.
Preconception Care
Although women are born with all their eggs, the recruited follicle only undergoes maturation 3–4
months prior to ovulation. Therefore, it is important to undertake preconception care at least 3
months before conceiving in order to effectively regulate the menstrual cycle, create an optimal
fertile environment and influence the health of the baby.
Emerging research shows that this crucial preconception period is an exceptionally critical
developmental window that can be easily influenced and altered by exposure to environmental
factors & toxins, nutritional status and stress, for example. All these can influence the development of the egg & sperm and have an impact on the genetic expression and potential disease susceptibility in the future child. This is what epigenetics is all about, how we can influence our fertility and the health of our future offspring.
Nutrition & Nourishment
It is important to ensure the right nutrients are optimal within the body during this preconception
phase to help support healthy cell development, fertilisation and embryonic maturation. The food
consumed forms the building blocks of health and the foundation of fertility at a cellular level.
Research shows that both partners adhering closely to the Mediterranean diet have a lower
incidence of requiring assisted fertility support. Even more so, if a Mediterranean diet is followed in both women & men requiring IVF, then there is a significantly increased chance of IVF success. A Mediterranean diet includes plenty of omega-3 essential fatty acids from fish, unsaturated fats
derived from olive oil & nuts and fresh vegetables high in antioxidants. Meals are also primarily
plant-based and built around whole grains, legumes & beans. Moderate amounts of dairy, poultry & eggs are also included but it is primarily low in inflammatory foods such as sugar, red meat &
saturated fats.
Eating in a Chinese Medicine Way
Digestion is a warm process and eating a diet with excessive amounts of raw & cold foods can slow down and weaken the digestive processes. A Chinese Medicine practitioner will always recommend switching to primarily warm & cooked foods to support digestion and enhance our vitality. This will have a direct impact on the way in which our body functions from a Chinese Medicine perspective and as women, our menstrual cycle will correspond accordingly. Our menstrual cycle is highly
influenced by how women nourish their bodies.
The Impact of Lifestyle
Balance is a quintessential principle in Chinese Medicine. It is represented by the Yin Yang symbol
that is ubiquitous in Chinese Medicine.
While each person presents as a unique individual with their own patterns and presentations, there are a few general guidelines that are highly recommended that can have a powerful impact on fertility. It is essential to carve out time for rest and recovery. This encompasses adequate sleep, appropriate exercise especially depending on where a woman is in her fertility journey and work/life balance. Overworking exhausts our mental and emotional energy, overexercising triggers the body’s immune and stress response and inadequate sleep switches on the sympathetic nervous system.
All these factors during the fertility journey needs to be reconsidered, with focus on more gentle
exercise that doesn’t over-exert the body and leave the body in a high cortisol stressed-out state.
Acupuncture has been found to have an impact on the central nervous system, causing a shift from the sympathetic to the slower more restorative parasympathetic nervous system.
Managing Stress during a Stressful Time
In Chinese Medicine, there is an intimate connection between the Heart & Uterus through the BAO
MAI, is a channel that translates as the Uterus Channel.
The Heart is particularly susceptible to the full spectrum of emotions, ranging from joy, love,
sadness, shock & angst. These emotions can influence the health & receptivity of the Uterus via the Bao Mai. When the Heart is under a great deal of emotional constraint, the connection to the uterus becomes obstructed and there is a loss of that flow between the Heart & Uterus. This relationship is important because it helps us understand why emotions have a direct effect on menstruation & fertility.
Supporting Female Fertility in a Chinese Medicine Way
There are numerous research studies that have shown that Chinese Medicine is beneficial for
fertility. When assessing which aspects of fertility are positively impacted, Chinese Medicine covers all the various factors involved that create an optimal fertile environment to achieve a healthy pregnancy and baby.
Especially in regard to the IVF setting, acupuncture has been shown to support high-quality egg rates and subsequent high-quality embryo rates. The combined use of Chinese Herbal Medicine and acupuncture has been shown to play a role in improving endometrial blood flow and endometrial receptivity, an important aspect of successful implantation. This directly affects embryo transfer and obtains greater clinical results.
And the research continues to explore the benefits of Chinese Medicine for fertility outside the IVF
realm. Evidence indicates that an acupuncture protocol provided to women trying to conceive
shortened their time to conception. Even more so, this interaction with a Chinese Medicine
practitioner creates an environment where women are taught how to become literate in their
menstrual cycle and gain an awareness of their fertility. This provides women who are experiencing difficulty with their fertility a degree of empowerment, especially when trying to conceive can be quite emotionally draining. This overwhelming process can be eased with knowledge and acupuncture. Studies have shown treatments can shift the body from a physiological state of stress to one of rest.
Overall, Chinese Medicine holistically improves female fertility through acupuncture, herbal
medicine, dietary changes and lifestyle advice. A treatment protocol is specifically designed to
address individual needs and emotional well-being according to the stages of the menstrual cycle and during any form of assisted reproductive technology (ART). Treatment aims to correct any
imbalances and thereby prepare the body for conception and pregnancy.
The Male Role in Fertility
It is becoming increasingly evident of the importance of the malefactor in preconception care. The
male’s reproductive health can significantly influence conception, pregnancy and the health of the
child.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 1 in 6 people worldwide struggle with fertility and that the male factor contributes to 40-50 per cent of these cases.
Male fertility is tested by a sperm analysis. It is not uncommon for a sperm analysis to show low or
borderline levels in sperm count, concentration, motility and abnormal morphology.
Based on this information, it is advised that men undergo a preconception treatment protocol in
order to ensure healthy sperm and therefore optimise fertility. It takes sperm on average 72–76 days to develop, mature and finally be ejaculated. This gives an indication of the length of treatment required to rebalance reproductive health and improve their chances of conceiving a healthy baby.
Tips to Support Sperm Health
Several known factors impair sperm quality and quantity. These include protecting
the testicles from excessive heat, reducing radiation and chemical exposure, quitting smoking
tobacco or marijuana, minimising alcohol and coffee consumption, reducing oxidative stress,
improving an inadequate diet and promoting a healthy weight range.
Sperm development in the testicles are temperature sensitive and occurs at its best at temperatures slightly cooler than the body. Excessive heat can cause oxidative stress, and sperm DNA damage and even slow or stop the process of sperm development. It is preferable to avoid sitting for long periods, choose boxers over briefs, no saunas or spas, avoid using heated car seats and avoid cycling long distances.
Our bodies are constantly challenged by environmental toxins, heavy metals and endocrine-disrupting chemicals both at home and in the workplace. Exposure to these environmental factors can disrupt the body’s homeostatic mechanisms and can cause hormonal imbalances, adversely
affecting reproductive health. These harmful chemicals can be found in everyday products ranging from cosmetics, cleaning products, plastics, packaging and pesticides. These damaging foreign substances have been identified to disrupt normal reproductive function from producing healthy testosterone levels and healthy sperm quality.
While it can feel overwhelming to reduce your exposure to these endocrine-disrupting chemicals and make all these dramatic changes, start slowly and one product at a time. Switch to reusable glass or stainless steel bottles. Avoid plastic when it comes to cooking, storing and packaging food. Other food storage options include glass jars, stainless steel containers or beeswax wraps. Ditch synthetic fragranced products and rather open windows to encourage airflow or use air purifiers in the home.
Fill your home with house plants as they can also help to oxygenate the air inside your home.
Another way to have a positive impact on your reproductive health is through the food and
supplements you choose. In particular, antioxidant-rich foods are essential to neutralise free radicals and minimise oxidative stress. Studies have analysed the benefit of nutrition and supplementation on sperm parameters and found that the antioxidants selenium, zinc, omega 3 fatty acids, CoQ10 & carnitine increased sperm count, motility and morphology. Other studies have investigated the effect of the antioxidants vitamin C, vitamin E and glutathione supplementation for a period of 2 months and revealed a significant decrease in oxidative DNA damage and improvement in sperm concentration. The research studies are plentiful and ongoing, demonstrating the significant benefits of antioxidants through food and supplementation in improving sperm health and the health of the
future child.
Chinese Medicine Involvement in Male Fertility
The beauty of Chinese Medicine is that it is based on a holistic approach whereby treatment
addresses the individual’s health concerns. A practitioner will investigate and look for underlying
patterns of imbalance and treat according to how the male is presenting as a whole being. This
unique approach to health will have a direct impact on the male reproductive system, making it
more efficient and productive.
Treatment involves regular acupuncture sessions and Chinese herbal medicine. The impact of
acupuncture has been extensively studied and the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine has been
thoroughly investigated in the treatment of male infertility. This credible research has been
effectively shown to improve sperm parameters, rebalance hormone levels and increase the chances of conceiving a strong, healthy baby. Other nutritional and lifestyle factors that impair sperm quality and quantity are also addressed during a treatment session to optimise male fertility and health potential.
