You've been trying to conceive for over a year with no luck.
Now you and your partner have had extensive hormone testing. Your partner's semen analysis indicates his sperm are healthy, plentiful, and champion swimmers. Your ultrasound shows a healthy uterus and ovaries.
You've had an HSG test (hysterosalpingogram) and your fallopian tubes are open for business.
For the most part, you menstruate and ovulate regularly, everyone your age seems to be making babies left and right, and you're still not pregnant! So what's the deal???
A diagnosis of “unexplained infertility” can be frustrating and sometimes devastating for couples trying to conceive. With no clear idea what's delaying pregnancy, western medicine offers very little hope for treatment.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can offer sound explanations and effective solutions. There are many possible TCM diagnoses related to unexplained infertility.
The three most common causes of unexplained infertility
#1 – Infertility as a natural response to stress
While TCM can identify various causes based on your unique physiology, history, and lifestyle, the most common cause of unexplained infertility is stress.
Whether it's from the continued frustration of not being able to conceive, confrontation with your boss, traffic, dental work, bills, or just a messy house – we all experience stress.
Muscles tighten, breath quickens, the heart beats faster and blood pressure rises. Cortisol and adrenalin are released as your body is prepared for “fight or flight.” These and other physical responses can increase strength and stamina and enhance your focus or ability to react to a stressful situation. The problem with modern “stresses,” however, is that they tend to occur more at a constant low level compared to the stress our ancestors experienced from the threat of being chased by a saber-toothed tiger. This means your body is all too often in a state of “fight or flight” and repeatedly being flooded with stress hormones.
If you're continually stressed out you may be initiating a “normal” reaction to stress in your body – fertility shut down. Stress hormones send a clear message to your body that it's not a good time to conceive” – after all, why make a baby if you're about to be chomped by a saber-toothed tiger!
In addition to increased adrenalin and cortisol, stress can also cause elevated levels of estrogen and/or prolactin which, in excess, can impair fertility.
From a TCM perspective, high levels of stress can impede the free flow of energy or qi (pronounced “chee”) in the body.
A woman with “qi stagnation” will often suffer from migraines, digestive upset, PMS symptoms including irritability and painful breasts, and will have a unique quality to the pulse where it feels “wiry” like a guitar string. Sometimes the tongue will take on a dusky hue, reflecting the stagnation in the body.
Once the qi becomes sluggish or stuck, the blood circulation may also stagnate resulting in painful, irregular menstrual cycles. Qi and blood stagnation may also contribute to endometriosis, ovarian cysts, and uterine fibroids. Occasionally, women with Qi and blood stagnation will not be aware of any symptoms, yet the stress continues to affect their bodies and fertility negatively.
#2 – The body's inability to hold a pregnancy
In TCM, the same qi that is responsible for healthy digestion also is responsible for the action of “holding and lifting” within the body.
A deficiency or weakness in this qi may result in bruising, varicosities, and hemorrhoids – (the blood not being held within the vessels), prolapsed organs, fatigue, loose stools, gas, bloating, and cold extremities.
A patient with this presentation may tend to gain weight on the lower half of her body (pear-shaped). If the qi that “holds and lifts” is weak, the body doesn't have enough energy to carry a baby to term and may result in either miscarriage or inability to conceive.
A Chinese medicine practitioner can treat this pattern with herbs, acupuncture, diet and lifestyle changes that strengthen the qi, improve the digestion, and promote the body's ability to maintain a pregnancy.
#3 – Infertility due to weak reproductive energy
In TCM, “Essence” is reproductive energy and the genetic material we inherit from our parents. It's like a deep-pockets savings account of qi that is not meant for daily spending.
Essence controls all of the growth and development, reproductive function, and aging processes in the human body. Some signs of declining Essence are sore and cold knees and/or low back, a history of delayed onset of the menses, scanty blood flow during menses, low sex drive, fatigue and frequent urination. Weak essence can be caused by genetic inheritance, too much sex for men, too many pregnancies for a woman, or chronic over-taxing of energy by stress or poor diet and lifestyle.
These patients may exhibit poor sperm or egg quality, high FSH, and an inability to conceive or carry a baby to term. If the Essence is weak and a baby comes to term, he or she may have developmental issues.
Though western medicine tends to write off these patients as a lost cause with “advanced maternal age,” with consistent treatment OM techniques can help to reverse the effects of aging and increase the likelihood of successful conception and healthy pregnancy.
Oriental medicine can treat unexplained infertility
A diagnosis of unexplained infertility need not be a dead end on your road to parenthood.
Acupuncture can harmonize and revitalize the body's Qi, improving circulation of blood and energy to all vital organs. Most people find acupuncture to be a very relaxing experience leaving you energized and better able to manage the stress in your life. Treatments can restore depleted qi and help improve your reproductive potential.
Your practitioner may also recommend herbal medicine and/or diet and lifestyle changes to help make your body a welcoming place to grow your baby.
Your commitment and participation will help to optimize the success of your treatments. Simple things such as what to eat, what to drink, how to dress, stress level, or how much to sleep can drastically affect egg quality during its 85-day journey to maturation, likelihood of successful fertilization, as well as the subsequent implantation and development.
Has unexplained infertility affected you or your family? Please tell us about your experiences in the comments below.
How your lifestyle may be inhibiting your ability to conceive – and what to do about it
Hallo
I have just found your blog and love it a lot. I am 33 years old mother of 2.5 girl and I do have problem I have lost my period and it is almost 13 months. I was vegan for 2 years and last year in February have start to work out( mainly running 5 times a week) In november I have start to eat animal products(goat sheep raw milk dairy, butter, eggs fish) My period have not come yet. I have cut out my work out to 3 times a week nothing crazy. Please help what should I do. I am skinny so may be I have low body fat? I had always regural period even when I have had little less pounds. I did not loose any weight I was eating to have enough not to loose weight when I workout. Should I stop workout completelly or what I can do to have my period back. Many thanks to you we want second baby so it is important to me
Hi!
I was just curious what the average time frame is that you usually see success (if any) with acupuncture & fertility? I just got done with my 1st month (1 treatment each week) of treatment. We have been TTC for about 7 months and since doctors give us such a hard time about getting checked out for fertility issues if you haven’t been trying for at least a year, I figured taking this route first won’t hurt and hopefully have success.
I am also curious what you mean by what you wear can even effect fertility? That’s interesting. Thanks!!
Hi Elaine – I wish I had a better answer for you, but the time of acupuncture treatment varies greatly from individual to individual dependent on so many different factors. Some of my patients conceive within a few cycles, and with others it takes years. You do need AT LEAST three cycles, however, to see change in most fertility related conditions.
Wearing the right clothing – like avoiding restrictive pants and keeping your “center” warm can certainly help to optimize fertility.
Wishing you the best!
Thanks for the feedback, I really appreciate it.
I’m right there with you, Misa! I also have a 2.5 year old & haven’t been able to get pregnant a 2nd time (been trying for a year). I do have my period but its very sporadic, sometimes my cycles are very short & sometimes they are very long! I used to workout like crazy all the time but now (6 months later) I only workout 3 times a week. I’m not skinny but I’m on the thin side. I eat very healthy (about 80% paleo) & take whole food supplements, including one for my thyroid. What gives ????
This is soo true!
I was told I had PCOS, which I really don’t think is anything that can’t be fixed with exercise and diet. I had 11 acupuncture treatments to help regulate my menstrual cycle and help us conceive. 2 months later I was completely shocked to find out I was pregnant! Acupuncture is a legitimate form of medicine!
We’ve been unable to get pregnant and we’ve been trying for 11 months. My cycles are very regular with no pain or any strange symptoms, and neither of us have any symptoms that point to any particular issue. We haven’t had any tests done by a regular doctor yet. Do you recommend doing that before starting with Chinese Medicine? Do you know of a good Chinese Medicine practitioner near Loveland, CO that you can recommend? Thanks!
Have you read Taking Charge of your Fertility? It might help as it has countless other couples! 🙂
I know my acupuncturist said I have a damp spleen but from what I read I think my qi is stuck. My acupuncturist doesn’t know a lot about fertility and I live in a small far away town. Do u have any other recommendations for at home. Husband and I have been trying for 3 years. I use to take video but it seemed to make things worse. I now take maca and eat a carrot a day. Any informationwould be greatly appreciated.
Hi Dawn – I’d love to help, but unfortunately I’m not able to give a proper medical consultation online, but you are more than welcome to schedule a long distance consultation with me here: http://www.emilybartlettacupuncture.com/distance-consultations
That was supposed to be vitex not video.
Hi – Great article and website! I really enjoy reading and trying out the new recipes you post. I was recently recommended Femmenessence MacaHarmony for helping regulate hormone imbalance. Have you heard of this supplement? Or have any recommendations for hormone imbalance supplements. Thanks
Hi Kristin – I’m not familiar with it, however I would use caution in using a general fertility supplement when treating a specific fertility issue or hormone imbalance. It would be ideal to work with an experienced practitioner to determine the proper coarse of treatment.
Dear Emily. I so enjoy your blog and you excellent book. We have been trying for a baby for four years. For the last year more goalminded. We have been glutenfree and eating aften wap for these four years. I have struggled hashimotos since our daughter was born five years ago. I breastfeed till she was four. I am doing better on this diet, dessicated thyroid, acupuncture, walking etc but I am still overweight. I am 40 years old and we started iui. I know I would be better off thinner but I dob’t know if I will ever be and I think that we have to continue the treatment due to my age. What would you recommend? I do not exactly loose weight with your fertility diet.
In my last pregnancy my hashimotos went in remission and I felt so good and didn’t gain weight at all.
Thank you
Hi Tina, I would suggest working closely with your holistic practitioner. If you have got a copy of Feed your fertility, pay careful attention to parts that address Hashimoto’s and tailor your diet closely to that. I wish you all the best, and hope to hear a good report.