How Traditional Chinese Medicine Promotes Fertility

Written by: Pulling Down the Moon

TCM to Support IUI

TCM can also help couples prepare for an IUI cycle as well. Because this treatment involves preparing the man’s sperm to optimize fertilization rates, boosting the health and motility of the sperm is just as critical as helping a woman prepare her body for a successful pregnancy. Acupuncture for male fertility has some impressive science behind it,⁵ so it’s definitely something to add to your fertility-boosting basket of goodies. Again, optimizing IUI success through TCM requires planning ahead. Starting about three months before IUI, a TCM regimen includes acupuncture, herbal supplements, and a fertility nutrition program that focuses on organic fruits, vegetables, nuts, probiotics, and lean proteins.

TCM Diet for Fertility

Food is medicine in TCM, which only makes sense. If you have any special nutritional restrictions or concerns, it’s best to work personally with our fertility nutritionist to optimize the body’s overall vitality, regardless of food sensitivities you might have. Sound nutrition provides the body with the nutrients it needs for all of its systems to function correctly. In Chinese medicine for fertility, these are some of the foods to focus on…

• Yin & Yang Balancing Foods—Yin foods cool and moisten the body. Some of these include fruits, veggies, and legumes. Yang foods include grains, fish, and meat.
• Blood-Strengthening Foods—Foods with good amounts of iron, B12, and folic acid are important for building the blood. Some great sources include lean red meat, eggs, liver, beans, and leafy green vegetables.
• Avoid “Damp” Foods—In TCM, certain “damp foods” cause water retention, which can aggravate your fertility balance. In a TCM nutrition regimen, this may mean avoiding raw, cold foods like raw vegetables and salads in favor of eating cooked vegetables. 
• Spice Up Your Food—Some spices and herbs have a long track record in Chinese medicine for fertility, including cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric, all of which have anti-inflammatory properties.
• Eating for Stress Relief—No, we don’t mean downing an entire half-gallon of ice cream. We mean consuming a balanced diet that builds good health and reduces toxic stress on the body’s systems. So, cutting down on sugary, processed, over-salted foods will be important here.

How Does TCM Help Improve Male Fertility

Because problems with male fertility cause at least half of the difficulties couples encounter when trying to get pregnant, it makes sense to help the men do all they can to boost their fertility. Several studies have shown that men who pursue a TCM approach to building their fertility can actually help improve their sperm quality motility (ability to move).⁶ This includes everything from acupuncture and nutrition to stress relief and supplemental support.

Holistic Fertility Services at Pulling Down the Moon

References

1. Efficacy and Safety of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Treatment of Immune Infertility Based on the Theory of “Kidney Deficiency and Blood Stasis”: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. ProQuest. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/9947348

2. Jiang, C., Wang, Z., Yuan, S., Jiang, Y., & Ye, Y. (2021). Chinese herbal medicine for immune infertility. Medicine, 100(5), e24248–e24248. https://doi.org/10.1097/md.0000000000024248

3. Teng, B., Peng, J., Ong, M., & Qu, X. (2017). Successful Pregnancy after Treatment with Chinese Herbal Medicine in a 43‐Year‐Old Woman with Diminished Ovarian Reserve and Multiple Uterus Fibrosis: A Case Report. Medicines, 4(1), 7. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicines4010007

4. Hullender Rubin, L. E., Opsahl, M. S., Wiemer, K. E., Mist, S. D., & Caughey, A. B. (2015). Impact of whole systems traditional Chinese medicine on in-vitro fertilization outcomes. Reproductive BioMedicine Online, 30(6), 602–612. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rbmo.2015.02.005

5. Feng, J., He, H., Wang, Y., Zhang, X., Zhang, X., Zhang, T., Zhu, M., Wu, X., & Zhang, Y. (2022). The efficacy and mechanism of acupuncture in the treatment of male infertility: A literature review. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2022.1009537

6. Wang, S.-C., Wang, S.-C., Li, C.-J., Lin, C.-H., Huang, H.-L., Tsai, L.-M., & Chang, C.-H. (2018). The Therapeutic Effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Poor Semen Quality in Infertile Males. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 7(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm7090239