Anna’s News: Traditional Chinese Medicine and Egg Quality

A question I frequently get asked in my acupuncture practice is “Can acupuncture help improve egg quality?” From my own clinical experience the answer is, it can. Acupuncture and herbal therapy help improve the environment of the ovary enabling it to function optimally and properly, therein allowing it to make goo d quality eggs. An example of this is with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) where the problem is a functional disorder of the entire system that is affecting the ovary. In other words, the issue is not with that single organ alone. Since the body systemically is not working properly it is not able to nourish the ovary. Therefore many immature follicles develop within the ovary impeding the process to fully grow one or two healthy quality eggs, as is the case in a normal cycle. There are many treatment strategies that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) offers to help regulate the body’s functioning in PCOS, so that the ovary is being supplied the energy and blood it needs to be able to produce an exceptional egg.

Another instance in which I have seen an improvement in egg quality is with endometriosis. The explanation is a bit simpler to understand than in PCOS. Generally speaking, with endometriosis the condition is one of blood stasis, a problem that can hinder fresh, oxygenated, nutrient rich blood from reaching the ovary thereby having a negative effect on its function of making a good quality egg. Here again there are many options in which TCM can help treat blood stasis so that the ovary is being thoroughly supported to produce a good egg.



Though there is no data via research studies presently to support this claim directly, there is much that I have seen in my clinical experience to believe it to be true. If you have any questions regarding egg quality and how TCM can help please feel free to contact me or book an appointment!