Boost Fertility With Chinese Medicine 

Evening Echo Article 29/07/2009

One in seven couple in Ireland experiences difficulties in conceiving. Many have tried the usual route of IVF and hormonal injections but to no avail. Others are turning to alternative therapies to try to conceive when Western methods have failed.

However, Chinese medicine is reportedly proving successful in this area. Through examining an individual’s lifestyle, health, diet, stress levels and environment, the Chinese medicine practitioner claims to be able to identify the imbalances in the body which are making it difficult to conceive.

These imbalances are then treated through acupuncture and Chinese herbs to restore the body to its optimum functionality, therefore increasing the chances of conceiving.  

Qiong-Di Wu of the Tung-Chi Traditional Chinese Health Centre in Wilton has been treating couple in Cork experiencing fertility problems for the past seven years.

Qiong-Di is a member of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Council of Ireland and has studied in Beijing and Ireland, graduating with a Masters degree from the Royal College of Surgeons in Irelands.

“Chinese medicine is very popular now. People who are looking for help will try everything,” she says.
Through treatment combining acupuncture and Chinese herbs, Qiong-Di has a success rate of 37%-40%, combined with the IVF success rate of 70%-72%.

Acupuncture involves placing fine needles in certain points along the body, which improves circulation and balances the energy. It works by harmonising the body’s energy and expelling pathogens from the body.
The Chinese herbs, which can be taken in capsule form, combined with acupuncture, boost the chances of fertility by improving the function of the ovaries and regulating the hormones to produce healthier eggs, and more of them.

It also increases blood flow to the uterus, thickens the lining of the womb and decreases the chances of miscarriage. Treatment also reduces the stress levels and anxiety of the patient and strengthens the immune system. Infertility is not just a female factor and treatment also improves semen to produce better quality embryos, and increase sperm count and improve motility.

According to Qiong-Di, another factor which can affect the ability to conceive is prolonged use of the contraceptive pill.

Qiong-Di believes it takes time for the body to return to its normal functioning. “It takes a long time for your hormones to just get back to normal,” she says.

She treated a client who had been on the pill for 10 years and led a stressful life, and had been trying to conceive for the previous two and a half years. Within eight months of treatment the woman became pregnant. Qiong-Di is quick to stress that each case is individual and times can vary greatly.

“People have to be patient,” she says, “I normally tell them it takes three-six months for a first pregnancy. After three months your body is just getting back to normal and then it will take a little time to conceive.”
Anther client of hers who had been trying to conceive for two years became pregnant after just two months.
In cases of ‘second infertility’, where Qiong-Di explains the woman has difficulty conceiving her second child, a client of hers who had been trying to conceive for five years become pregnant after three months of treatment.

Women who have suffered with miscarriages can also benefit from Chinese Medicine. Qiong-Di treated a client who had miscarried five times and through treatment of acupuncture and Chinese herbs she successfully conceived within six months and carried the baby full term.

Women who suffer with polycystic ovaries benign cysts on the ovaries, can also have difficulty conceiving and Qiong-Di has successfully treated patients with this condition to conceive.

“I had a patient who had polycystic and her doctor told her she wouldn’t get pregnant. I told her to continue her treatment here and after two months she became pregnant."

Qiong-Di believes that a combination of Eastern and Western medicine is the best remedy for our general health.

"I wouldn’t say you should totally give up Western medicine but let them work together. Especially for a chronic condition, Chinese medicine could help by improving the energy levels and immune system. It’s best to have a combination of East and West."

By Sinead O’Neil on Evening Echo on Wednesday, July 29, 2009