Couples infertility

What we offer to couples

Jo George specialises in the use of TCM to treat the full range of problems associated with infertility in both men and women including:

• Hormonal and ovulatory problems
• Polycystic ovaries
• Endometriosis
• Recurrent miscarriage
• Unexplained infertility

- male infertility - including low sperm count, low motility, high abnormal form or antisperm antibodies.

Using Chinese herbs, acupuncture and other forms of traditional Chinese healing therapy, Jo takes a holistic approach to reproductive health and offers sympathetic advice, well-researched treatment and a genuine message of hope to infertile couples.

Treating infertility with TCM

Because TCM aims to restore balance to the whole person, it can be used to treat all non-genetic causes of infertility in both men and women - either in conjunction with modern assisted fertility techniques (IVF, IUI) or on its own.

In women, TCM can help with hormonal and ovulatory problems, polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, partially blocked fallopian tubes, unexplained failure to conceive and repeated miscarriage. In men, it can improve sperm count and/or sperm motility.

In women

• TCM recognises that many ovulatory problems can be resolved if the menstrual cycle is regulated. TCM attempts to balance the body's yin and yang while regulating qi and blood flows during the menstrual cycle.
• TCM can improve egg quality and strengthen the lining of the womb, so increasing the chances of successful implantation. This is particularly relevant in older women and most of our female patients are aged between 34 and 44.
• TCM can reduce levels of circulating FSH (follicle stimulating hormone). Women with high levels of FSH are often turned away from fertility clinics because they generally respond poorly, if at all, to the drugs used to stimulate their ovaries for IVF treatment. Many fertility specialists regard this condition as untreatable and advise women to consider using donor eggs. However some of these women who follow a course of TCM, may see their FSH levels fall, improving their chances of success in an assisted conception treatment cycle using their own eggs.

In men

Herbs have been shown to significantly improve the production of healthy sperm by balancing and strengthening the functions of the male reproductive organs. In many cases, treatment with TCM has increased the number of sperm produced and improved sperm quality.

As a result, patients undergoing assisted conception can opt for less invasive procedures than might otherwise be possible. For example, in severe cases of male infertility, the recommended treatment is ICSI which involves the microinjection of a single sperm into an egg. When more healthy sperm are produced, patients can attempt less invasive and less expensive procedures, such as IUI or IVF.

TCM support and IVF

Even the most sophisticated assisted conception techniques can benefit from a helping hand. Whatever the nature of the fertility problem, TCM can maximise the chance of success when undergoing IVF or another assisted conception programme. In women, success rates can be enhanced by improving egg quality, strengthening the uterine lining and balancing hormone levels to give patients the best chance of achieving and maintaining a pregnancy. Where male sperm production is a contributory factor in childlessness — as it is with 50 per cent of couples — TCM can often produce a significant improvement.

What to expect from a treatment

During your first visit Jo needs to gain a thorough understanding of your fertility and your general health and lifestyle. This involves asking questions about your current symptoms and your medical history, as well as such things as your sleeping pattern, your appetite and digestion, and your emotional wellbeing. Women are particularly asked about their menstrual cycle and any past pregnancies and childbirth, and often BBT charts are used to measure progress.

How long does treatment take?

The length and course of treatment depend on many factors including the cause and nature of the infertility and the way the individual patient responds. The average length of treatment is six and a half months. For some of our female patients who became pregnant, this occurred within three months for 20%, three to six months for 35%, six months to one year for 42% and more than one year for the remaining three percent. Of our male patients, whose partners became pregnant, many achieve success within three months and some within six months with only a few taking more than one year. The average length of treatment is four and a half months.