2 time of successful pregnancies with 3 heathy babies after IVF with donor eggs following TCM preparation and miscarriage prevention.
Mrs. J, 41 years old officer, Iraqi English, possesses a more complex menstrual and pregnancy history. She has had 3 times of inevitable miscarriages in the past three years and 4 small intramural fibroids (measuring 14mm, 12 mm, 10mm and 22mm respectively) and higher prolactin (528-1063) level were found in her uterus. Endometriosis of ovaries and endometritis along with intrauterine adhesions are detected. Also, she had an irregular menstruation and higher or unstable level of relevant hormone: FSH36 or 9.8, LH 21.4-130.8, Estradiol 539—less than 50.
When she visited me, she had irregular menstruation and suffered from many psychiatric and general symptoms.
Diagnosis of conventional western medicine:
Habitual miscarriages
Multiple fibroids
Hyperprolactinemic
Clinical figures:
Irregular menstruation 4-5/ 28—90, period pain, abdominal discomfort, worry, irritated, upset easily, weepy, disturbed sleep, hot flashes, cold hands and feet.
Pale tongue with teeth marks and less white coating, wiry and fine pulse
Differentiation of TCM:
Liver qi stagnation with blood stasis, Kidney yang deficiency
Acupuncture:
Ren8 Shenque: Moxi
Du20baihui, Du24shenting and St5 touwei, Sj5waiguan, Gb41 zulinqi;
Ren3 zhongji, Ren6qihai, St29 guilai,
Sp9 yinlingquan, Sp6 sanyinjiao, Ki3taixi, Ki6 zhaohai
Herbal medicine prescription:
Xianmao (Rhizoma Curculiginis Orchioidis) 10,
Yinyanghuo (Herba Epimedii) 10-30,
Shudihuang (Radix Rhemanniae Glutinosae Praeparata) 15,
Chishao (Radix Paeoniae Rubrae) 10,
Danggui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis) 10,
Huangqi (Radix Astragali Membranacei) 10
Chaihu(Radix Bupleuri)10,
Yujin (Tuber Curcumae) 10,
Shanyao (Radix Dioscoreae Oppositae) 10,
Gouqizi (Fructus Lycii) 10,
Shanzhuyu (Fructus Corni Officinalis) 10,
Ejiao (Gelatinum Corii Asini) 10
Before ovulation:
Jineijin (Endothelium Corneum Gigeriae Galli) 10, Zishiying (Fluoritum) 10 are added in;
After ovulation: Guizhi (Ramulus Cinnamomi Cassiae) 10, Xiangfu (Rhizoma Cyperi Rotundi) 10 are added in.
Above herbal prescription is decocted into herbal juice twice daily, one packet per day; 6 packets per week.
Explanation:
Since this lady suffered from irregular menstruation and possessed many emotional symptoms, removing Liver qi stagnation was set as the main task. Du20 baihui, Du24 shenting and St8 touwei are given at first. Du24 shenting and St8 touwei are part of the emotional center of scalp acupuncture, which should produce a stronger effect in releasing stress and all other physical symptoms; Sj5 waiguan and Gb41 zulinqi support them- this pair of points belong to 8 vessels cross; Ren3 zhongji, Ren6qihai and St29 guilai stimulate original and kidney qi and push the abdominal circulation; Sp9 yinlingquan and Sp6sanyinjiao reinforce spleen; Ki10 rangu, Ki6zhaohai and Ki3taixi strengthen kidney Yin.
In terms of herbal medicine: Xianmao (Rhizoma Curculiginis Orchioidis) and Yinyanghuo (Herba Epimedii) belong to the famous classical formula’’ Erxiantang’’ which strengthenes Kidney yang; Shudihuang (Radix Rhemanniae Glutinosae Praeparata), Danggui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis)and Chishao (Radix Paeoniae Rubrae)nourish kidney yin and liver blood; Gouqizi (Fructus Lycii) and shanzhuyu (Fructus Corni Officinalis) promote kidney yin and qi; Huangqi (Radix Astragali Membranacei) and shanyao (Radix Dioscoreae Oppositae) tonify spleen qi; xiangfu (Rhizoma Cyperi Rotundi) and Chaihu(Radix Bupleuri) remove stagnated liver qi for releasing many emotional symptoms.
Jineijin (Endothelium Corneum Gigeriae Galli) and Zishiying (Fluoritum)are added for the first half of menstrual circle for moving blood stasis and promoting ovulation; Guizhi (Ramulus Cinnamomi Cassiae)and Xiangfu (Rhizoma Cyperi Rotundi)are added in the second half of menstrual circle for warming and pushing the circulation which warm the whole prescription up, functioning somewhat like progesterone.
Outcome:
After regularly accepting this TCM treatment, she had a regular menstruation. Her Estradiol gets up to 1369, FSH down to 5.0, and LH gets down to 5.3; all other psychological and general symptoms have been relieved as well. Hence, she went to the Barcelona infertility clinic, and was offered an IVF with donor eggs. Around 2009, she conceived two babies and accepted TCM treatment for a 1-2 months, and got a boy and a girl in the full term by cesarean. After 2 years, another fertilized embryo was transferred again and she got another baby boy. Due to multiple conceptions and IVF pregnancy, she ended her menstruation earlier than other ladies. Currently, she is accepting a menopause balance treatment with herbal medicine.
Analysis:
Due to many times of miscarriage, and many abnormal hormone disorders, this lady was in a complex condition. Because of her irregular period, no doctors can accept her for any kind of ART. She was given a regular TCM treatment of acupuncture and herbal medicine decoction and got a stable and progressive state. Her regular menstruation returned, and all relevant hormone levels recovered to the normal levels, and as a result she was accepted by the doctors for an IVF with donor eggs. Acupuncture and herbs were used to support her until the 12th week of her pregnancy. Due to her confidence in TCM, she took TCM treatment regularly without stopping before and after her IVF, and she has got successful pregnancies with a twins and a boy, three health babies altogether.
Reference:
Dan Jiang, Tianjun Wang, Chapter 8: TCM’s promotion to Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), Understanding, Managing and Treating Female Infertility with Traditional Chinese Medicine, Edited by Peilin Sun, Weixiang Wang, Shulan Tang, Dec 2018, Publisher: Singing Dragon.