Getting pregnant after 40 – where does Traditional Chinese Medicine fit in?

As one of our most popular features, we’ve hit re-publish on this quick-fire chat with expert fertility acupuncturist and Chinese medicine practitioner, Mike Berkley, founder of The Berkley Center for Reproductive Wellness.

Keep reading for Mike’s expert practitioner perspective and all things Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for fertility, from herbs and acupuncture to specifics on repeat donor egg failure, stress management and more.

The USA’s first complementary medicine center

Since 1997, The Berkley Center for Reproductive Wellness has been dedicated to helping those facing fertility challenges. We are proud to be the first complementary medicine center in the United States to exclusively focus on reproductive health using fertility acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine.

Today, more women and men are trying to conceive later in life, particularly in their forties, when fertility naturally declines. Unfortunately, even when conception is achieved, the chances of miscarriage are higher due to age-related factors.

For women in their forties, diminished ovarian reserve and lower egg quality are the primary reasons conception can be difficult. After several failed IVF cycles, many turn to egg donation, which offers a success rate of 45-53% (updated for 2024).

Several factors can further limit conception success, including:

– thin or poor uterine lining
– poor sperm quality
– an autoimmune condition
– insufficient blood flow to the embryo or placenta, potentially leading to implantation failure

At The Berkley Center, we focus on optimizing your reproductive health, helping you overcome these obstacles with a holistic, integrative approach that complements conventional fertility treatments.

How can fertility acupuncture & Chinese medicine help?

While acupuncture and Chinese medicine can’t increase ovarian reserve, they can significantly improve the quality of eggs, sperm, and uterine lining. The key to their effectiveness lies in enhancing blood flow to the ovaries and testes, creating a more nourishing environment for conception.

When it comes to the uterine lining, a 10-millimeter measurement may seem ideal, but without proper blood flow, even a “perfect” lining might struggle to support implantation. Acupuncture and herbs can help ensure that blood circulates optimally, boosting the lining’s ability to maintain a healthy implantation.

For women in their forties, improving egg quality is crucial, and acupuncture can provide that boost. Men in their mid-to-late forties often face declining sperm quality, which can also benefit from targeted treatments with fertility acupuncture and specialized Chinese herbs.

So, can acupuncture and TCM really make a difference? The answer is that while these therapies don’t directly make someone pregnant, they can enhance the conditions necessary for conception. By improving the quality of eggs, sperm, and uterine lining, they can increase the likelihood of success, especially when combined with IVF.

IVF embryo transfers are mechanical processes – eggs are retrieved, fertilized with sperm, and the resulting embryos are placed in the uterus. The rest often depends on luck. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine aim to tip the scales in your favor by creating the best possible internal environment for a successful pregnancy.

Create optimal conditions, and be realistic

Even modest improvements in egg, sperm, or uterine lining quality can significantly boost success rates, especially for IVF.

It’s important to maintain realistic expectations. Acupuncture and herbal medicine can’t guarantee pregnancy any more than IVF can. But both interventions aim to create the optimal conditions for conception.

Pregnancy depends on many factors, including whole body health, the quality of the embryo, and the receptivity of the uterine lining. When these factors are in sync, the chances of a successful pregnancy increase, though nothing can completely eliminate the possibility of failed cycles.

The key takeaway? You have the power to incorporate additional methods to optimize your chances of success – be it through IVF or natural conception. Acupuncture and herbs are just two of many options.

Other supportive practices include psychotherapy, diet, exercise, biofeedback, fertility yoga, tai chi, qigong, and fertility meditation, all of which can work together to improve your overall reproductive health and increase your chances of a healthy, ongoing pregnancy.

Repeat donor egg IVF failure – what’s the cause?

Why do some women with a “good” uterine lining and access to “healthy” sperm still struggle to conceive with donor egg IVF transfers? There are several potential reasons, including:

– chromosomally abnormal eggs
– undiagnosed poor uterine lining quality
– underlying causes (such as autoimmune or blood flow issues)

In many cases, these situations are classified as ‘idiopathic,’ meaning your fertility specialist cannot pinpoint a clear reason for the failure. However, ‘idiopathic’ does not mean there is no cause – it simply means the cause remains unidentified.

When it comes to egg donors, fertility acupuncture and herbs are generally unnecessary unless the donor is older than 35. However, it’s important to remember that even younger women can produce chromosomally abnormal eggs. If a cycle fails due to an abnormal egg, it’s often a matter of chance and typically does not indicate a recurring problem.

That said, if you experience repeated failed egg donor cycles, the issue is likely not with the egg itself but potentially with sperm quality, lining quality, or an underlying health issue.

Acupuncture and herbs can help improve uterine lining quality and sperm health. In some cases, they may also help reduce the impact of autoimmune issues or blood clotting problems, both of which can contribute to recurrent pregnancy loss.

However, I firmly believe that the most effective way to treat autoimmune disorders or blood clotting issues that may lead to miscarriage is through Western medicine. These conditions often require specific medical interventions that work best in conjunction with a comprehensive fertility plan.

The impact of stress on fertility

Stress, along with reactive oxidative species (oxygen-containing chemicals with reactive properties), can significantly reduce sperm quality. These factors can damage sperm cells and compromise their ability to fertilize an egg.

Fortunately, acupuncture and herbal medicine can help mitigate the negative effects of stress. They work by reducing oxidative stress, promoting relaxation, and increasing blood flow to the testes.

This improved circulation helps deliver essential hormones, oxygen, electrolytes, and nutrients to the area while facilitating the removal of dead cells, all of which can enhance sperm quality. This same mechanism is used to improve egg quality in women by boosting blood flow to the ovaries.

However, it’s important to note that acupuncture has limitations. It cannot help men with azoospermia, (a complete lack of sperm) for example, or improve sperm count in cases of genetic abnormalities, such as Y chromosome microdeletion, or anatomical issues like varicocele. For these conditions, medical intervention is required.

East meets West in reproductive medicine – a new gold standard

For those facing challenges with conception or sustaining pregnancy, the most effective approach is a combination of Eastern and Western medicine. While distinct in their methods, these modalities are highly complementary and, when used together, can enhance the chances of success.

By combining treatments like IUI, IVF, or egg donation with acupuncture and herbal medicine, you can often achieve better outcomes than with Western medicine alone – especially for women trying to conceive in their forties.

In life, balance is key. We see this in the natural world: night and day, summer and winter, work and rest, joy and sorrow. This duality, known as yin and yang, is fundamental to reproductive health as well. The fusion of Eastern and Western practices embodies this balance, providing a holistic path to improving fertility.

Trying to conceive in your 40s? Keep these key factors in mind:

– improved egg quality
– enhanced uterine lining quality
– potentially, improved sperm parameters
– reduced stress

For personalized advice or virtual consultations, touch base with Mike to explore how he can assist in your fertility journey.