Rhonda

Rhonda didn't marry until she was 41. She knew immediately that she wanted to try to have a family, and she and Robert began trying immediately. When, after six months, they were not successful, they went on to more aggressive treatments. Her doctor performed a Clomid challenge test on her, to assess what the ovarian response to the hormonal medication would be. Her FSH levels were drawn on day 3 of her cycle. They were higher than normal. She took Clomid for five days and the FSH levels were taken again to see if the increased or decreased. Hers increased; she "failed" the test.

Sherry

Sherry was referred to me by her reproductive endocrinologist when she was 36. She previously had poor response to hormonal stimulation, and produced a maximum of three follicles during her past attempts at IVF. Each cycle was cancelled.

Sherry had contracted pelvic inflammatory disease many years prior, and had to undergo extensive abdominal surgeries for fallopian tube obstruction and resulting adhesions. Her fallopian tubes had been removed. When a diagnostic doppler ultrasound was eventually performed, the blood flow to her ovaries was shown to be severely impeded.

Sherry was already scheduled for her next IVF procedure, and was already on oral contraceptives to control her hormones. We had only a few weeks in which to maximize her response. I performed electroacupuncture on the paraspinal muscles of her low back at the levels between vertebras L1 and S2 which supply the sympathetic innervation to the uterus and ovaries. By stimulating these areas and the same dermatomal patterns on the lower legs, I was giving her brain the message to "turn down" the sympathetic control of the pelvic organs. When the sympathetic response lessens, the blood vessels dilate and supply more blood to the organs, delivering more hormonal stimulation to the ovaries, and improving the uterine blood flow.

Sherry was also extremely anxious. Her palms were sweaty, she was depondent and scared about her poor response to the IVF cycles. Although she did not describe herself as irritable or depressed, stress had become a large part of her poor response. I taught her some qi gong breathing and meditative visualization techniques, and taught her husband the femoral massage technique to perform three times per day on Sherry.

During each acupuncture visit, I performed the back acupuncture treatment on her, followed by the "de-stressing" treatment, applying stimulation to the point between the eyebrows, the point on the top of the feet one inch up from the web between the first and second toes, and the point on the hands, in the muscular tissue one inch up from the web between the thumb and first finger. I also applied stimulation to the uterus and ovarian points on the lower abdomen.

When she began injecting the drugs, Sherry and her husband reported that her mental response to the hormonal stimulation was much improved and she felt calmer, almost peaceful. She was accepting of the outcome this time, no matter what the results. The response was dramatic. Her reproductive endocrinologist reported that the doppler studies revealed a great improvement in ovarian blood flow. Nine eggs were retrieved, six fertilized, and two implanted. Both were carried to (almost) term, and they are the proud parents of twins, one boy and one girl.

More On Assisting Reproductive Technique >

• Overview of TCM Assistive Techniques 1
• Hormonal Medications Seen Through Chinese Medicine 2

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