Is There an Herbal Clomid?

Q. I'm a 32-year-old woman. I have two girls, ages 14 and 13 years. I would like to restart my family. In May of 2002, I had a tubal reversal. My doctor put me on the birth control pill for three months. Then when I was taken off the pills, I stopped having periods. I'm using a drug called Provera 5 mg. to start back up. Is there an herbal drug that will act like clomid, so I can ovulate each month so I can get pregnant?

A. The answer to your question, "Is there an herbal drug that will act like Clomid so I can get pregnant?" is no.

Although herbs can be potent and may stimulate ovulation, the most important aspect about taking herbs is to address the underlying pattern of imbalance, rather than addressing lack of ovulation, which is what Clomid does.

Herbs like wild yam and vitex have been found to encourage ovulation, but only if you have the imbalance known as kidney yang vacuity (which includes luteal phase defect and low progesterone levels,) according to the pattern differentiation of Chinese medicine. If you are deficient in yin energies (like estrogen), taking wild yam and/or vitex will make your scenario worse.

I stress that the most important thing you can do to return your body to fully functioning reproductive help is to address the underlying pattern of imbalance. For example, women who are not menstruating because of low estrogen levels will not ovulate or menstruate until their follicles start producing estrogen. If low body fat is the reason for the low estrogen, then weight gain will be the only effective initial remedy. Then we can use the appropriate herbs to help restore balance to the hypothalamic-pituitary ovarian axis. Herbs tonify only what is deficient, address and remove any obstruction, and then the body does what it is supposed to do - ovulate on its own.

Yin deficiency symptoms include hot flashes, night sweats, dry eyes, mouth, vagina, lack of cervical mucus, etc. Herbs like angelica and asparagi would be appropriate here to restore reproductive balance.

Yang deficiency symptoms include low back pain, cold hands and feet, nighttime urination, low libido, etc. Herbs like vitex and wild yam will help this scenario restore endocrine health.

Five Miscarriages, Time for Endocrinologist?

Q. I've recently miscarried my fifth pregnancy. I'm 28 and have been told that I have a light case of endometriosis. My first four miscarriages were all blighted ovums, but this last one went on for about nine weeks.

At first when my Ob/Gyn did an ultrasound, he told me to come back in a few more weeks because it was so early and we really couldn't see anything. I started spotting and was told to come immediately to the office. An ultrasound that day with another doctor showed a heartbeat. I was told to rest, no sex, and come back on the date that my Ob/Gyn had originally told me. When we came back, we saw nothing in the sac. A quantitative hCG indicated that my levels were low and I had another miscarriage, another blighted ovum. I was HEART BROKEN!

I'm just a nursing assistant, but I always thought that a blighted ovum was [the result of] nothing ever being formed, or something that didn't go right in the process of the embryo ending up in the sac. But this time it was an embryo, so how could he possibly have ruled it as that?

This time he had put me on clomiphene and it worked on the first cycle. He also had me on progesterone (Prometrium) to keep my levels up to help prevent miscarriage. I had my fifth D&C last week (January 8, 2003) and I'm supposed to go back for my post-surgery checkup. My Ob/Gyn is to talk with me about an Endocrinoligist who he said will better help me, because he said he just doesn't know what the problem is. I can get pregnant but a baby never forms.

If I hadn't been through this ordeal myself, I would never had believed any of this. I've had so many tests done.I'm thinking about trying to get IVF, because the natural implantation for me just doesn't seem to work out. I want a baby before 30. It seems that I've been going through this forever.

A. This does not appear to be due to low progesterone.

On first appearance, it seems to be either autoimmune in nature, where your body is rejecting the embryo soon after it implants, but the only way to know this is through extensive fetal tissue analysis or very indepth bloodwork and perhaps endometrial biopsy. This difficult scenario seems to be more common in women with endometriosis. The problem may also be due to hormonal abnormalities which are affecting the way the egg is developing before it is released. Usually women who experience this scenario, however, are older or have very irregular menstrual cycles. I don’t know enough of your menstrual history to wager a guess as to what may be the underlying issue. I would advise you to follow the advise of your OB/Gyn, and search out an endocrinologist or reproductive endocrinologist.

There are ways to address this scenario naturally as well, but it seems that a medical workup is warranted first. Best of luck to you.

Treatment for Age-Related Egg Issues?

Q.I was 41 when I got married and got pregnant immediately on my honeymoon. However, that pregnancy resulted in miscarriage and so did a subsequent pregnancy. I have suffered two miscarriages within about a year of each other and have not been able to get pregnant since. The doctors are telling me that the problem is my age.

Is there a Chinese treatment that can help me or improve the quality of my eggs? My husband and I love children and desperately want to have a child and would welcome any help or suggestions you could give us.

A. I am sorry for your disappointments. While it is certainly likely that age has been responsible for the “quality” of the eggs and therefore embryo development, Chinese medicine is one of the few means to address this issue. Acupuncture can improve blood flow to the ovaries, and thereby get your body to pay more attention to your reproductive system. Additionally, supplementing your diet with CoEnzyme Q10, wheat grass, blue-green algae, royal jelly, and Chinese herbs which nourish the reproductive essence can help improve the quality of eggs produced. If your cycles have become short or erratic, prognosis would be less optimistic than if your cycles have otherwise not changed. Good luck to you.

Treatment of Azoospermia?

Q.I am 26 years old. I recently had a sperm analysis done and the report is that there are no sperm in the fluid. what treatment can be done or what may be the problem with me? Will I ever have kids? I am married for four years now.

A.Unfortunately, complete lack of sperm (azoospermia) cannot be overcome with Chinese medicine. The cause may genetic or mechanical (blockage) in nature, but in my experience, neither respond well to Chinese medicine. It would be best to get a complete workup by a urologist to ascertain the reason for the lack of sperm. Best of luck to you.