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Fertility



Fertility allows pregnancy to occur. An absence of pregnancy between a couple after a year or 2 of unprotected sex suggests a Fertility issue in either the male or female.

Infertility in Women may come from obstruction, excess of one of the Humors, or from Deficiency. It was long known that establishing a regular menstrual cycle is necessary for female fertility. When absent it must be promoted, when irregular or excessive, it must be regulated. In obstruction there may be pain, obstructed menstruation and other signs of obstruction. If the obstruction is from Phlegm, there will be clear discharge, pale and watery blood, poor blood flow, coldness and perhaps fluid retention or excess clear urine. When Bile obstructs, the blood is hot, there maybe excess menstrual bleeding, anger, irritability and a red face with a strong or fast pulse. Melancholy comes with a dull or dark complexion, excess worry or fear, dark colored and little blood and a weak pulse. If there is Blood stasis causing the obstruction, there is sharp pain, dark or clotted blood, perhaps with a dull complexion or cyanosis of the lips and nail beds. The pulse is usually choppy.

If the conditions comes of deficiency, there will be signs of weakness. A pale face, weak pulse and coldness can indicate blood deficiency. Lower back pain, excess urination are associated with Kidney deficiency. If there is marked Coldness in addition, the Kidney Yang is weak. In female deficiency type Infertility, often Blood and Qi tonics are combined with Kidney tonics.

Men may suffer Infertility from similar causes, although often there is deficiency, especially in men over 40. Herbs and formulas that nourish the Sperm while gently warming the Kidney Yang were most often prescribed in the West. However, if there is excess of the Humors, they should be cleansed beforehand.

Due to the modern knowledge of the sex hormones, often there is a reduction in sex hormones when there are fertility issues. A number of herbs traditionally used for Fertility issues have demonstrated effects on the sex hormones. It is worth noting that many of the formulas used for Fertility issues contained good nutrition, often in the form of Nuts and Seeds. This also illustrates the importance of good nutrition. It is also worth noting that hormone-containing animal medicines such as Brains, Testicles and the Uterus of various animals were used for Fertility issues, thereby being an early form of hormone therapy.

Traditional texts also often gave examples of tests for Fertility. Of course, these will be unreliable by modern standards but show methodologies used to try to ascertain Fertility issues.


To know whether the fault [Infertility] be in the man or woman when they have no Children.

'Take two small pots of earth and a little Brawn* in either pot, let him make water in the one and she in the other, and so let them stand ten or fourteen days, and the Urine that the fault is in will have worms in it and stinck exceedingly, if they be both clear, then by Gods grace the Medicine under-written may help to conception:
Take Nepp and seeth it in Wine, three days fasting let her drink it, and she shall conceive, the man doing his part.' (Natura exenterata, Philiatros, 1655)
* Brawn is a meat jelly prepared from the head of a pig. However, it possibly refers to Bran.



See also
Sperm
Aphrodisiacs
Treatment of Sterility from De Conceptu


Western Tradition

Conception, to Assist

Sage juice

Triphera Minor (Triphera Phoenonis) (Mesue)
Triphera Greater (Triphera Magnus) (Nicholas)

Powder to Promote Pregnancy (Renodeus)


Female Infertility

1. Dried Uterus or Rennet of a Hare (or Rabbit) is taken.
2. Boar Testicles in powder
3. Ivory powder was formerly highly regarded.

Decoction for Sterility (Quercetan)

Tincture of Angelica Seed
Confection for Impregnation (Renodeus)

Electuary of Fruit Kernels (Rhazes)
Electuary of Orchid (Diasatyrion) (Nicholas)
Electuary of Seseli (Nicholas)
Electuary to Promote Fertility (Wirtzung)
Royal Confection of Kermes (Mesue)
Antidote for Cold Kidneys and to Excite Libido (Nicholas)
Antidote for Cold Lumbar, Venery, & Defect of Semen
Triphera Minor (Triphera Phoenonis) (Mesue)
Triphera Greater (Triphera Magnus) (Nicholas)
Powder to Promote Pregnancy (Renodeus)

Powder of Cumin Greater (Nicholas)
Pills Against Barrenness (Turner)
Pills to Purge in Barrenness (Wirtzung)


Externally:
Rosemary bath is recommended



Female Infertility from Cold & Moisture (Yang Deficiency)


1. The dried and powdered Uterus of a Hare, taken with wine before intercourse was regarded as effective to aid conception.

Antidote for Cold Kidneys and to Excite Libido
Antidote for Cold Lumbar, Venery, & Defect of Semen
Warming Confection for Infertility (Wirtzung)
Triphera Minor (Triphera Phoenonis) (Mesue)



Sterility in Men

Tincture of Cinnamon

The Strengthening Gelatin
Compound Syrup of Marshmallow (Fernel)
Electuary of Orchid (Diasatyrion) (Nicholas)
Triphera Saracenica (Mesue)

Antidote for Cold Lumbar, Venery, & Defect of Semen


TCM Classification

Qi and Blood Deficiency
General tiredness and weakness, poor appetite, low voice, pale face, weak pulse, pale tongue

Ba Zhen Tang
Gui Pi Tang



Blood Stasis
Dark clotted menstrual Blood in women, cramping pain, dull complexion with purplish lips, nails and tongue, choppy pulse

Tao Hong Si Wu Tang
Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan
Dang Gui Shao Yao San



Yin Deficiency
Infertility, lower back pain, dry mouth especially at night, maybe night sweats or nocturnal urination

Liu Wei Di Huang Wan
Yang Jing Zhong Yu Tang
Zuo Gui Wan
Zuo Gui Yin
Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan



Yang Deficiency
Feels the cold, weak lower back, cold extremities, deep weak pulse, pale, swollen tongue with moist or white coat, deep, slow, weak pulse

Shen Qi Wan (Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan) (Rehmannia 8)
You Gui Wan
You Gui Yin


Special Formulas:
POTION FOR IMPREGNATION
    Mandrake root bark
    Peony seed
    Agnus Castus
    Red Rose
    Long Pepper
    Cassia Lignea                      ½ oz.
Boil in red wine 3 lbs. to half, strain, then take 3 oz., dissolve in it 1 dram of Tryphera magna; take every second morning beginning the 14th day after menstruation. (Dispensatorium medicum, Renou, 1615)

DECOCTION FOR CONCEPTION
    Rams testicles, prepared with wine             
    Hares womb
    Mace
    Cinnamon
    Clove
    Ginger
    Ameos                                 2 drams ea.
    Saffron                                 1.5 drams
    Walnut
    Hazel nut
    Pistachio                              6 drams ea.
Macerate in 2 lbs. Wine, and boil until third part has gone.

ELECTUARY CONTRA STERILITATEM EXPERTA
    Agnus Castus seed
    Peony root                           1 oz.
    Coriander prepared           2 oz.
    Myrtle berries                     1 ½ oz.
    Old Conserve of Roses     3 oz.
    Julep of Rose                      qs
Form an Electuary. (Dispensatorium medicum, Renou, 1615)
ELECTUARIUM CONTRA STERILITATEM
    Egg Yolk                          6
    Fresh Butter
    Sevi Capra                      1 quart
    Bull Pizzle
    Satyrion
    Zedoary
    Ginger condited
    Mint
    Roosters testicles
    Fox testicles
    Ram testicles
    Boars Testicles              1 oz.
    Sparrows Brains            2 oz.
    Indian Nut
    Pine nut
    Pistachio                         1 ½ oz.
    Fistic nut
    Sweet Almond
    Dates
    Hazel nut                        1 ½ oz.
    Mallow seed
    Mercury seed
    Rocket seed
    Clove
    Ginger
    Long Pepper 
    White Pepper
    Black Pepper
    Ash tree keys
    Cinnamon                       2 oz.
Boil in Sheep or Cow milk, and strongly force through a sieve; add:
    Skink                                ½ oz.
    Honey                              2 lbs.
    Pane Sugar                     7 lbs.
Form an Electuary. (Arnold Villanova)


Research
1. Causes of infertility in view of Iranian traditional medicine: A review
2. Recommended foods for male infertility in Iranian traditional medicine
3. Fertility Diet for Women in Persian Medicine

Case History
1. A woman in her mid's 30's came to visit to help lose weight. She was sluggish, low in energy, obese and holding on to fluid. Her pulse was low, her tongue pale with a whitish coating. She was also heavy in the chest, expectorated whitish mucus, and suffered from Asthma. I viewed her as a classic 'Phlegm' constitution and began treatment with Er Chen Tang (with Atractylodeds Bai Zhu added), a primary formula in TCM for the treatment of Phlegm and Damp diseases. Less than a month later she came in, tears in her eyes, saying she was pregnant. She hadn't told me but her main motivation for coming to see me was that she had been trying to conceive for over 2 years without success. She knew she had to lose weight, she wanted help with that, and then planned to ask about treatmen for Fertility if she wasn't successful once she lost weight. This illustrates that correct Humoral treatment can resolve conditions without even being aware of or treating them.
2. A 42 year old nurse came for treatment. She had had 5 lots of IVF in the past years, all unsuccessful. When she came, her system was very depleted. Pale face and tongue, small pulse, low energy and Kidney deficiency as shown in the pulse. She began taking herbs to nourish Qi and Blood and strengthen the Kidneys (including Bai Zhu, Dang Gui, Bai Shao, Gan Cao, Xu Duan, Xian Mao, Tu Si Zi). Within a month her strength, pulse and energy had increased and within 3 months she conceived. This illustrates that Traditional Medicine can be effective even when IVF has failed.
3. Another woman in her 30's had been trying to conceive for a couple of years. She went for a medical assessment and was told to try IVF. She came seeking help from Traditional Medicine instead of IVF. Her pulse and general symptoms showed no real deficiency, nor excess Heat or Phlegm. She took herbs (similar to the above) and conceived within a few months. This shows that sometimes even when no real pathology is blatantly obvious, supporting nature with the use of tonic medicines can achieve successful results.

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