What is Infertility?

Challenges with reproductive health and conception can be complex, involving physical, emotional, and social factors. Chinese medicine offers unique perspectives that support reproductive wellness and balance. The power of these treatments, however, is totally different than conventional fertility treatments. Chinese medicine therapies tend to work with a woman’s body; biomedical treatments take the opposite approach. They are generally arduous affairs, involving powerful drugs that radically alter a woman’s hormone production.

How Can Chinese Medicine Support Reproductive Health? 

The Chinese medicine approach is far gentler. In fact, the treatments generally leave women feeling better and more vigorous. The reason is that the Chinese medicine approach focuses on maximizing one’s fertility through balance. When a woman is seeking to support her reproductive rhythm, it is usually the result of some gradual, long-term changes to her body. A skilled practitioner must be adept at modulating, regulating, adjusting, harmonizing – all these terms are captured in the single Chinese concept of tiao 調 – the imbalances (as understood through the conceptual framework of Chinese medicine) that he or she discovers in the patient’s body. Whether someone experiences irregular cycles or other reproductive challenges, or has no clear-cut diagnosis, trying to achieve balance is almost always beneficial.

Chinese Herbs for Fertility Health & Support

DAO Labs Women’s Kit can be an essential part of this quest for balance. The Women’s Kit is important because it supports two key areas of women’s wellness, according to Chinese medicine: Qi and Blood.

One of the fundamental principles of Chinese medicine gynecology is that “Blood is the root of woman.” Commentators have understood this phrase to mean that Blood (which has a more expansive definition than the term in biomedicine) is central to physiological processes of menstruation, conception, pregnancy, and childbirth. The challenge for women, however, is that many conditions can impact the abundance of Blood.

"When Blood is balanced, menstrual cycles may feel more consistent and energetically supported."

Healthy menstruation itself is considered a minor depletion of one’s resources. Childbirth and various gynecological conditions have an even greater impact on the body. As the famous early 19^th century physician, Chen Xiuyuan, once wrote: “When Blood is balanced, menstrual cycles may feel more consistent and energetically supported.”

In addition to the ever-present concern about possible Blood deficiency, practitioners must also attend to the state of a woman’s Qi. This is because Blood and Qi depend on each other, like yin and yang. Blood is famously known as the “mother of Qi,” i.e. the substance that carries and disperses Qi, while Qi is considered “the commander of Blood,” the force that causes Blood to move.

Your Qi & Your Flow

We sometimes mistakenly think that Qi means “energy,” but a better translation might be “flow.” When doctors talk about Qi, they are generally trying to understand why movement and flow in the body are impeded, sluggish, misdirected, or insufficient. This is important for fertility because a healthy ovulation cycle plays a key role in supporting the body’s natural ability to conceive. From a biomedical perspective, ovulation requires a cascade of hormonal releases and physiological responses. When a woman’s body is under stress emotionally or physically, ovulation can easily be affected. From a Chinese medicine perspective, the robust and unimpeded flow of Qi is essential to making Blood flourish, to making the ovulation process as smooth as possible, and thereby supporting the body’s natural reproductive rhythm.

The two formulas in the Women’s Kit - Four Substance and Free & Easy Wanderer  – may support women during their reproductive years, promoting overall balance. When trying to improve one’s fertility, we recommend using the Woman’s Kit in the following manner:

• One day after your period ends, start taking Dao Four Substance twice a day for the next 4 – 5 days. Depending on how long your period lasts, you will likely start somewhere between days 4 – 8. (The first day of bleeding is considered to be day one of your period.)

• After you finish Four Substance, on roughly day 10 or 11 of your cycle, start taking DAO Free & Easy Wanderer twice a day for the next 4 – 5 days.

These formulas work in harmony to nourish the blood and encourage the natural flow of Qi, upporting balance during the reproductive cycle. Working with your partner is also extremely important. Sperm has a relatively limited life span in the body (a maximum of 5 days), so timing is essential for couples who are actively trying to grow their family. Some women may want to use an ovulation predictor kit, track basal body temperature and cervical fluid, and use other methods to estimate the day of ovulation. We recommend trying the Women’s Kit for several months in a row for the best results. Many customers have shared positive experiences when incorporating this regimen into their wellness routine.

Care Consideration: Just a reminder that the above information is not a substitute for medical care and is not a substitute for medical advice or recommendations from a healthcare provider. This information is not intended to treat, mitigate, or cure any disease.  That said, we encourage you to connect with an Acupuncturist in your community to learn more about this and other Traditional Chinese Medicine options.  If you’ve got questions about Chinese herbal medicine or getting started with an Acupuncturist, feel free to connect with us at hello@mydaolabs.com.

Dr. Eric Karchmer is a practicing Chinese medical doctor, medical anthropologist, and co-founder and Chief Doctor of Chinese Medicine for DAO Labs. From 1995-2000, Eric studied at the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and today is both a licensed acupuncturist and professor at Appalachian State University. Eric can be reached at drkarchmer@mydaolabs.com.