Improving Endometrial Receptivity Through the Lens of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine

Course overview

Many people seeking acupuncture and Chinese medicine support for fertility issues in today's modern and turbulent society present with poor endometrial receptivity. We, as Chinese medicine practitioners, have a wealth of tools to make a real impact for this population. Whether due to familial issues, lifestyle, or the effects of ART treatments, historically, Chinese medicine has proven to be effective in its ability to regulate and bring about menstrual cycle stabilization to support fertility efforts. By doing this, we can impact the health of the endometrium. We begin by discussing physiology and defining the parameters needed for optimal endometrial receptivity. Taking into account scientific evidence, we then identify how this information translates into Chinese medicine. Relying on the historical merits of our medicine and its impact on the menstrual cycle and uterine lining, we aim to help the clinician avoid the common frustration trying to understand and interpret scientific evidence and western medical test results. Our aim is to help practitioners learn how to utilize and translate this information, through the lens of Chinese medicine, to improve outcomes and positively affect patient success. To be successful practitioners and circumvent patients inability to become pregnant, and/or repeated implantation failure, the key is correctly identifying our patient's clinical presentations while avoiding the common misdiagnosis pitfalls. Focusing efforts on familiar classical and experiential Chinese medicine lessens will lead us to applicable qi and blood - yin and yang treatment strategies: regulation, nourishment, sedation, and so on. This inevitably translates back into scientific appreciation as improving endometrial thickness by improving microcirculation and increasing hormone receptibility. Understanding this is essential to not only relieving the issue at hand, but also helping guide patients back to building a healthy lining, hormonal stability, and an optimal state for successful implantation. Our discussion concludes by covering customary acupuncture and herbal strategies, their usefulness, and when they are appropriate to incorporate into practice. Applying fresh insights and appropriate treatments, by the end of our lecture, attendees will have the knowledge and skills to hopefully improve their confidence in treating endometrial receptivity and enjoy the successful clinic outcomes for their patients that will follow.