"It can be frightening, this yearning for a child - its hard to fathom the desperate urgency."  ~ Wendy Wasserstein, Award-Winning Playwright and first-time mother at age forty-six, from Creating a Life by Sylvia Hewett

As young girls, maternal instinct prepares us to become mothers - even the girls who show no interest in babies or dolls still assume they possess the capacity, and desire to have children. But, what happens to women who, when they are ready to have babies find its not quite as easy as they were led to believe?

The pain and disappointment of failing to conceive. The causes of infertility are wide in their range - unfortunately, partners usually don't realize there is a problem until they want to conceive and are then are thrust into an endless cycle of diagnosis, treatment, pregnancy, and failings. The desperate hunger of couples who want to bear children and the pain of the journey to create life envelopes them.

Western reproductive medicine has provided some of the best-publicized miracles. The "infertility epidemic" has given rise to a huge industry and indeed, assisted reproductive technology (ART) has given hope to many women who could never bear children otherwise. But the physical, financial, and emotional ramifications are high. Women are willing to spend every penny and hyperstimulate their ovaries, turning them into egg-producing, hormone-raging, mad-women. Women have sex, don't have sex, have sex on schedule - whatever they're told will work. Unfortunately all too often we end up broke and heartbroken; empty arms, and exhausted bodies.

The failures of the Western reproductive medicine, has turned heads to seek out healthier, holistic alternatives such as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) techniques to enhance both partners fertility and holistic health. TCM is safe to use with Western reproductive medicine, and will enhance the chances of conception. 

TCM describes the female reproductive system as a network of energy systems with complementary organs and hormonal responses. This network responds to stress, chemicals, lack of exercise, poor eating, and excessive emotions, all of which put the body off balance. The most incredible part of our bodies is it will also respond to gentle-healing and balance.

Chinese medicine is safe, and effective. I advocate an easy four-step approach that will help you balance your internal energies while preparing you to conceive:

• The first step is to correctly identify what imbalances are going on inside. What is causing your reproductive disharmony.
• The second step is to change your diet (if the need should arise). Certain foods have certain properties, and depending on your diagnosis it may be important to add food that will nourish you to move energy. We may also explore adding certain vitamins or minerals into the diet.
• The third step is to clear your energies via acupuncture. A series of acupuncture treatments will be administered over a course of 3-6 months. Remember restoring health and well-being can take time. At this stage, additional excercises may be included: Yoga, femoral massage, Qi Gong breathing, meditation, etc.
• Lastly, we need to increase your chances of conception through the addition of Chinese herbs. These herbal remedies have been around for thousands of years in China to help increase fertility. 

The success rate is around 75 percent. Many of the 25 percent who are not successful have not followed through with their treatment plans. Traditional Chinese medicine is not a quick fix; restoring the body to health takes time. You must give yourself at least three to six months for the treatments to have full effect. All I ask is that you remember some conditions have been a while in the making and it may take a while to unmake the imbalance. Use how you feel to gauge your progress.

References

This article was written using the following sources:

1. The Infertility Cure : the ancient Chinese wellness program for getting pregnant and having healthy babies / Randine Lewis, Ph.D. ISBN 0-316-15921-2

2. http://www.thefertilesoul.com