Fertility Assistance — Basic Knowledge｜生育辅助 — 基础知识
Originally written in Chinese, translated by ChatGPT.
Over 2,000 years ago, the Huangdi Neijing described: “At age thirty-five, the Yangming meridian declines, the face begins to wither, and the hair begins to fall.”
Here, age 35 (by traditional Chinese counting, approximately 34 in modern age), indicating that female fertility begins to decline around this time. Although modern life expectancy is much longer than in ancient times, the female reproductive window has not significantly extended.
Female Age and Pregnancy Rate
Studies show that pregnancy rates are closely related to female age. In general, women have a monthly pregnancy rate of about 25–30%. In older women, the rate declines, mainly due to decreases in both the quantity and quality of oocytes. Therefore, we recommend patients try treatment for at least 4–5 months.
Ovarian Function Assessment
For women with diminished ovarian function, hormone testing is usually done on the second day of menstruation. Common indicators include:
FSH (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone)
LH (Luteinizing Hormone)
E2 (Estradiol)
AMH (Anti-Müllerian Hormone)
TSH (Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone)
Traditional Chinese Medicine for Premature Ovarian Insufficiency
Treatment principle: Tonify the kidneys and activate blood circulation using Chinese herbal medicine
Acupuncture points: “Thirteen points for regulating menstruation and promoting conception”
Treatment cycle: 1–3 menstrual cycles. TCM emphasizes disease prevention, and treatment is recommended 2–3 months before IVF.
Preconception Care
Supplements: Folic acid, CoQ10, Omega-3
Chinese herbal recommendation: Kudzu root powder (Pueraria lobata), which can improve ovarian blood flow and delay ovarian aging
Usage: Brew kudzu root powder with hot water and add goji berries and honey. For enhanced effect, honey may be replaced with royal jelly.
Importance of Mental State
The Guangsi Wuzhong Bei Yao emphasizes “first, calm the mind.” Clinically, we find that women with a peaceful mindset are more likely to conceive than those experiencing anxiety or depression. This may be related to increased prolactin secretion under stress, which, if elevated, can reduce the chances of pregnancy.
两千多年前的《黄帝内经》中有描述：“五七阳明脉衰，面始焦，发始堕。”
这里的“五七”指的是35岁（按中国虚岁，相当于现在的34岁）。这意味着女性的生育能力从这个年龄开始走下坡路。虽然现代人寿命比古代长了很多，但女性的生育年龄区间并没有显著延长。
研究显示，怀孕率与女性年龄密切相关。一般情况下，女性每月怀孕率约为25-30%，而高龄女性的怀孕率会下降，这主要与卵母细胞的数量和质量下降有关。因此，我们建议患者至少尝试治疗4-5个月。
对于卵巢功能衰退的女性，一般在月经开始后的第2天进行激素测量。常规需要检测的指标包括：
FSH（促卵泡激素）
LH（促黄体生成素）
E2（雌二醇）
AMH（抗穆勒管激素）
TSH（甲状腺刺激激素）
卵巢早衰的中医治疗
治疗原则：使用中药补肾活血
针灸治疗：调经促孕十三针
治疗周期：1-3个月经周期，中医强调“治未病”，建议在 IVF 前2-3个月进行调理。
备孕期间的保健
常规保健品：叶酸、CoQ10、Omega-3;
中药推荐：葛根粉，可增加卵巢血液循环、延缓卵巢早衰;
食用方法：葛根粉冲泡后可加入枸杞和蜂蜜，蜂蜜可选择 Royal Jelly 增强效果。
另外，在《广嗣五种备要》中提到的第一“要回天”，即保持宽心。在临床实践中，我们发现心态平和的人比焦虑、抑郁的人更容易受孕。这可能与压力增加时催乳素分泌增加有关，而催乳素水平过高反而会降低怀孕几率。
