| One of the first infertility tests you will encounter is a | | | | to alleviate a number of female maladies like |
| blood test that measures the amounts of the | | | | dysmenorrhea, pre-menstrual syndrome, and female |
| estrogen estradiol. IVF success depends on the | | | | infertility. The coumarins in dong quai dilate the blood |
| number of healthy eggs you can produce, and | | | | vessels, causing an increase of blood flow to the |
| checking for your estradiol levels is one of the best | | | | uterus and making the womb more receptive to |
| indicators of your ovarian reserves (the number of | | | | embryos. Dong quai can be found as supplements in |
| eggs you have left). How does it work? The ovarian | | | | health food stores or through Chinese herbalists. |
| follicles secrete estradiol when they start to fill up | | | | Acupuncture |
| with fluid to nourish the egg nested inside. When the | | | | For best results, complement your herbal remedies |
| ovaries run out of follicles or eggs, the body tries to | | | | with the Chinese treatment acupuncture. |
| compensate by triggering the release of more | | | | Acupuncture is widely used to balance hormones, |
| estradiol. A woman who has reached menopause has | | | | stimulate the production of mature eggs, and to |
| permanently elevated estradiol levels. | | | | enhance the effects of IVF. Experts recommend |
| The estradiol test is typically administered on the | | | | going for a weekly acupuncture session at least two |
| third day of menstruation. Estradiol levels vary across | | | | months before your IVF cycle begins, and to |
| the cycle, but the third day is the best time to | | | | continue until pregnancy takes place. While there are |
| establish a baseline level. Abnormally high amounts of | | | | no large-scale studies on the benefits of acupuncture |
| this hormone (higher than 80 pg/mL) may indicate | | | | to women with low ovarian reserves, anecdotal |
| low ovarian reserves or the presence of a functional | | | | evidence suggests that the treatment can boost the |
| cyst. | | | | effect of fertility drugs and trigger the quick |
| Although high estradiol levels may seem discouraging, | | | | maturation of the remaining follicles. |
| this does not mean that you can never get pregnant | | | | Qigong |
| with the help of IVF. There are several things you | | | | The effects of acupuncture and Chinese herbs can |
| can do to increase your chances of pregnancy. In | | | | be magnified by an exercise called qigong. Similar to |
| fact, some of these approaches might even get you | | | | yoga and meditation, qigong involves a series of |
| pregnant before your IVF cycle begins! | | | | breathing exercises to purify and improve the |
| Dong quai supplements | | | | circulation of qi (life energy) in our bodies. According |
| The Chinese herb dong quai is believed to suppress | | | | to Chinese medicine, blockages in the movement of |
| the production and activity of estradiol. Its estrogenic | | | | qi are behind a number of chronic conditions that ail |
| substances regulate hormone levels, suppress the | | | | us today, including infertility. Qigong may not |
| effects of estrogenic substances, and excrete | | | | necessarily increase the number of eggs in your |
| excess estrogen. What's interesting about dong quai | | | | ovaries, but it will help keep you relaxed, calm, and |
| is that it mimics estrogenic effects if these hormones | | | | sane during the emotional and physical rollercoaster |
| are too low, and competes with them when | | | | of the IVF cycle. |
| estrogen levels are too high. The herb is also known | | | | |