Week Three: Fertilization and Implantation
After ovulation, the levels of luteinizing and follicle-stimulating hormones (FSH) immediately drop, and the follicle that produced the egg becomes a cyst called the corpus luteum, which produces progesterone. This part of the cycle is called the luteal phase (see week one), and needs to last for at least 10 days, allowing sufficient time for implantation if an egg is fertilized.
The TCM perspective:
Women are warmer in their luteal phase, and Chinese medicine stresses the importance of a warm uterus for implantation. Yang is what warms the body, and when temperatures rise, women are more likely to get pregnant.
TCM practitioner may suggest:
- Yang tonics for patients who have a low basal body temperature in the luteal phase to stimulate the body to produce more progesterone.
- Other herbs to shorten the luteal phase or maintain a higher body temperature.
- An over-the-counter herbal formula called Ba Zhen Tang to boost qi.
- An acupuncture treatment to aid implantation and maintain progesterone levels.
{loadposition frboost} Week Four: A Developing Embryo or the Premenstrual Phase
If fertilization has occurred, the embryo arrives in the uterus to implant. The body then produces hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), which prevents the uterine lining from shedding and keeps the corpus luteum going, producing progesterone to maintain the pregnancy.
If fertilization has not occurred, the corpus luteum begins to degenerate. At that moment, estrogen and progesterone levels fall, and the hypothalamus is prompted to trigger the release of GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone) and FSH. These hormones start the menstrual flow, and the cycle begins again.
The TCM perspective:
Implantation depends on several factors in Chinese medicine, including good blood flow to the uterus, and a good quality endometrium free from obstruction.
After implantation, the uterus presses its front and back walls together to hold the embryo in place. To achieve this, the body removes fluid from the uterine cavity by way of the endometrial cells, which absorb fluid. This is known as pincytosis. In Chinese medicine, if there is a disruption to the fluid metabolism, the endometrium will be too slippery for an embryo to remain implanted. If you’re not pregnant and suffer from PMS (premenstrual syndrome), this is seen as a sign of imbalance.
TCM practitioner may suggest:
- Herbs to combat problems with fluid metabolism.
- A simple Chinese herbal formula called Xiao Yao Wan, taken the week before the period, to relieve PMS symptoms.
- Acupuncture to regulate the subtle hormone imbalances that are prevalent at this time.
A version of this article originally appeared in the Fall 2007 issue of Conceive Magazine.
Related Topics: Alternative Medicine for Fertility; Boost Your Fertility; Fertility Health; Stress and Fertility
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