Conceiving and healthy pregnancy in the forties … sadly, women we see are desperate about being in their late 30’s and 40’s and their presumed inability to get pregnant.

Yet other women in this same age group stop using birth control for the identical reason--they've been told they're infertile-- and find themselves with unplanned pregnancies. Did you know this age group seeks abortions as frequently as teens?

Can we stop passing around the notion that women in their forties are infertile?

Chinese medicine tells us that we are capable of conception and childbearing up until menopause.

I was organizing my email recently and came across this note and I wanted to share it ... Not because it is unusual, but because it is typical!

“I want to thank you both so much because I really feel like the acupuncture, the massage, and the supportive/optimistic energy at Oriens helped me get pregnant (when my doctor told me I had only a 5% chance of conceiving naturally . . .”

The only thing truly unusual about this email, is that the doc had given her 5% odds.  Our patients often have received worse prognoses than that.  A few times I’ve had patients tell me that their doc told them they had less than 1% chance. And yet…Life comes through when circumstances are right.

What about the statistics?  They reflect data related to reproductive medical clinic outcomes, based on couples experiencing difficulty who seek help -- not couples world-over.  And for many couples, thankfully high tech exists!  At Oriens, we thoroughly enjoy partnering with great RE’s for IVF, IUI and natural IVF—a phenomenal combination where the couple  prepares through natural medicine and then benefits from high tech.

There's no question that the ease of achieving healthy pregnancy declines with age, particularly in the forties. But we also know that Mother Nature does not serve her best eggs first. So what remains in the reserve is often viable.  And we know that the environment in which eggs mature (nutrient and blood supply, etc.) contributes to "good" and "bad" eggs, as well as to the quality of the uterine environment for an embryo and child.  So we focus here, on what we can influence, to nurture fertility and increase the odds. 
 
 Since Nature has not quite caught up with modernism, women in their forties typically have more to accept, forgive and invest in, in order to lay their claim on motherhood.  But they are not infertile. As we delay child-bearing until we find love, or create financial security, or until we have the maturity to fully appreciate the miracle of family….more is required to balance the body and bring fertility forward.

We need to adjust our diets, we need to face our fears about it “not happening” so the body can relax into the knowledge that we will be OK whether we do or don’t have a biologic child—and free up energy for reproduction that is siphoned into fear management. We need to get more blood flow to the ovaries and uterus, we need to balance hormones.  Sometimes we need medical procedures to clear the path.

Acupuncture, Nutrition, Maya Abdominal Massage, , self-care routines, counseling that leads to self-knowledge and trust. These are not just preparations for conception and healthy pregnancy.  They are investments…in a healthy body, in a peaceful spirit, in a calm mind. A kind of deep strength emerges, a vibrancy—fertility showing herself!  Wow!...what preparation for motherhood!  And what lucky children to be loved by such moms!

Speak privately with Elizabeth about Your Fertility Challenge  212-213-5785

  Speak privately with Elizabeth about your fertility journey.

“Looks like science may show that women with POF aren’t ‘running out of eggs’ after all…” That was the opening line in my colleague’s email. The next person on the thread wrote, “I love when science proves Chinese Medicine right!” This volley comes from The Clinical Excellence in Fertility Professionals group brought together by Dr. Randine Lewis’ (author, The Infertility Cure: The Ancient Chinese Wellness Program for Getting Pregnant and Having Healthy Babies).

So we now find that not only are the “best” eggs not going first, in youth—nature’s mechanism for egg selection remains a mystery—but that even in extreme situations such as POF (Premature Ovarian Failure, sometimes called Primary Ovarian Insufficiency) the possibility of conception often still exists.

“The researchers were surprised to find that 73% of 97 women with primary ovarian insufficiency had ovarian follicles. In addition, they found that the follicles could produce reproductive hormones.”

This exciting new research revelation points us toward what we often find true in Chinese medicine when treating POF. The woman may be experiencing the signs (hormone profiles, lack of menstruation) and symptoms (dryness, night sweats, heat flushing, brain fog) of menopause, but the reproductive life can be revived!

Often with the right herbs and nutrition to nourish those follicles along with acupuncture and Maya abdominal massage to correct structural and energetic imbalances undermining how energy is used in the body and driving it to the reproductive system, the menstrual cycle is restored and conception is achieved. Pregnancy often occurs naturally in these cases!

I find the language of this diagnosis particularly devastating: “Failure,” “Insufficiency.” As if experiencing infertility wasn’t painful enough! Isn’t it time we come up with a naming system that doesn’t blame the patient? Especially in medicine--a “science” that is more of an art, a service profession, a refuge for those in need.

Speak privately with Elizabeth about your personal fertility journey.

Premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, is a group of symptoms that start one to two weeks before your period. Most women have at least some symptoms of PMS, and the symptoms go away after their periods start. In recent literature it is noted that as many as 80% of women experience some form of PMS at some time or another. 30-40% of these women have PMS severe enough to interfere with their day to day lives!

One reason why Traditional Chinese medicine is so beneficial in treating symptoms of PMS is because the therapy involved focuses on treating the root of the problem rather then just the present symptoms. Because most of the symptoms related to PMS are subjective many Western practitioners are at a loss when it comes to treating PMS and are quick to prescribe medications or recommend over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen, aspirin or naproxen.

Please be aware that  you do not need to be experiencing this pain and discomfort every month! When the symptoms of PMS are reduced or eliminated, women feel more energetic -- physically, mentally, emotionally and creatively.

Some of the symptoms related to PMS include but are not limited to:
Abdominal bloating and cramps, breast tenderness & swelling, mood changes (irritability, frustration, depression, anxiety), acne, back pain, fatigue, food cravings, headaches, insomnia, joint pain, water retention, dizziness.

Please read an Oriens article we hope you'll find useful.

 Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment: Treating the Root

Acupuncture and Chinese herbs have been widely and successfully used to treat PMS.
The symptoms of PMS may defer from woman to woman; what is unique and special about TCM treatments are that the variations in each woman's condition are acknowledged. Most women respond very well to acupuncture and Chinese herbal treatment in combination with dietary changes, exercise, and working on their emotional well being.

In traditional Chinese medicine, groups of symptoms, or syndromes, are typically classified into patterns that involve the internal organs and/or energy pathways of the body. The major organ systems that are primarily involved in the PMS pattern differentiation are the Liver, Heart, Spleen and Kidney

Liver Qi Stagnation pattern: Emotional stress is one of the main contributors to the Liver Qi Stagnation pattern of PMS. Other clinical manifestations include headache, breast tenderness, depression, irritability, and a feeling of distention or pain under the rib cage.

Heart Blood Deficiency pattern: Chronic illness or excessive menstrual blood loss contributes to Heart Blood Deficiency pattern of PMS. Other clinical symptoms include: Heart palpitations, dizziness, insomnia, emotional upset, speaking incoherently, sadness, fatigue/sluggishness, poor memory and dull-pale complexion.

Spleen Qi or Yang Deficiency pattern: Poor diet and emotional stresses are the main causes for Spleen qi and yang deficiency pattern of PMS. Clinical manifestations include: feeling weak and lethargic, edema of the lower body, easily able to bruise, bearing down sensation of the abdomen/ uterus, pale face, shallow breathing, loose stools.

Kidney Qi or Yang Deficiency pattern:
A pattern of menstrual disorders with Kidney Yang Deficiency will often include back soreness before and during menstruation, fatigue, watery menstrual blood, diarrhea just before menstruation, cramps after menstruation begins, ringing in the ears, or a feeling of cold in the body.

*It is important to note that most women have more then one pattern diagnosis as the cause of their PMS symptoms, therefore you may have symptoms from one or all patterns described above.

Come into the clinic 1-2 times per week for acupuncture.  If you like, we  will also prescribe a  Chinese herbal formula for you to take as well. To effectively treat the root cause of the PMS, it takes approximately three menstrual cycles. Some women will see a reduction in their symptoms right away while others it may take a longer period of time. Stress levels, lifestyle, and general health are important factors involved in response time.

  Speak with Elizabeth about Your Menopause Transition 212-213-5785

When you’re a woman in your 30’s and 40’s, who wants to hear the M word—menopause?

Yet, the truth is that most women will experience a 5-13 year ramp toward it, with the average age of menopause being 51. These years leading up, are known as perimenopause or pre-menopause. The experience is different for every woman—just like her period is.

Could we just mention here that this is NORMAL? It’s not a health hazard or a disease! It’s a life stage that is ushering in what are often referred to as your “power years”—yep, the ones where Life gets really good! 

Menopause: when your period—meno, has stopped for a full year-- pause. Up until that one-year mark, pregnancy is still very much possible ---even if your periods are erratic—so be aware!

Menopause arrives in 3 flavors: natural, premature and induced

Natural ~ you gradually shift toward the end of menstruation and physical changes drift slowly.

Premature ~ the whole transition happens fast and early (before age 40) and instead of 5-13 years, the transition is just a couple years.

Induced ~ through hysterectomy, chemo/radiation, other drugs or illness.

For the natural and premature groups, the perimenopause transition doesn’t need to be difficult and uncomfortable.
Our experience notes that it often goes pretty smoothly for women who take great care of themselves. They often need no medical support in the form of hormones.

So what does “taking great care of yourself” look like?

You attend to your nutrition, and exercise, and clearly choose a lifestyle that reduces stress, entertains all the feelings and identity shifts of this time, and weeds relationships into “supportive-&-keep” and “makeover-or-terminate” categories.

And, you create a simple routine for energy fine-tuning, which can make a HUGE difference in your menopause transition experience! We find acupuncture & herbs and/or Maya Abdominal Massage to be “game changers.”

Because hormone balance is so linked in with other physical and emotional cueing systems, this makes perfect sense. Physically, mentally and spiritually you are literally metamorphosing! So when we build Suround & Support Programs for our 40’s ladies, we always feature the Big 4: Nutrition, Acupuncture, MAM, and Spiritual Counseling.

If you are a woman in your forties, you’re most likely at some point in your peri-menopause journey. How’s it going? Let us know what’s going on with you . . . we probably can help!

  Call (212.213.5785) or email Elizabeth to talk about your fertility challenge.

I have the special privilege of working closely, every day,  with the most incredible SuperWomen seeking to conceive a child in the midst of their SuperWoman lives.   Their challenge is not easy.  Among other things, they must re-direct some of their energy away from the behaviors that make them super successful in the world, toward behaviors that make them more fertile.  The hardest one is getting a handle on worry and control.  To enhance fertility, we want to induce the Relaxation Response. 

As mammals, we are biologically set up to not go into heat or reproduce when there is danger.  That's a hard wired safety mechanism Nature has brilliantly installed.  If your senses are reporting to your brain that you are safe, it sets the chemistry and messaging signals in play that permit reproduction.  If it receives input that you are in danger (i.e. on a daily basis you are telling yourself the story that things are not right--stressed out), it favors the chemistry of the stress response...ultimately competing with reproduction both by restricting blood flow to the reproductive organs and by allowing stress hormones to dock where reproductive hormones would.  Yikes.

You can imagine this is a snowball downhill. The more trouble you have with fertility, the more you want to control the situation and do everything you can and do it perfectly.  Yet, that worry-control-fear factor sends the internal message you are in danger, putting your goal further out of reach.

Below is an email response I sent to a SuperWoman worried and angry at herself today...because she unwittingly made a mistake. She went in for an IUI and found out she hadn't ovulated yet...meanwhile, she had taken the post-ovulation herb formula I prescribed, for just one day:

"Hi [Superwoman],

First, there is rarely a reason to be mad at oneself. Did you do your best? Did you use your very best reasoning to make your decision? Did you have your own and others' best interests at heart when you performed the action or decision? Would you be angry at someone else if they did the same thing? Treat yourself with the respect and kindness you accord others.

Second, you have nothing to worry about. Natural medicine is powerful, yet its intervention works differently than the way drugs work. Herbs are not pharmaceuticals, even though pharmaceuticals are often derived from herbs. Rather, herbs are invitations to the body to perform at a higher level. While each prescription is targeted to enhance the goals of that half of the cycle, they will not harm the other half. Simply use the follicular herbs until you clearly have ovulated.

Third, do your breathing. Find something to laugh at. Enjoy your weekend. And know that you are doing everything you need to be doing. Nothing more is required or possible....except to give your body the leg up it gets when you relax.

Fourth, buy this short, quick read of a book: The Four Agreements. That's your homework."