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	Infertility   What is infertility? Inability to conceive. Inability to conceive after at least a year of regular sexual intercourse without the use of contraceptives, can be due to causes that lie either in the man or the woman or both. Identification of the underlying causes is the key to successful treatment. Infertility can often occur in women who have a history of conceiving and then losing the baby before the foetus is old enough to support itself outside the womb. Infertility can be either temporary or, in a small percentage of cases, permanent. Male Infertility No sperm or low sperm count It is the most common cause of infertility in men. It can be caused by numerous factors including an infection after puberty which was accompanied by a high fever, undecided testicles, taking certain drugs, trauma to the testicles, or exposure to large amounts of X-ray. For the most part however, a low sperm count tends to be related to more easily reversible conditions. A long illness or a chronic infection may lower general health, as could poor diet, strenuous physical exercise, lack of exercise, smoking and drinking, obesity, overwork, tension and fatigue. A common reason for a low sperm count is abnormal temperature regulation in the testicles, which function at a temperature slightly lower than the rest of the body.   Low sperm mobility It makes sperm unable to travel from the vagina, through the fallopian tubes to fertilise the ovum. This tends to be related to some of the above factors, and may also be due to enlargement of the prostate gland, as well as an imbalance of male hormones in the body. The vessels along which the sperm travel in men could be blocked by an inflammatory or infectious process or by varicosity in the area. Female Infertility A wide variety of factors can be at work.  Common causes include: Endocrine problems Difficulties of the pituitary, thyroid or adrenal glands, which together regulate the menstrual cycle, may cause a failure of ovulation. To establish whether you are ovulating at regular intervals you can keep a record of your body temperature using a chart and a sensitive thermometer. Before ovulation, when there is normal secretion of oestrogen, the basic temperature on waking will be a little below normal, 97 or 97.8deg.F, 36deg.C. After ovulation, it should rise by half or one degree and stays the same for the next two weeks. Fallopian Tube problems They could be blocked, sometimes because of an inherited difficulty, or because of an infection of the womb or other diseases such as Salpingitis (inflammation of the fallopian tubes), Endometriosis, and TB; these may cause thickening of the tubes which either narrow or completely block the passages, or they can cause the tubes, uterus and ovaries to become matted together by adhesions, or in the case of Endometriosis, by growths of tissue from the uterus.   Prolapse & Fibroids There could be malposition of the uterus or fibroids which can lead to sterility. The latter can also cause miscarriage early on, or a difficult labour. It is best to sort out this problem before conceiving. Their origin is largely related to a hormonal imbalance with an excess of oestrogen. Cervical problems The cervix can also be affected adversely and cause sterility. Infection or excess mucus from inflammation can expel the sperm, or polyps may prevent the sperm from entering the uterus. Non-physical causes In many women there are absolutely no physical problems to be found. There may be a slight hormonal imbalance or a poor state of health through faulty diet and fatigue. In perhaps a quarter of all infertile women, it could be emotional problems which are to blame. There are in addition some causes of infertility which are shared by both the man and the woman. There can be antibodies to the sperm in either partner which can destroy the sperm. Occasionally there can be lack of knowledge about fertile times in a cycle. Hormonal imbalance Hormonal problems, in either partner, are readily treated by Oriental medicine. Whilst not containing hormones themselves, some herbs stimulate the glands concerned, bringing about production of the right proportions of hormones and in their right sequence in the menstrual cycle to promote conception. Some herbs have been known to affect the pituitary gland in such a way that it corrects and regulates the secretion of progesterone from the ovaries, also correcting any hormone deficiency of either oestrogen or progesterone. Debility Where illness, malnourishment, fatigue, and conditions such as anaemia, anorexia and kidney problems have lowered vitality and produced a state of debility which has affected fertility, there are many herbs which can help to build up the strength of the generative organs.                                                                                                                                                Back to top