Meet Cathy, a 38-year-old Spanish woman, standing at 5’2” and weighing 118 lbs. After a year of trying to conceive (in her second marriage), she sought consultation on July 28th last year. Cathy is a mother of three (aged 19, 15, and 12), while her husband has two children. His semen analysis came back normal. Cathy’s menstrual journey began at 14, with cycles spanning from 5-9/21-23. Her last menstrual period was on 7/7/22, with a flow lasting 5-6 days, occasionally accompanied by blood clots (++). She’s had 4 pregnancies with 3 live births and 1 miscarriage (in 2009). She’s also experienced ovulatory bleeding.

Following an Hysterosalpingogram (HSG) revealing patent fallopian tubes, Cathy often grapples with fatigue, dry mouth, sporadic night sweats, and a slightly swollen, pale red tongue with a white coating. Traditional Chinese Medicine identified a pattern of Kidney Qi Deficiency. Cathy embarked on a journey of Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture, with a daily dosage of 3.5 grams.

Fast forward to 10/05/22, Cathy found herself pregnant again. The emphasis on nourishing her kidneys for a healthy pregnancy was heightened. However, at 7 weeks of gestation, a miscarriage occurred, revealing trisomy 21 in the embryo tissue pathology report. After a month of rest, the previous treatment plan resumed. On 4/6/23, Cathy found herself pregnant once more, experiencing dry mouth, a pale red tongue, and thin white coating. The regimen now included reinforced kidney tonification and Yin nourishment. Then, at 9 weeks, a sudden, substantial bleeding episode, soaking the bed sheets, accompanied by abdominal pain. Hormone levels were normal, and ultrasound revealed a fetal heart rate of 170 beats per minute and a subchorionic hematoma. Diagnosis: Infertility, recurrent miscarriage; subchorionic hematoma.

Traditional medicine offered no specific intervention. Given the patient’s 4-hour travel distance to the clinic, she was advised to double the original dosage of Chinese herbal medicine. After 5 days, bleeding ceased, and she returned for a follow-up. The herbal medicine dosage was then reduced to the standard amount. The pregnancy was supported until the 12th week. Two months ago, a follow-up with fetal Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) showed normal results. She is currently 28 weeks pregnant.

In summary, both advanced age infertility and supporting a pregnancy are built upon the foundation of nurturing ova and embryos. This constitutes the underlying logic of Chinese medicine for pregnancy support. By enhancing the living environment for ova and embryos, improving the cellular mitochondrial function of ova and embryos, clearing free radicals, reducing DNA damage, preventing mutations and epigenetic variations, regulating immune function, and enhancing circulation, better therapeutic outcomes can be achieved.