Diagnosis and treatment strategy of acupuncture-moxibustion for advanced-age infertility in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer based on the temporal rhythm theory of traditional Chinese medicine

Abstract

The ability of natural conception decreases with age, leading many advanced-age women with fertility desire begin to attempt in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) technique nowadays. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) believes that human body undergoes periodic changes corresponding to the natural rhythms. Women exhibit distinct physiological lunar rhythms of the thoroughfare vessel and the conception vessel, as well as pathological rhythms during the menstrual cycle and IVF-ET cycle. Based on the theory of TCM temporal rhythm, this paper discusses the pathogenesis characteristics of infertility in advanced-age women at different stages. It believes that acupuncture intervention should comply with the following ideas: determining main acupoints based on disease differentiation, with a preference for the acupoints on the thoroughfare vessel, the conception vessel, spleen meridian and kidney meridian, as well as the back-shu points of the liver, spleen and kidney; determining the supplementary acupoints based on syndrome differentiation and symptoms; determining the supplementary acupoints based on time differentiation of lunar rhythm of the thoroughfare vessel and the conception vessel, and integrating both reinforcing and reducing techniques. During the process of intervention, the physical and mental states were balanced simultaneously.