Seven Infertility Cases Treated by Kampo Medicine for Stagnation of Liver qi / 日本東洋医学雑誌

ABSTRACT

ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) is making impressive advancements. However, not all patients will successfully conceive even with this technique. Patients undergoing infertility treatment are predominantly in a state of mental stress for being unable to conceive, and the importance of stress care in treating infertility has been reported. This time, to investigate the relationship between infertility, mental stress and Kampo treatment, we have conducted a retrospective study on 7 patients who achieved conception by a combination treatment of Kampo medicine and ovulation day prediction. Patients'occupation, menstruation history, pregnancy history, premenstrual symptoms, and oriental medical examination findings were extracted from their medical records. The clinical background were age (mean age: 36 [29-39]), time to pregnancy (mean: 6 months [2-9 months]), and outcome (normal vaginal delivery [3 cases], caesarean section [2 cases], abortion [1 case], transfer to other facility [1 case]). The oriental medical diagnosis in all cases found stagnation of liver qi. Two cases had only stagnation of liver qi. As comorbidities, kidney deficiency (3 cases), blood stasis syndrome (1 case), and blood stasis syndrome with syndrome of dual deficiency of qi and blood (1 case) were found. The Kampo prescriptions were as follows: nyoshinsan (2), kamishoyosan (2), tsudosan (1), shigyakusan (1) and kyukichoketsuin (1). Stagnation of liver (TM) qi was considered to play a role in infertility and is one of the important factors in Kampo prescriptions.