Supporting Fertility for Women in their 30's and 40's
Recently I have been seeing a few clients who have been going through IVF. It’s led me to do quite a bit of research into how I can support women with their fertility whether they are wanting to conceive or not. Understanding your own conception and supporting the menstrual cycle can be key to unlocking fertility.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) looks at fertility similarly to western medicine, however, it takes into consideration more of what the energy was at the time of our own conception. This is our genetic energy or constitutional energy which in tcm is referred to as our essence. The health of the mother and father has an impact on the essence that is created at the time of conception. And, the time in the womb has an influence on the quality of the essence.
Exploring the questions of:-
how was your conception,
how did it take place,
what was the health of your parents at conception - physically, mentally and emotionally,
what was the environment like while you were in the womb
can give some insight into your own fertility. What do you know conciously and unconciously? If you are fortunate to have not only your parents but also grandparents around it can be beneficial to investigate ancestral conception and fertility. This can help you discover any family themes and whether you are carrying them energetically. Epigenetics tells us lots about how what has happened in one generation can have an effect on future generations. It is possible though to change these patterns by working with them.
Our memories around our fertility are created when the brain is not even in existence yet. So we may not realise we have energy blocks around fertility. Healing therapies such as Shiatsu can put us in touch with these memories and may help to unblock energies that are limiting fertility and conception.
Understanding the menstrual cycle and how it develops can also give insight into fertility. Women move through 7 year cycles. For the 1st 7 year cycle we are in our childhood and so our ovaries are in a paused state not releasing any eggs. During the 2nd 7 year cycle menstruation begins and towards the end of that cycle the eggs begin to mature to point that they can be released. Early cycles of menstruation don’t include ovulation. So exploring how the early periods were and what our relationship to our menstrual cycle, our body and sexuality may be of benefit.
In the 3rd 7 year cycle from age 14-21 the body and the ovaries are maturing. We begin to develop relationships, explore our sexuality and maybe even have children. In TCM it is advised to wait until at least the 3rd cycle before conceiving. However, the best time is said to be in the 4th and 5th phases between the ages of 21-35 when the woman is at her strongest mentally, physically and emotionally.
As with western medicine it is viewed that after 35 fertility begins to decline. Many women become concerned about declining ovarian reserve. It is worth noting though that your ovarian egg count is at it’s highest at 24 weeks in utero. So even by the time you are born your egg reserve has declined.
At the end of our 7th cycle the ovaries go back on pause as we begin the menopause.
What Impacts Fertility?
Nutrition, movement, connection to our body and contraception all have a big impact on fertility.
Contraception has it’s benefits but what impact is it having on women’s ability to conceive? It does in a sense artificially switch off our fertility so is it blocking the energy of conception? Are other drugs in our environment and those that get into our water and food supply also affecting hormonal balance and therefore our ability to conceive?
Many women these days are developing autoimmune conditions. There is even one such condition where a woman develops high levels of killer cells in the uterus so when she does conceive the body treats the embryo as though it is a foreign invader that needs to be gotten rid of. Why is the body attacking itself? Is there to much to digest in a changing environment? Our immune system works in response to our environment. Illness can often be a sign that there is something in our environment that we are unable to process.
A woman’s weight whether she is under or over has an impact on fertility. Looking at diet and understanding how the soil and water influence the food we eat is important prior to any thoughts of conception. Eating as seasonally as possible along with supplementation can help provide the necessary nutrition required for good fertility.
Polycystic Ovaries and Endometriosis are 2 conditions which may impact fertility. PCOS is a hormonal imbalance and from an energetic point of view is a blockage of energy in the ovary. Endometriosis is where womb like cells are found outside of the uterus and cause inflammation. Medically both conditions are treated similarly with artificial hormones and anti-inflammatories given to relieve some of the discomfort. These conditions don’t make women infertile but for some women it can make the road to conceiving more challenging.
How To Work With Unblocking Fertility
There are four phases in the menstrual cycle. The first phase is the bleeding phase. It is a releasing phase that clears the lining of the womb. During this phase it is important to support the flow of blood so it is a wonderful time to let go and clear out any energy we no longer need. Movements that open not only the pelvic region but also the heart are beneficial. Many forms of contraception can stop women from completely releasing the lining of the womb causing a form of blood stagnation in the uterus which blocks the flow of qi through the reproductive organs. If the blood at the start of menstruation is brown or dark you know you have not completely released all the blood from the last cycle.
After the bleeding phase the energy is about gathering in and building up. We gather energy into our heart which helps the production of blood and build up the lining of the womb. At this time it is natural to feel as though you are a bit low in energy. Your body has gone through a process of releasing qi, blood and essence so you are in a state of depletion. Nourishing yourself through food and self-compassion can help to gather and build the energy.
Ovulation is about the release of energy. it is a strong yang movement of energy and is almost like a mini birth. If the energy is blocked at this part of the cycle the egg may not have enough impetus to move down the fallopian tube or perhaps the egg doesn’t completely release and so you don’t get the later clearing phases from the follicle which contains the egg. This could cause a build up of cysts and lead to conditions such as PCOS. It can also just make ovulation more uncomfortable with sharper pains in the lower abdomen.
Post ovualation it is again about supporting the building up of the lining of the womb ready for implantation. The folicle of the egg supports its growth and maturity. Progesterone is high and in a sense it is energetically similar to the early phases of pregnancy. A woman should feel at her greatest energy during this part of her cycle. If she is feeling tired and weak then the overall reproductive energy is weak and much supporting of the yang is required.
Supporting a womans fertility through her 30’s is different to a woman in her 40’s. I am living proof though that just because you are in your 40’s does not mean you cannot conceive or that your fertility is terrible. Knowing that I wanted children I made sure I looked after my body through healthy eating and regular movement and relaxation practices. I also sought support for my menstrual cycle as I had experienced heavy bleeding and irregularity. Without much effort I have fallen pregnant 3 times. At 41 years of age I had a healthy baby girl and at 43 I had a healthy baby boy. In between I had a miscarriage. I had fairly easy pregnancies (apart from the constant morning sickness, heartburn, rib pain, diabetes) and gave birth naturally to both my children.
If you are interested in learning more about this topic and doing movement practices and meditation to support your fertility please watch this video put together by one of my teachers. The link is here. The information above is a summary of the video plus other insights.