Chinese Fertility Chart

Phase 1 - The Menstrual Period

Charting with a Chinese fertility chart begins on day 1 of the menstrual cycle, which coincides with the first day of menstrual blood. The period is Phase 1 in the menstrual cycle. A healthy menstrual period would commence with low temperatures, which would drop the day before bleeding or the day of bleeding.

A significant drop in temperature indicates a smooth transition from yang to yin, just as a significant, surge in temperature during ovulation is indicative of a smooth transformation from yin to yang.

During the period, cervical mucus is not recorded. Instead, various characteristics of the period should be noted. Flow, color, clots, cramps, breast distension, back pain, headaches, moods and other physical symptoms should all be recorded.

A TCM analysis of the period

The various characteristics of the period recorded on your Chinese fertility chart give us an indication of the health of the endometrium, the quantity and quality of the blood nourishing the follicles, the smoothness of the flow of qi and the level of emotional stress on the body. We'll go through each of these properties, so that you will understand what they mean from a TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) perspective. If you visit an acupuncturist or Chinese herbalist, you will soon understand why there are so many questions about the period.

To see an overview of definitions for the TCM and fertility terms used, please visit the TCM and Fertility definition page.

Flow: is the rate that the blood is flowing from the uterus out the vagina. A healthy flow is good and steady, this is a sign that the qi is flowing smoothly in the body, there is sufficient blood nourishing the endometrium and the uterus is effectively emptying out the old blood. An unhealthy flow is when there is a scanty flow, a very heavy flow, an irregular flow that stops and goes or any spotting. The flow can be noted with S=spotting, L=light, M=medium, H=heavy and N=nothing on your Chinese fertility chart.

Color: is indicative of the health of the blood and hence the health of the endometrium. Healthy menstrual blood is bright red and a good consistency. Unhealthy menstrual blood can be watery pink, light red, dark red, purplish or brown. These colors can be recorded on fertility calendars with the first letter of the color; R, P, L, D, P, or B. Lighter colored blood in TCM means blood deficiency and darker blood indicates increasing levels of blood stagnation.

Clots: mean that the qi and blood in the uterus is not flowing smoothly and therefore clots are formed. In TCM this is called blood stagnation. The size of clots range from threadlike strings of coagulated blood to chunks 1-5 cm in length. Numerous clots are one of the symptoms looked for in endometriosis. Clots can be reported on an Chinese fertility chart with numbers indicating quantity from 1 to 3. Just a few clots would be a 1.

Cramps: are a sign that the qi is not flowing smoothly. Since the qi is responsible for moving the blood, stagnant qi can not move the blood out of the uterus effectively and there are cramps. The uterus has its own innate intelligence and if the blood is not flowing, it will contract to push the blood out. These are the cramps that are fixed and painful. When the qi is flowing smoothly and the cycle is regulated, there are no menstrual cramps. TCM is very effective in this area. Cramps can also be recorded on a Chinese fertility chart with the pain intensity rated from 1 to 3.

Breast distension: or pain in the breasts or nipples is again a sign of qi stagnation. In TCM we call this liver qi stagnation because the liver meridian is responsible for the free flow of qi in the body and it is largely involved in both the menstrual cycle and breast health. Also, breast pain that occurs regularly with the cycle can also signify excess prolactin (the lactation hormone) in the body. In the ovulation fertility calendar, breast distension may be noted with a + when it occurs.

Low back pain: that occurs premenstrually or with the period can mean that there is qi or blood stagnation, but usually it denotes a weakness in the kidney meridian. Often times this is either kidney yin or kidney yang deficiency. When there is low back pain, the Chinese fertility chart may be marked a + when the pain occurs.

Headaches: are extremely common with the use of oral birth control pills. It appears that the introduction of exogenous hormones causes qi stagnation. The gallbladder meridian that is paired with the liver meridian, travels up to the head and therefore when there is liver qi stagnation, it can affect the gallbladder meridian in the head. On your Chinese fertility chart, headaches may be recorded as a + when they occur.

Moods: can also be interpreted from a TCM perspective. Anger, impatience and frustration corresponds with a stagnant liver meridian. Sadness, crying, and depression demonstrate the involvement of the heart meridian. Worry, over thinking and a feeling of being overwhelmed point to the spleen meridian. In ovulation calendars, moods may be noted with a A for angry, S for sad and O for overwhelmed.

A tampon is like cork to the uterus

In order to properly analyze your menstrual blood, it is helpful to be using sanitary pads or something that allows the blood from the uterus to flow freely. A tampon is like a cork to the uterus. Often the uterus (which desires to clear the old blood to make way for the new) will contract when corked, which is why Day 1 cramps are common with tampon use. If the cervix is blocked with a tampon, there can be a back flow of blood out through the fallopian tubes to the pelvic cavity. This back flow of blood is called retrograde flow and is one of the theories for the cause of endometriosis (the growth of endometrial tissue outside of the uterus.)