Infertility-Acupuncture Definitions

Understanding Infertility-Chinese medicine definitions is the first step to using TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) to enhance your fertility. The following are the infertility and Chinese medicine terms used throughout this website:

Infertility-Acupuncture Definitions A-L

Basal Body Temperature: Often abbreviated BBT, this is the practice of taking the body temperature first thing in the morning before arising from bed. A thermometer that records temperatures to the hundredth of a degree are used orally. Vaginal temperatures are often more stable than oral.

Blood Stagnation:

Cervical Mucus:Often abbreviated CM, this clear, stretchy secretion from the crypts within the cervix is responsible for assisting the sperm to swim through the cervix on their journey to meet the egg. Once the secretion becomes thick and white, the role reverses and the aim is to block the cervix from errant sperm or bacteria, as ovulation has already occurred.

Cervical Position:

Charting:Also called ovulation calendar, ovulation calculator, fertility charting, etc. The practice of keeping track of one's fertility signs, generally in order to promote or prevent pregnancy. Generally, the fertility signs tracked included BBT, CM, cervical position, ferning, period quality, physical symptoms and mental symptoms.

Dampness:

Ferning:

Follicular Phase: Technically this is the first half of the entire menstrual cycle, from day 1 of bleeding until ovulation has occurred. However, in TCM we tend to think of the time between the menstrual period and ovulation as the follicular phase, which is phase 2 in our four phase cycle.

Qi Stagnation:

Jing:

Luteal Phase: The time from the temperature surge following ovulation until bleeding begins. The egg travels through the fallopian tubes and if it is fertilized, implantation will occur during this phase.

Infertility-Acupuncture Definitions M-Z

Qi: Energy that travels throughout the body in meridians. In traditional Chinese medicine, qi is the life force that animates the body.

Menstrual Cycle: The time from the start of menstrual bleeding (day 1) until the last day of the cycle before the next bleed.

Menstrual Period: This is when menstrual bleeding occurs. The first day of bleeding is considered day 1 of the entire cycle.

Meridians:There are 12 main meridians in the body through which the qi flows. Meridians are passageways throughout the body, much like veins and arteries. There are 6 meridians that travel from the feet to the head and 6 others from the hands to the torso of the body.

Shen:

TCM: Traditional Chinese medicine

Yang:

Yin: