Herbal Medicine Blog | UCBMSH – Paramedical Degree courses college in Dehradun ( Doon ) , Uttarakhand , India .

In recent era it is found that infertility is biologically defined as an incapability of initiating, sustaining, or supporting reproduction¹. Common causes of infertility include ovulation problems, tubal blockage, age-related factors, uterine problems, tubal ligation and endometriosis.

Treatment of infertility depends mainly on the cause, duration of infertility and age. Infertility, today, can be treated by a host of options that include use of Fertility drugs, Surgery, AI, IVF, Donor eggs and embryos and Gestational carriers. Infertility can also be treated by various Complementary and alternative treatment methods like Acupuncture, Chinese medicine, Yoga, Phytomedicines along with modifications in nutrition and lifestyle.

The herbal treatment approach addresses both the mind and the body. It is about balancing out the body and treating the person as a whole, not just treating the symptoms. Herbs are totally natural and are becoming a popular natural fertility option for couples trying to conceive. But, caution has to be exercised while using herbs to get pregnant because of their high potency. The following herbs have proved to have beneficial properties when it comes to getting pregnant: Vitex agnus-castus², Cimicifuga racemosa³, Trifolium pratense⁴, Radix angelicae sinensis⁵, Chamaelirium luteum⁶, Dioscorea villosa⁷ and Glycyrrhiza glabra⁸. These herbal extracts function by aiming at restoration of the original correct body functions. Nowadays, the importance of phytotherapy is again increasing. Furthermore, herbal medicines are now approached far more scientifically. Modern herbal medicinal products fulfil high standards and are subject to clinical development plans establishing their efficacy and safety.

References:

1. Makar RS, Toth TL (2002). “The evaluation of infertility”. Am J Clin Pathol. 117 Suppl: S95–103.

2. Schellenberg, R. (20 January 2001). “Treatment for the premenstrual syndrome with agnus castus fruit extract: prospective, randomised, placebo controlled study”. British Medical Journal 322 (7279): 134–7.

3. Anon (August 2003). “Cimicifuga racemosa”. Alternative Medicine Review 8 (2): 186–89.

4. Tice JA, Ettinger B, Ensrud K, Wallace R, Blackwell T, Cummings SR (2003). “Phytoestrogen supplements for the treatment of hot flashes: the Isoflavone Clover Extract (ICE) Study: a randomized controlled trial”. Journal of the American Medical Association 290 (2): 207–214.

5. Zhao KJ, Ding Dong TT, Tu PF, Song ZH, Lo CK, Tsim KW (April 2003). “Molecular genetic and chemical assessment of radix Angelica (Danggui) in China”. Agric. Food Chem. 51 (9): 2576–83.