In Chinese medicine the strength of the egg and sperm is tied to what we call the Kidney Jing. This is     one of the most vital energies of the body and it is derived through our inheritance. The jing can be weakened by overworking, stress, excessive sexual activity (especially men) and poor nutrition. It can in turn be strengthened with diet, exercises, herbal therapy and acupuncture. The health of ones jing is essential for a healthy pregnancy and child. It constitutes the essence of that new life. This is one aspect of infertility that western medicine has been able to devote little attention too and yet can strongly enhanced with Chinese medicine.

    In Western fertility medicine the quality of the eggs is generally beyond the reach of western medical interventions. This is mainly because the predominant perspective is that the egg and sperm are vessels for the genes which cannot be improved. Beyond this however each reproductive cell has a vitality and vigor expressed by the healthy functioning of the mitochondria and organelles of that cell and at this level certain interventions can be beneficial. Some IVF clinics are prescribing coenzyme and carnitine to enhance these functions. At Red River Health patients will often be prescribed these supplements in addition to royal jelly and herbs directed at enhancing the strength of the kidney jing. These herbs include, he shou wu, lu jiao jiao, and ze he che. Often these herbs are combined with kidney yin tonics such as shu di huang, shan yao, gou qi zi, nu zhen zu; as well as kidney yang tonics such as tu si zi, bai ji tian, and du zhong. It is up to the practitioner to find the healthiest balance of these herbal remedies and combine that with treatment aimed at enhancing the function of the ovaries and follicles.