시험관 시도 전 한약, 정말 도움이 될까요? 성공률 높이는 한방 준비 전략

# Pre-IVF Herbal Medicine, Does It Really Help? TCM Preparation Strategies to Increase Success Rates Hello, this is Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic. Long-awaited babies are a precious hope for many infertile couples, and IVF is an important journey. However, amidst this complex and demanding process, worries about potential failure and how best to prepare for the next attempt are always present. In particular, many people wonder whether 'herbal medicine before IVF' can genuinely help improve success rates. 💡 **[Core Answer]** **3 Most Important Reasons to Consider Herbal Medicine Before IVF:** ① **Ovarian Function Improvement:** Increases egg quality and quantity, contributing to successful ovulation induction. ② **Uterine Environment Optimization:** Strengthens the endometrium and improves blood flow to increase implantation rates. ③ **Systemic Health Recovery:** Relieves stress and immune imbalance to create a body state favorable for pregnancy. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic optimizes the body of infertility patients for pregnancy through **constitutional improvement**. ## Why is combining IVF with herbal medicine beneficial? IVF is an advanced medical technique of retrieving and fertilizing eggs to transfer embryos into the uterus. However, to increase the success rate of the procedure itself, various factors play a crucial role, such as egg quality, endometrial implantation environment, and management of physical and mental stress that women may experience during the procedure. At this point, traditional Korean medicine treatments can comprehensively approach all these factors and contribute to increasing the success rate of IVF. For patients with decreased ovarian function, a thin endometrium, or repeated implantation failures, herbal medicine can be an especially good alternative. Herbal medicine goes beyond simply alleviating specific symptoms; it focuses on restoring overall bodily balance and creating an environment favorable for pregnancy. This can be understood as focusing on enhancing 'systemic condition' and 'reproductive capacity' which are difficult to explain from a modern medical perspective. In particular, autonomic imbalance caused by stress and tension can affect hormone secretion, deteriorating ovarian function and uterine environment, and herbal medicine delicately manages these aspects. ## Is there scientific evidence that herbal medicine increases IVF success rates? Research results consistently showing that traditional Korean medicine treatments help increase the success rate of IVF are being published. A meta-analysis study published in the 2020 *Complementary Therapies in Medicine* journal systematically analyzed the effects of supplementary herbal medicine (HM) administration to women undergoing IVF. Synthesizing randomized controlled trials (RCTs), the study reported that the group combining herbal medicine showed a **statistically significant increase in Live Birth Rate (LBR) by 1.34-fold (95% CI 1.05-1.72) and Clinical Pregnancy Rate (CPR) by 1.38-fold (95% CI 1.29-1.49)** compared to the group that did not. Furthermore, the clinical pregnancy rate of the herbal medicine treatment group was 1.85-fold higher (95% CI 1.42-2.42) compared to the placebo group, with no significant difference in adverse event rates from the control group. The researchers concluded that these results suggest herbal medicine can have a beneficial effect on the pregnancy outcomes of women undergoing IVF. Based on these data, Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic goes beyond simple medication prescription, creating an optimal body condition for successful pregnancy through customized herbal prescriptions tailored to each patient's physical state and IVF procedure stage. Additionally, according to a retrospective study analyzing Korean medicine clinic data published in the *International Journal of Women's Health* in 2022, out of 1,786 women who visited Korean medicine clinics for infertility between 2010 and 2020, 586 (32.8%) successfully achieved pregnancy. Among them, the **live birth rates** for 476 patients receiving herbal medicine monotherapy and 92 patients combining herbal medicine with IVF procedures were **66.0% and 68.8%**, respectively. The most frequently prescribed herbal medicines in this study were Gami-boheo-tang, Gami-gwibi-tang, and Gami-danggui-san, with acupuncture and moxibustion confirmed as the most common supplementary treatments. This shows that traditional Korean medicine treatments can be a successful choice for infertility treatment either alone or in combination with IVF procedures. ## How does Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic help prepare for pregnancy? At the Songdo branch of Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic, we focus on increasing pregnancy success rates through **constitutional improvement** treatments that fundamentally enhance the body's internal environment before attempting IVF. Constitutional improvement is not about temporarily alleviating symptoms, but correcting the bodily imbalances causing symptoms so the body can maintain a healthy state on its own. 'Creating a body where symptoms do not turn back on, rather than just turning them off' is the core of constitutional improvement. For infertility, key goals of constitutional improvement include improving blood flow to the uterus and ovaries, enhancing egg quality, increasing endometrial receptivity, and optimizing the implantation environment through immune regulation. Especially when the uterine environment is poor due to hormonal imbalance or chronic inflammation, herbal medicine helps reduce inflammation and smooth uterine blood circulation to ensure successful implantation. Also, stress and anxiety can affect the autonomic nervous system and hinder pregnancy; Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic's constitutional herbal medicine restores autonomic balance to stabilize mind and body while creating a physical state favorable for pregnancy. ### Pregnancy Preparation Self-Diagnosis Checklist If 3 or more of the following items apply to you, you can find a new solution for infertility preparation through a constitutional consultation at Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Songdo Branch. * Menstrual cycles are irregular or menstrual cramps are severe. * Hands and feet are cold, and the lower abdomen always feels cold. * Suffering from chronic stress and fatigue. * History of past miscarriages or repeated implantation failures. * Diagnosed with decreased ovarian function or a thin endometrium. * Told that egg quality was poor during superovulation induction. * Experienced excessive side effects (ascites, discomfort, etc.) after IVF procedures. If 3 or more apply --> Traditional Korean medicine pregnancy preparation consultation recommended. If 5 or more apply --> Immediate visit to Songdo infertility Korean medicine clinic and intensive treatment review recommended. ## FAQ: Questions About Pre-IVF Herbal Medicine Treatment **Q. When should I start taking herbal medicine before an IVF procedure?** A. Generally, it is recommended to start herbal medicine treatment 2 to 3 months before the IVF procedure to prepare the body in advance. It is important to have sufficient time to achieve improved ovarian function and optimized uterine environment. **Q. Is it okay to take infertility treatment herbal medicine simultaneously with IVF procedures?** A. Yes, it is possible. Many studies report that combining herbal medicine with IVF procedures increases pregnancy success rates. However, it is important to receive customized prescriptions suited to the procedure stage through sufficient consultation with medical staff. **Q. How much does herbal medicine affect IVF success rates?** A. Studies show that combining herbal medicine significantly increases live birth rates and clinical pregnancy rates. It contributes to increasing the possibility of procedural success by improving various factors such as egg quality, endometrial state, and systemic condition. **Q. How does Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Songdo Branch help prepare for infertility?** A. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Songdo Branch creates an optimal body condition for pregnancy by combining customized herbal prescriptions tailored to individual constitution and symptoms with various traditional treatments such as acupuncture, moxibustion, and pharmacopuncture to strengthen ovarian function, improve uterine environment, and manage stress. Herbal medicine before trying IVF is not just a vague notion that 'it's good to take.' It is an important pregnancy preparation strategy that can provide practical help to infertile couples through scientific research and rich clinical experience. You no longer have to ignore the body signals you have sent for a long time. Approaching in the right direction makes your body react faster than you think. Bring your current infertility concerns as they are. At Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic, we will find the cause together and accompany you on the journey to a healthy pregnancy. A place where life blooms. Herbal medicine is naturally Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic. Check your similar symptoms first through the Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic website AI consultation! Medical Supervision | Women's & Pregnancy Treatment Standards, Dr. Oh Hyunmin, Korean Medicine Doctor, Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Songdo Branch (Pregnancy Preparation Column) #Infertility #PregnancyPreparation #IVF #HerbalMedicine #SongdoInfertilityClinic #SongdoKoreanClinic #UterineHealth #Implantation