Acupuncture

in Gynecology and Obstetrics

Dr. Hongguang Dong

16. 6.2001 11
 Women’s Physiology
• Bao Gong -Uterus
• Qi and Blood: Material Base
• Zang Fu: Source of Qi and Blood
• Bao Gong and Extraordinary Vessels
• Tian Gui

2
 Bao Gong - Uterus
• Uterus: Zi bao, Nu zi bao, Zi zang, Zi chu,
Zi Gong

• Position :
– Between guan yuan (Ren 4) and qihai (Ren 6)
zhang jing yue (1563-1640)
– Lower Field of Elixir ( Dan Tian «Ren 5»)

• One of the Six Extraordinary Organs

• Linked with kidney via a channel called Uterus channel Bao luo
linked with heart via a channel called Uterus vessel Bao mai

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 Characteristic of Women’s Physiology

• Menstruation
• Conception
• Pregnancy
• Childbirth
• Lactation
• Menopause

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 Xue - Blood
The concept of blood in TCM is not completely the same as it is in
Western medicine does. Blood is a vital nutrient substance in the body.
It is formed from the combination of essence of food, which derived via
digestion and absorption by spleen and stomach, and fluids containing
nutrients. Kidney also contributes to the formation of blood as kidney
storing essence that produces bone marrow. After being formed, blood
circulates in the vessels throughout the body, promoted by the heart
with the help of lung, controlled by the spleen which keeps blood
flowing within the vessels and regulated by the liver as a reserve.

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6
 Extraordinary meridian
• Du Mai
• Ren Mai
• Chong Mai
From the same source (Three branches of the same
vessel)

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 Tan Gui

• Zhang jiebin: yin qi, Tian yi zhi yin qi

• Ma shi (ming): yin Jing, produce by kidney,
Gui:10th stem, pertain to water, is
accumulation of congenital essence.
• Xue Xue: congenital water, Xian Tian zhen
shui

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 Tan Gui

• Fu qing zhu (qing): menstrual blood, not

blood but Tian gui, which originate from the
kidney yin with the participation of heart,
spleen and liver.
• Xie ZF : Sex-stimulating essence of both
sexes. (Xie ZF, In: Classified Dictionary of
TCM)

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 Physiology of menstruation in TCM
The first chapter of Huang Di Nei Jing
In general, the reproductive physiology of woman is such
that at seven of age her kidney become full,...; at 14
years the Tian gui comes into play, Ren mai circulating
strongly (open), Chong mai is flourishing, the menses
arrives and in regular interval, thus the conception is
possible;

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 Four phases of the menstrual cycle
• Menstrual phase: Blood moving, required free flow of liver qi and blood (
move blood if period scanty, decrease bleeding if it heavy)

• Post-menstrual phase: blood and yin relatively empty, Ren and

Chong mai depleted. (Nourishing blood and yin «liver and kidney»)

• Mid-cycle phase: blood and yin fill up in Ren and Chong mai (promote
ovulation by nourishing the essence «kidney and Yang»)

• Pre-menstrual phase: Yang qi rise and live qi moves in prepare for the
period (Tonify yang qi if it deficient, move live-qi if it stagnant
Giovanni Maciocia . Obstet & Gyne in Chinese medicine

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 Functions of kidney
• Stores the essence of life, either inborn or acquired.
• In charge of reproduction, growth and development;
• Control Bones, fill up the brain, produce Marrow;
• Helps the ‘lung’ to inhale air;

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 Kidney refers to Western medicine
• Reproductive system
• Urogenital system
• Endocrine system
• Part of the immune system the higher nervous system

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 Menstruation and Zang Fu
1
Kidney

• Store essence-material basis for

formation of menstrual blood ;

• Formation of Tian Gui

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 Menstruation and Zang Fu
2
Liver store the blood, ensures the smooth flow of qi.
• Liver blood deficient: scanty periods, later periods
or amenorrhea.
• Liver qi regular the cycle and blood volume
• Liver qi stagnation: irregular menses; premenstrual
syndrome; dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea.

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 Menstruation and Zang Fu
3
Spleen Produces Gu qi (Food qi) which is the basis for
formation of blood, controls blood.
• Spleen qi controlling blood in the vessel- Spleen qi is
deficient, blood spill out the vessels, resulting
hemorrhages.
• Spleen qi keep uterus in place, deficient of spleen qi
cause prolapse.

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 Menstruation and Zang Fu
4

Heart governs the blood

Lung contributed to produce blood
Chong mai Sea of the blood
Ren mai Sea of yin meridians
Du mai Sea of yang meridians

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 Menopause in TCM

In the first chapter of Huang Di Nei Jing

At the age of 35, Yanming channel begin to weaken, the

complexion start to wither and the hair begin to fall. At the age
of 42, three yang channels are weak, the face darkens and the
hair turn grey. At the age of 49, the Ren mai is empty, Chong
mai is depleted, tian gui has exhausted. Hence, the flow of
menses ceases and woman is no longer able to conceive.
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 Etiology of menopause
• Gradual weakening of the kidney with age
• Emotional stress: Worry, anxiety and fear lead to decline
the kidney yin
• Intemperate sexuality
• Overwork, irregular diet, loss of blood.
• Too many children, too close together

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 Pathology of menopause

• Decline of the kidney essence.

• A deficiency of the Chong and Ren mai.
• Depletion of tiangui, and an insufficiency of qi
and ‘blood’; thereby, the Yin and Yang of the
‘kidney’ are liable to be out of equilibrium.

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 Syndromes Differentiation

n Deficiency of kidney yin

– Deficiency of the kidney Yin and the ‘internal
heat’
– Discord between heart and kidney
– Deficiency liver and kidney Yin

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 Syndromes Differentiation

o Deficiency of kidney yang

– Deficiency of kidney yang
– Deficiency spleen and kidney Yang

p Deficiency both the kidney Yin and Yang

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 Syndrome differentiation and the
treatment (SDT)

• Primary manifestations (PM)

• Tongue and pulse (TP)
• Accompanied symptoms (AS)

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 SDT1 Deficiency of the kidney Yin and
the ‘internal heat’
• PM: Hot flushes and sweating, feverish sensation in the
palms and soles, dryness of the mouth, skin and vagina.
• TP: red tongue with thin, dry coating or no coating;
thready, rapid pulse or floating-empty.
• AS: constipation; weakness of the lower back and knees;
dizziness; amnesia.

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 Treatment principle and Prescription
• Nourish kidney yin, subdue yang, calm the mind, clear
the empty heat
• Acupuncture : Shenshu (BL 23), Gaohuang (BL 43),
Taixi (KI 3), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Lieque (LU 7), Zaohai
(KI 6), Zhigou (SJ 7), Dazhui (GV 14), Quchi (LI 11).
• Prescription : Zuogui wan (bolus for kidney Yin
replenishment)

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 SDT 2 Discord (not harmonized)
between heart and kidney
• PM: hot flushes and sweats, anxiety, restlessness,
insomnia, palpitations.
• TP: red tongue with scanty or no coating; thready, rapid
pulse or weak deep on both Rear (chi mai)
• AS: amnesia, sensation in the lower back soreness and
weak

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 Treatment principle and Prescription
• Nourish kidney yin, calm the mind clear empty heat (xiu
huo)
• Acupuncture: Shenshu (BL 23), Lieque ( LU 7),
Zhaohai (KI 6), Taixi (KI 3), Xinshu (BL 15), Shenmen
(HT 7), Baihui (CV 20), Sanyinjiao (SP 6).
• Prescription : (1) Zuogui wan (2) Bu Xin Dan

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SDT 3 Deficiency of the liver Yin and kidney
Yin with liver yang rising

• PM : Hot flushes and sweating; irritability; dry skin and

eye.
• TP : red tongue with scanty coating; taut, forceful, or
taut, thready and rapid pulse.
• AS : dizziness; tinnitus, headache;

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 Treatment principle and Prescription
• Nourish kidney and liver yin, subdue liver yang, settle
ethereal soul (huwen)
• Acupuncture: Shenshu (BL 23), Taixi (KI 3), Tai chong (
LR 3), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Fengchi (GB 20), Benshen
(GB 13), Dazhui (GV 14), Ganshu (BL 18), Fuliu (KI 7).
• Prescription: Qi Ju Di Huang Wan

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 SDT 4 Deficiency of the kidney Yang
• PM: Hot flushes cold in four limb, pallor or sallow
complexion; depression sexual hypaesthesia.
• TP: pale tongue with white coating; deep weak pulse,
worse on the chi of both wrists.
• AS: frequently weakness of the lower back and knees
and profuse urine or urinary incontinence;

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 Treatment principle and Prescription
• Tonifiy and warm the kidney, tonify yang.

• Acupuncture: Shenshu (BL 23), Dazhui (GV 14),

Mingmen (GV 4), Guanyuan (CV 4), Pangguangshu (BL
28), Sanyinjiao (SP 6).

• Prescription: Yougui wan

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 SDT 5 Deficiency both of the spleen
and kidney Yang
• PM: Hot flushes and cold limbs, pale or sallow
complexion; general lassitude; abdominal distention;
diarrhea at the morning
• TP: pale tongue with teeth prints and white coating;
thready and weak pulse.
• AS: poor appetite; spontaneous sweating; soreness and
weakness of the lower back and knees;

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 Treatment principle and Prescription
• Tonify and warm both kidney and spleen

Acupuncture: Shenshu (BL 23), Mingmen (GV 4), Qihai

(CV 6), Taixi (KI 3), Pishu (BL 20), Gongsun (SP 4),
Zusanli (ST 36), Zhongwan (CV 12).

Prescription: Yougui wan and Li zhong Tang

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 SDT 6 Deficiency of kidney
Yin and Yang
• PM: Hot flushes but cold in four limbs general lassitude,
slightly agitate.
• TP: pale or red tongue, floating and empty or fine-rapid
depend on which one predominate.
• AS: frequent pale urination, dry throat, night sweating;
hyposexuality, shortness of breath.

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 Treatment principle and Prescription
• Nourish the kidney, gently tonify yang, calm the mind.
• Acupuncture: Shenshu (BL 23), Dazhui (GV 14), Qihai
(CV 6), Taixi (KI 3), Gaohuang (BL 43), Sanyinjiao (SP
6), Zusanli (ST 36), Jingmen (GB 25).
• Prescription: Zuogui wan and Yougui wan

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Reviews: acupuncture and menopause I
– Inhibits the decrease in brain catecholamine
contents, improves the memory loss and decrease of
immune responses accompanying aging
Toriizuka K, et al. Acupunct Electrother Res. 1999

– Increase calcitonin gene-related peptide.

Wyon Y,et al. Acta Physiol Scand. 1998 Apr.

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Reviews: acupuncture on menopause II

– Does not alter blood pressure or serum lipids for

hypertensive postmenopausal women.
Kraft K,et al. Forsch Komplementarmed. 1999 Apr

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 Acupuncture in the treatment of menopausal
vasomotor symptoms
• Objective: To determine the efficacy of acupuncture on menopausal vasomotor
symptoms.
• Design : Prospective study
• Setting : Infertility and Gynecologic Endocrinology Clinic, Department of
Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Patients : 22 patients suffer from menopausal hot flashes entered into this study.
• Interventions : Patients were treated with the classical acupuncture.
• Measures : Intensity and frequency of hot flashes
• Results :
10 out of 22 patients (45%) the hot flashes completely disappeared. 9 patients
(41%) had a marked improvement of their symptoms. 3 patients (14%) no changes.

The total rate of effectiveness was 86 %.

Comte I, Dong HG, Campana A. In: Congress of the Swiss Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Geneva, 1998
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 The Effects of Acupuncture on the Quality of Life and
Reproductive Hormonal Levels
in Menopausal Women
• Objective
To assess the effects of acupuncture on the quality of life
and reproductive hormonal secretion in menopausal
women.
• Design
A prospective study comparing changes in the quality of
life and reproductive hormones in menopausal women

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 The Effects of Acupuncture on the Quality of Life and
Reproductive Hormonal Levels
in Menopausal Women
• Patients and Methods
Eleven menopausal women suffering from vasomotor
symptoms and who had no HRT during the previous six
months entered into this study.
• Exclusion
Metabolic, thromboembolic, renal or endocrine disease.

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 MENOPAUS E, QUALITE DE VIE ET ACUPUNCTURE

Main outcome measure Da te du jour

Nom e t P é nom
Da te de na is s a nce
Mé dica me nts
Mé nopa us e de puis
Me tte z une croix da ns la ca s e corre s ponda nte à l'inte ns ité du s ymptome .

Gradatio n de s S ympto me s
Trè s

A change in the Menopause-specific Abs e nt

0 1 2 3 4 5
Ma rqué s
6

quality of life questionnaire and 1

2
Bouffé e s de cha le ur
S uda tions nocturne s
3 S uda tions
Reproductive hormone levels 4
5
Ins a tis fa ction da ns votre vie pe rs onne lle
S e ntime nts d'a ngois s e , ne rvos ité
6 Trouble s de la mé moire
7 Diminution de l'a ctivité
8 Eta t dé pré s s if, moros ité
9 Ma nque de pa tie nce e nve rs a utrui

•
10 Envie de re s te r s e ule

Menopause-specific quality of life 11

12
Fla tule nce s (ga z a bdomina ux)
Doule urs a rticula ire s ou mus cula ire
13 S e ntime nt de fa tigue
questionnaire 14
15
Ins omnie
Ma ux de dos ou de tê te
16 Diminution de la force phys ique

a) vasomotor symptoms 17
18
Diminution de la ré s is ta nce ne rve us e
Ma nque d'é ne rgie
19 P e a u s è che
20 Augme nta tion de poids
b) psychological symptoms 21
22
Augme nta tion de la pilos ité fa cia le
Modifica tion de la te xture de votre pe a u
23 Impre s s ion de ba llone me nt
24 Doule ur lomba ire s
c) physical symptoms 25
26
Envie fré que nte d'urine r
P e rte d'urine lors de rire ou de toux
27 Modifica tion du dé s ir s e xue l

d) sexual symptoms 28
29
S é che re s s e va gina le lors de s ra pports
Te nda nce à é vite r le s ra pports s e xue ls

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 Reproductive Hormonal
• Follicular stimulating hormone (FSH)
• Luteinizing hormone (LH)
• Oestradiol
• Progesterone
• Prolactin

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 Acupuncture treatment

• Classical manual acupuncture was applied and the choice

of acupuncture points was made according to syndrome
diagnosis.
• The depth of the inserted needles (sterilized and
disposable) in accordance with the rules of TC M and as
confirmed by «De qi»
• Two sessions a week for five consecutive weeks. The
duration of each session was about 40 minutes.

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 Changes of quality of life scores from pre-treatment (baseline) to the
end of the treatment and 3 months after the end of treatment (follow-up)

Baseline End of the treatment minus baseline 3 months follow-up after treatment
score (n=11) minus baseline (n=10)
Mean 95 % p-value 95 % p-value
Mean change
Domain score change confidence confidence
± S.D.
± S.D. interval interval
-1.39 to - 0.014 -0.97 to - 0.046
Physical 2.4 -0.79 ± 0.89 -0.49 ± 0.67
0.19 0.009
Vasomotor 4.2 -2.24 ± 1.7 -3.38 to -1.1 0.001 -2.1 ± 1.62 -3.26 to -0.93 0.003
Psychosocial 2.04 -0.75 ± 1.2 -1.55 to 0.53 0.64 -0.73 ± 1.41 -1.74 to 0.28 0.14
Sexual 2.27 -0.24 ± 1.01 -0.92 to 043 0.44 -2.6 ± 0.6 -0.69 to 0.16 0.19

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Vasomotor domain score assessed by MenoQol
questionnaire

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The Effects of Acupuncture on Reproductive
Hormonal levels

(N= 11)
Mean score before and after treatment P value
before after
FSH 80.3 ± 11.4 73.5 ± 13.9 0.1613
LH 48.0 ± 6.6 41.3 ± 8.9 0.2731
E2 46.1 ± 24.6 41.8 ± 17.2 0.6222
Prl 10.8 ± 1.7 11.5 ± 1.8 0.5301
Prog 0.3 ± 0.0 0.2 ± 0.0 0.7149

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The influence of acupuncture treatment on FSH
secretion in 11 menopausal women

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 Results

• Acupuncture significantly improved menopausal

vasomotor and physical symptoms, did not change
psychosocial or sexual symptoms, nor follicular
stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, oestradiol,
prolactin or progesterone secretion.

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 Discussions
• Endocrinology of hot flushes
– Estrogen
– Progesterone
– Catecholamine
– Endorphin
– Prostaglandin
– GnRH
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 Discussions

• Beta-endorphin
– pain perception
– mental state
– thermoregulation
– eating and learning
– pituitary hormone (gonadotrophin, prolatin)
secretion
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 Discussions
• Reduction of beta-endorphin has been proposed to be
involved in the mechanism of hot flashes
• It has been repeatedly shown that beta-endorphin
production and activity can be increased by acupuncture
stimulation
• Acupuncture maybe through increasing beta-endorphin
to regulate the thermoregulation

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 Discussions

• Control issues
– Sham acupuncture
– Mock transcutaneous nerve stimulation

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 Conclusion

• Acupuncture treatment may be useful for women

suffering from climacteric symptoms, who are
unable or do not want to receive hormone
replacement therapy.

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