Acne, infertility, and recurrent pregnancy loss

In my clinical practice, at Acubalance wellness centre, I have the privilege of treating many different people's skin, reproductive disorder, and/ or the combination of both.  I have now grown to see, through both clinical experience and modern research, that the causative factors behind a woman's hormonal acne, may also be the reason that she has been unsuccessful in either becoming pregnant and/ or keeping a pregnancy to full term.

Dr Jerylinn Prior, a well known endocrinology professor and researcher, once said at a public lecture that the presence of acne and/ or excessive hair growth in a woman is a good enough indicator that she has excessive androgens, the so called male hormones, and that a blood test is not necessary.  Androgens, and specifically testosterone, is what triggers the sebaceous glands in the skin to express sebum and, when in excess, leads to plugging of the gland with acne being the end result. Excessive production of androgens, a state called hyperandrogenemia, has been linked to a variety of reproductive problems including infertility, anovulation, and recurrent pregnancy loss. 
Excessive testosterone in the ovary prevents a growing follicle from ovulating, which thus becomes stuck so to speak. This type of scenario of high androgens and lack of ovulation is common in poly-cystic ovarian syndrome, which is one of the most common causes of infertility (Clinical Gynecologic Endocrinology and Infertility, pg. 469).

Studies have shown that high androgens are directly linked to recurrent pregnancy loss, and can even be a better indicator of future pregnancy losses, than advanced maternal age (Human Reproduction 2008 23(4):797-802). 
Higher androgens have been linked to not only higher incidences of miscarriage, but also to an inability for an embryo to even implant in the first place. This is most likely due to a direct correlation between high androgen levels, which leads to higher concentrations of endometrial androgen receptor sites, and decreased levels of an important endometrial receptivity bio-marker called αvβ3 integrin. Basically studies have shown that higher androgen levels decrease the uteruses ability to grasp and hold onto a growing embryo, making the uterus less receptive (Biol Reprod. 2002 Feb;66(2):297-304.)
Higher androgen levels have also been linked to decreased endometrial blood flow, which could be another reason for the lack of either embryo implantation and/ or miscarriage (Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2009 Sep;34(3):326-34).

Basically, many can see from the above thinking that acne, which can indicate higher androgens levels, can be a diagnostic clue linking problem skin to reproductive issues. Because Chinese medicine takes all factors of ones health into consideration, the link between the skin and reproduction is not so far stretched.

A typical treatment in Chinese medicine will focus on both the look of a woman's acne plus the history of any menstrual irregularities, history of pregnancy losses, and even ones overall health. I would say from my own, and colleagues, experience that the end result is very good. Women taking Chinese medical treatment end up with clearer skin, regular ovulatory cycles, and even full term pregnancy.

Dr Trevor Erikson, Dr. TCM, FABORM, Diploma of Chinese medical dermatology

http://skin.health-info.org/