Updated on May 18, 2022

[Supervised by a Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner] If you're starting to try to conceive, begin with warming up your body!
The part you should warm up is your lower body.

Warming the body
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Coldness and the ovaries/uterus

Reading time: 2 minutes 30 seconds

[Supervised by a Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner] If you're starting to try to conceive, begin with warming your body! The area you should warm is your "lower body".

Cold is a major enemy when trying to conceive! Its effects on the ovaries and uterus.
Warmth-promoting care you can start today

Dr. Naohisa Koyama, Honorary Director, Health Science Clinic, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University

Supervision

Honorary Director, Health Science Clinic, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University: Professor Naohisa Goyama

After graduating from Osaka Medical University and completing clinical training, he studied at Shimane University School of Medicine and Oklahoma State University in the United States. In 1993, he became a lecturer and then associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Osaka Medical University, and in 2006, he became a professor at Aino Gakuin Junior College. In 2009, he became a professor of the endowed chair at the Osaka Medical University Health Science Clinic, and in 2016, he became a professor at the same Health Science Clinic, and in 2020, he became honorary director, and in 2022, he became a distinguished professor at Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University.

Cold is a major enemy when trying to conceive!

Illustration of a woman who is troubled.

I'm concerned about feeling cold all the time. Will this affect my ability to conceive?

Professor Naohisa Goyama

If you're starting to think about getting pregnant, the first thing you should focus on is creating a body that doesn't get cold!
It is said that a low body temperature makes it easier for viruses to multiply in the body, making you more susceptible to colds, and that poor blood circulation throughout the body can reduce the function of reproductive organs (ovaries and uterus). Therefore, cold is a major enemy when trying to conceive.

Illustration of a woman who is troubled.

So, cold temperatures have a negative impact on the ovaries and uterus! What specific effects does it have?

Professor Naohisa Goyama

First, the ovaries are densely packed with blood vessels that carry the nutrients necessary for egg development. Poor blood flow to the ovaries is thought to hinder egg development and maturation. Even if immature eggs are released during ovulation, fertilization may not be successful.
Furthermore, the uterus prepares itself as a soft, comfortable bed to receive the fertilized egg in preparation for implantation. However, poor blood flow to the uterus and surrounding areas due to coldness in the lower body can hinder this preparation, making it difficult for the fertilized egg to implant.

The thickness of the uterine lining changes between the follicular phase and the luteal phase.

Warmth-promoting care you can start today

Illustration of a woman who is troubled.

Are there any tips for keeping the body warm?

Professor Naohisa Goyama

It is especially good to warm your lower body. In traditional Chinese medicine, there is a belief that "keeping your head cool and your feet warm" is good for your health. As the characters suggest, keeping your upper body cool and your feet warm is considered beneficial for your body.
Furthermore, when examining people who complain of cold feet, we often find that their buttocks and lower back are also cold. It is important to warm not only the feet, but also the entire lower body, from the navel down.

Illustration of a woman who is troubled.