Spontaneous Pregnancy Following 6-Month Herbal Medicine Treatment for the Subclinical Stage of Premature Ovarian Insufficiency: A Case Report

Background aim: Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) in women under 40 leads to infertility and psychological distress. Timely diagnosis of POI is vital to prevent progression to ovarian failure. Chinese herbal medicine has shown efficacy in treating the subclinical stage of POI, aligning with the preventive approach of Chinese medicine. Case report: A 29-year-old with subclinical POI received exclusive herbal medicine treatment. After six months, she achieved spontaneous conception, with an anti-mullerian hormone level of 0.41 ng/mL and follicle-stimulating hormone of 14.96 mIU/mL. Ultrasound revealed increased antral follicle count post-treatment. The patient delivered a healthy full-term baby without assisted reproductive technology. Conclusion: Successful subclinical POI treatment with Chinese herbal medicine resulted in a safe, spontaneous pregnancy. This case underscores diagnostic challenges in POI, emphasising the necessity of adhering to criteria. Despite the lack of guidelines, Chinese herbal medicine shows promise for follicular growth in POI. Valuable insights contribute to learning points, emphasising the potential for natural conception without assisted reproductive technology as an indication of the efficacy of integrative approaches in subclinical POI management.