Secondary infertility is defined as the inability to conceive or carry a pregnancy to term after you have already successfully given birth to one or more children. Many couples experience secondary infertility even after easily conceiving and carrying an earlier pregnancy to term. Though this type of infertility is given the name "secondary," this doesn’t mean that it is any less painful than primary infertility; it can cause just as intense emotions and feelings.

Key points for TCM diagnosis
(1) Failure to be pregnant without contraceptions in two years after last pregnancy accompanied by irregular menstruation, premenstrual distension or distending pain in the breasts, dysmenorrhea, aching, prolapsing and distending pain in the loins and abdomen, abnormal changes of leukorrhea, mass in the abdomen, occasional low fever, sexual frigidity, dyspareunia, or anxiety, insomnia and depression.

(2) Hysterosalpingography is helpful for detecting morbid changes in the uterus and the conditions of oviduct; abdominoscopy and uteroscopy are helpful for direct observation of the organs in the pelvis and uterus, such as inflammation and mass in the reproductive system.

(3) Diagnostic curettage and histological examination of endometrium before menstruation or 6 hours within menstruation: This examination is helpful for understanding both the morbid changes in the cervix and uterus and the functions of yellow body of ovary. Hyperplasic endometrium indicates no ovulation while secretory endometriurn suggests ovulation; early secretory endometrium or insufficiency of secretion suggests ovulation with hypofunction of yellow body of ovary.

(4) Type B ultrasonic examination is helpful for detecting development of ovum and understanding whether there are organic changes of the uterus and ovary.

(5) Hormone level test is done to analyze whether ovary, pituitary gland and hypothalamus have affected ovulation.

(6) PCT tests the ability of semen in penetrating cervical mucus and in survival.

(7) Immune examination of serum and cervical mucus is done to determine whether sterility is immune sterility or not.