🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Abortion refers to pregnancy termination before 28 weeks, with fetal weight under 1000g. Abortions occurring within the first 12 weeks are called early abortions; those after 12 weeks are late abortions. Causes include chromosomal abnormalities, exposure to toxic substances or drugs, severe maternal systemic diseases or reproductive organ disorders, immune factors, or maternal-fetal blood type incompatibility. Based on progression and characteristics, abortion can be classified into six types: threatened abortion, inevitable abortion, incomplete abortion, complete abortion, missed abortion, and habitual abortion.
Main symptoms of abortion include abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding. Threatened abortion presents with minimal bleeding, mild abdominal pain, no expulsion of pregnancy tissue, possibly accompanied by backache and pelvic pressure. Inevitable abortion shows heavier bleeding exceeding menstrual volume, no expulsion of pregnancy tissue, worsening abdominal pain, increased pelvic pressure, or rupture of membranes. Incomplete abortion manifests as heavy, persistent bleeding, expulsion of pregnancy tissue, potentially leading to hemorrhagic shock. Complete abortion shows reduced or stopped bleeding after expulsion of pregnancy tissue, with disappearance of abdominal pain. Missed abortion often follows a history of threatened abortion, with no further uterine enlargement or even shrinking. If reaching mid-pregnancy, the abdomen does not enlarge, and fetal movement ceases. Habitual abortion refers to three or more consecutive natural abortions, often occurring at the same gestational month.
Threatened abortion is known in TCM as "pregnancy abdominal pain" or "leaking fetus blood." If there is no vaginal bleeding but only back and abdominal distension and pain, it is termed "fetal agitation." TCM believes this condition arises primarily from instability of Chong and Ren meridians, unable to hold and nourish blood for the fetus. Since Chong is the Sea of Blood and Ren governs the fetus, stable Chong-Ren qi ensures the fetus is securely carried and nourished; otherwise, conditions like "leaking fetus" or "fetal agitation" occur.
TCM syndrome differentiation and treatment mainly divides into four types: kidney deficiency, qi-blood deficiency, blood heat, and trauma-induced fetal injury. Details follow:
1. Kidney Deficiency Type: Main symptoms include light vaginal bleeding during pregnancy, dark pale color, backache, lower abdominal distension and pain, or dizziness, tinnitus, frequent urination, nocturia, history of spontaneous abortion, pale tongue with white coating, deep slippery pulse, weak pulse at the two lower positions. Treatment: tonify the kidney and stabilize the fetus. Formula: Shoutai Wan with modifications: Cuscuta 15g, Lycium 15g, Taxillus 15g, Rubus 15g, Eucommia 15g, Colla Corii Asini 20g, Alpinia 3g, Codonopsis 10g, Atractylodes 10g. Decoct, take once daily, divided into morning and evening doses.
2. Qi-Blood Deficiency Type: Main symptoms include light vaginal bleeding during pregnancy, pale red color, thin consistency, lower abdominal distension and pain, accompanied by fatigue, shortness of breath, pale complexion, palpitations, insomnia, pale tongue, thin white coating, fine slippery pulse. Treatment: tonify qi and nourish blood, strengthen the kidney and stabilize the fetus. Formula: Taiyuan Yin with modifications: Codonopsis 15g, Rehmannia glutinosa 15g, Atractylodes 10g, White Peony 10g, Eucommia 10g, Longan flesh 10g, Citrus 6g, Fried Glycyrrhiza 6g, Astragalus 20g, Colla Corii Asini 20g. Decoct, take once daily, divided into morning and evening doses.
3. Blood Heat Type: Main symptoms include vaginal bleeding during pregnancy, bright red and sticky, lower abdominal distension and pain, accompanied by irritability, hot palms and soles, dry mouth and throat, short yellow urine, constipation, afternoon fever, red tongue with yellow dry coating, slippery rapid pulse. Treatment: nourish yin, clear heat, nourish blood, and stabilize the fetus. Formula: Bao Yin Jian with modifications: Dioscorea 20g, Raw Rehmannia 10g, Cooked Rehmannia 10g, White Peony 10g, Eucommia 10g, Coptis 10g, Scutellaria 10g, Boehmeria 10g, Colla Corii Asini 10g, Licorice 3g, Ligustrum 15g, Eclipta 15g, Cuscuta 15g. Decoct, take once daily, divided into morning and evening doses.
4. Trauma-Induced Fetal Injury Type: Main symptoms include external injury during pregnancy, backache, lower abdominal distension, or light vaginal bleeding, with normal pulse. Treatment: tonify qi, harmonize blood, and stabilize the fetus. Formula: Shengyu Tang with modifications: Codonopsis 15g, Motherwort 15g, Cuscuta 15g, Astragalus 25g, Angelica 20g, Raw Rehmannia 10g, Cooked Rehmannia 10g, Eucommia 10g, Taxillus 10g, Ligusticum 6g. If vaginal bleeding occurs, remove Angelica and Ligusticum, add Colla Corii Asini 12g, and Charred Mugwort 10g. Decoct, take once daily, divided into morning and evening doses.
Under the premise of syndrome differentiation and treatment, selecting proven fetal-stabilizing herbs yields better results.
Astragalus: Slightly warm in nature, sweet and pungent in taste, has functions of relieving exterior, inducing sweating, broadening the chest, relieving depression, regulating qi, and stabilizing the fetus. Suitable for wind-cold common cold during pregnancy and spleen-stomach qi stagnation causing fetal agitation, chest tightness, and nausea/vomiting. Often paired with Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae and Amomi Fructus.
Scutellaria: Cold in nature, clears heat and dries dampness, drains fire, detoxifies, cools blood, stops bleeding, and stabilizes the fetus. Suitable for fetal agitation due to internal heat during pregnancy. Often combined with Atractylodes, Angelica, etc. Also treats damp-heat diarrhea, jaundice, lung heat cough, high fever, severe heat-toxin bleeding, and carbuncles.
Taxillus: Neutral in nature, sweet in taste, removes wind-dampness, benefits liver and kidney, strengthens tendons and bones, stabilizes Chong and Ren meridians, and stabilizes the fetus. Used for fetal agitation and leaking blood due to liver-kidney essence-blood deficiency. Often used with Colla Corii Asini, Eucommia, Cuscuta, etc.
Amomi Fructus: Warm in nature, pungent in taste, transforms dampness, moves qi, warms the center, stops vomiting, relieves diarrhea, and stabilizes the fetus. Suitable for early pregnancy with qi reversal causing chest tightness, vomiting, and fetal agitation. Often used roasted and powdered alone or combined with Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae, Agastache, Scutellaria, Atractylodes, Angelica, etc.
Mugwort: Warm in nature, bitter and pungent in taste, warms the meridians, stops bleeding, dispels cold, regulates menstruation, and stabilizes the fetus. Suitable for fetal leakage and agitation due to lower-jiao deficiency cold or cold invading the uterus. Often used with Cyperus, Angelica, Foeniculum vulgare, Eucommia, Taxillus, etc.
Atractylodes: Warm in nature, sweet in taste, tonifies qi, strengthens the spleen, dries dampness, promotes urination, harmonizes the center, and stabilizes the fetus. Suitable for fetal agitation due to spleen qi deficiency. Can be combined with Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae, Poria, Codonopsis, ginger, etc. Widely used for fetal agitation due to internal heat (combined with Scutellaria, Gardenia, White Peony, etc.), blood deficiency (combined with Angelica, White Peony, Rehmannia, etc.), or kidney deficiency (combined with Taxillus, Eucommia, Dioscorea, Cornus, etc.).
Cuscuta: Warm in nature, sweet in taste, tonifies the kidney, enriches essence, nourishes the liver, improves vision, secures the primordial essence, and stabilizes the fetus. Used for fetal agitation due to liver-kidney deficiency. Often paired with Eucommia, Taxillus, Colla Corii Asini, etc. Also used for kidney deficiency-related lumbago, diabetes, frequent urination, leukorrhea, eye dimness, visual decline, and spleen-kidney deficiency diarrhea.
Eucommia: Warm in nature, sweet in taste, tonifies liver and kidney, strengthens tendons and bones, and stabilizes the fetus. Suitable for fetal agitation, vaginal bleeding during pregnancy, and habitual abortion due to liver-kidney deficiency and lower-jiao cold. Can be ground with Eucommia into powder and made into pills with jujube paste, or decocted with Eucommia, Cuscuta, Colla Corii Asini, etc.
Eucommia: Slightly warm in nature, bitter and pungent in taste, tonifies liver and kidney, connects tendons and bones, promotes blood circulation, and stabilizes the fetus. Suitable for fetal agitation due to liver-kidney deficiency and Chong-Ren imbalance. Often combined with Taxillus, Cuscuta, Colla Corii Asini.
Colla Corii Asini: Neutral in nature, sweet in taste, nourishes blood, stops bleeding, moistens dryness, and stabilizes the fetus. Suitable for fetal agitation and bleeding due to unstable Chong-Ren or yin-blood deficiency. Often combined with Raw Rehmannia, Mugwort, etc. Also used for excessive menstrual bleeding and postpartum constipation.
Bamboo茹: Slightly cold in nature, sweet in taste, clears heat, resolves phlegm, relieves annoyance, stops vomiting, and stabilizes the fetus. Used for fetal agitation due to internal heat during pregnancy. Can be used alone or combined with Scutellaria, Boehmeria, etc.
Boehmeria: Cold in nature, sweet in taste, clears heat, cools blood, detoxifies, and stabilizes the fetus. Suitable for fetal agitation and bleeding due to intense heat-toxin. Can be used alone or combined with Colla Corii Asini, Scutellaria, Angelica, etc.
Calamus: Warm in nature, pungent and bitter in taste, opens orifices, calms the spirit, transforms dampness, harmonizes the stomach, and stabilizes the fetus. Suitable for fetal agitation due to dampness obstructing the middle burner. Effective in relieving chest tightness, abdominal distension, and vomiting. Often paired with Amomi Fructus, Atractylodes, Magnolia Bark, etc.
Grape: Sweet and sour in taste, neutral in nature, enters spleen, lung, and kidney meridians. Benefits qi and blood, nourishes liver and kidney, strengthens tendons and bones, generates body fluids, quenches thirst, and promotes urination.
Lemon: Sour and neutral in taste, enters spleen, stomach, and kidney meridians. Generates body fluids, quenches thirst, stabilizes the fetus, and alleviates summer heat-induced fetal agitation in pregnant women.
Chicken Liver: Sweet, bitter, warm in nature, enters liver and kidney meridians. Nourishes liver and blood, warms the kidney and boosts qi. Effective for fetal agitation due to post-pregnancy qi-blood deficiency.
Carps: Sweet and neutral in nature, enters spleen, stomach, and kidney meridians. Tonifies the spleen and stomach, promotes diuresis, reduces swelling, nourishes blood, and facilitates lactation. Combined with Boehmeria, it greatly enhances fetal stabilization effect.