Research into Recurrent Miscarriage and Chinese Herbal Medicine
29 April 2008
(1) The effect of Chinese herbal medicine in threatened miscarriage was observed in a study at Shanghai Gynaecology & Obstetrics Department of Shanghai Medical University. In 40 women with threatened abortion and a history of miscarriage, blood test showed threatened abortion (TA), compared to the blood test of normal pregnant women (The plasma beta-EP level in TA was significantly higher than that in normal pregnant women, P < 0.01. On the contrary, plasma GnRH, HCG and P4 were obviously lower in TA as compared with those of the normal cases, P < 0.01.) After treatment with Chinese herbal medicine that supported reproduction and blood circulation and protected the foetus, 36 of the 40 patients continued their pregnancy without symptoms of TA, and the above-mentioned four criteria measured at 10-12th week of gestation were similar to those of normal cases, P > 0.05. The authors concluded that Chinese herbal Medicine can regulate plasma beta-EP and placental endocrine function in threatened abortion in women with a history of recurrent miscarriage.
Sun F, Yu J. [Effect of TCM on plasma beta-endorphin and placental endocrine in threatened abortion] Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 1999 Feb; 19 (2):87-9.
(2) A study in Japan showed that recurrent miscarriages with an immunological component (rejection of the foetus as foreign) benefit positively to the treatment with Chinese herbal medicine. Twelve patients with recurrent abortion who had shown positive anti-phospholipid antibodies were treated through the administration of a Japanese modified traditional Chinese herbal medicine Sairei-To (Cai ling Tang). The patients had experienced a total of 27 spontaneous abortions in their previous pregnancies and had no other pregnancy history except for one patient. The patients were treated with 9.0 g of Sairei-To per day before their next pregnancy. The positive value of antiphospholipid antibodies returned to negative in 9 patients out of 12 patients through the treatment. Out of 12 patients, 10 patients continued their new pregnancy uneventfully, and they delivered an offspring (Success rate: 83.3%). Thus, the current treatment was considered to be an effective therapy for patients with recurrent abortion whose miscarriage is immune related (positive anti-phospholipid antibodies).
Takakuwa K, Yasuda M, Hataya I, Sekizuka N, Tamura M, Arakawa M, Higashino M, Hasegawa I, Tanaka K. Treatment for patients with recurrent abortion with positive antiphospholipid antibodies using a traditional Chinese herbal medicine. J Med. 1996; 24(5):489-94.