Miscarriage
Acupuncture can reduce the rate of early miscarriage by reducing cortisol
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It has been found that high levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, during the first 3 weeks of pregnancy are 2.7 times more likely to miscarry than women with normal levels of cortisol. Miscarriages happened after an average of 2 weeks of pregnancy. 90% of women with high cortisol levels miscarried in the 1st 3 weeks of pregnancy. Acupuncture has been shown to relieve stress and keep cortisol levels under control.
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Proc Natl Acad Sci, USA, 10.1073/pnas.0511183103 Pablo A Nepomnaschy, Kathleen B Welch, Daniel S McConnell, Bobbi S Low, Beverly L Strassmann and Barry G England.
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Chinese herbal medicine can regulate plasma beta-EP and placental endocrine function in threatened abortion in women with a history of miscarriage.
A study was carried out at Shanghai Medical University into the effectiveness of Chinese herbal medicine in threatened miscarriage. 40 women with a history of miscarriage, and whose blood tests showed signs of threatened miscarriage (ie. plasma beta-EP was raised, whilst GnRH, HCG and P4 were lowered), were treated with Chinese herbal medicine that supported reproduction and blood circulation and protected the foetus. 36 out of the 40 women continued their pregnancy without miscarrying, and the plasma beta-EP, GnRH, HCG and P4 were normalized when retested at 10-12 weeks of gestation. The study 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.
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Sun F, Yu J (Effect of TCM on plasma beta-endorphin and placental endocrine function in threatened abortion) Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi, Feb 1999; 19 (2): 87-9.
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Chinese herbal medicine is effective in treating patients with recurrent immune-related miscarriage (with positive anti-phospholipid antibodies).
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Japanese study has shown that patients with recurrent miscarriages due to immunological causes can benefit from treatment with Chinese herbal medicine. 12 patients with recurrent miscarriage who had shown positive anti-phospholipid antibodies were treated with a Japanese modified traditional Chinese herbal medicine, Cai Ling Tang. The patients had experienced a total of 27 miscarriages in their previous pregnancies, and no other pregnancy history except for one patient. The patients were treated with 9g of Cai Ling Tang per day before their next pregnancy. The positive value of antiphospholipid antibodies returned to negative in 9 out of 12 patients after the treatment. Out of the 12, 10 patients continued their pregnancy and delivered healthy babies (success rate: 83.3%). The treatment was therefore considered to be effective for patients with recurrent immune-related miscarriage (with positive anti-phospholipid antibodies).
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Takakuwa K, Yasuda M, Hataya I, Sekizuka N, Tamura M, Arakawa M, Higashino M, Hasegawa I, Tanak K. Treatment for patients with recurrent abortion with positive antiphospholipid anitibodies using a traditional Chinese herbal medicine. J Med 1996; 24 (5): 489-94
