Many people believe that traditional Chinese medicine has minimal side effects, but caution should be exercised during pregnancy when using medication. Certain drugs that can harm the fetus and cause miscarriage should be avoided during pregnancy. Depending on the degree of damage to the fetus and pregnant women, these drugs can usually be classified as prohibited or cautiously used.
Prohibited drugs: These are mostly highly toxic or have strong purgative, blood-breaking, or dispersing properties.
Such as blister beetle, croton seed, radix trachelospermi, giant knotweed rhizome, rhubarb, mirabilitum, radix et rhizoma rhei, leech, tsetse fly, lacquer, zedoary, musk, etc.
Cautiously used drugs: These are mostly drugs that can promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis, dissolve qi and relieve stagnation, and have hot and slippery properties.
Such as peach kernel, safflower, achyranthes root, calamine, rhubarb, mirabilitum, processed aconite root, dried ginger, cinnamon, bitter orange, malva seed, wheat, etc.
Regardless of whether the drugs are prohibited or cautiously used, they should be avoided as much as possible when there is no special need. However, if a pregnant woman is suffering from a serious illness and cannot be cured without using the above-mentioned drugs, the main contradiction should be grasped, and the drugs should be used judiciously and promptly to eliminate the pathogenic factors, which is more beneficial for the health of both mother and child. This is the principle of having a reason for use and no harm.
Dietary precautions during pregnancy
High sugar diet is not suitable: High blood sugar levels in pregnant women increase the possibility of giving birth to overweight babies. High blood sugar levels also increase the burden on the kidneys of pregnant women, which is not conducive to prenatal health.
High protein diet is not suitable: A high protein diet can affect the appetite of pregnant women and increase the burden on the gastrointestinal tract. Harmful substances such as hydrogen sulfide and histamine can be produced in the body, leading to bloating, decreased appetite, dizziness, fatigue, and other symptoms.
High fat diet is not suitable: If a pregnant woman consumes a high-fat diet for a long time, it will increase the risk of reproductive system tumors in her daughter. Long-term consumption of high-fat foods can increase the concentration of bile acids and neutral cholesterol in the colon. At the same time, high-fat foods can increase the synthesis of lactogenic hormones, leading to the occurrence of breast cancer, which is not conducive to the health of both mother and child.
High calcium diet is not suitable: If a woman blindly follows a high calcium diet during pregnancy, drinks a large amount of milk, and takes calcium supplements, vitamin D, etc., it is harmful rather than beneficial to the fetus. Nutritionists believe that excessive calcium supplementation during pregnancy may cause hypercalcemia in the fetus. After birth, the child may have early closure of the fontanelles, widened and protruding jawbones, and other issues that are not conducive to healthy growth and development.
Avoid eating moldy food: If a pregnant woman consumes agricultural and sideline products and food contaminated with mold toxins, it can not only cause acute or chronic food poisoning but also harm the fetus.
