Women's Health Series: How Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture treat Recurrent Miscarriages

Recurrent miscarriage is defined as having 3 or more early (first trimester) miscarriages.

Miscarriages are devastating and having multiple miscarriages is often a very traumatic experience. 

Western Medicine Perspective on Recurrent Miscarriages


In a certain way, miscarriage is usually nature’s way of getting rid of conceptions that will not result in healthy babies. Generally speaking, healthy babies don’t just miscarry, though there are some factors that may cause that to happen.

Western Medicine Causes of Recurrent Miscarriages

1. Abnormal chromosomes

Development of the baby with wrong number of chromosomes (too many or not enough) is usually the common cause of recurrent miscarriages. Occasionally the structure of the chromosome itself develops in the wrong way can also result in recurrent miscarriages.

2. Blood Clotting Disorders

Some blood clotting disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may cause recurrent miscarriage. This is because they cause ‘sticky blood’ and affect the blood flow to the placenta and may even cause blood clots in the placenta. When that happens, oxygen and nutrients cannot reach the baby which results in miscarriages.

3. Hormonal Imbalances

Thyroid problems: High levels of ‘thyroid stimulating hormone’ (TSH) or the presence of thyroid antibodies can increase the risk of miscarriage.

Diabetes: Diabetes that is not properly managed can result in higher chance of recurrent miscarriage.

Prolactin imbalance: Problems with pituitary gland which governs the production of prolactin which is a hormone that controls lots of bodily functions such as milk production can also increase the chances of miscarriage.

4. Shape of Womb

Unusual shape of womb or uterine problems may increase the risk of recurrent miscarriage.

5. Cervical Weakness

Cervix which is the ring of muscle at the base of the womb or uterus that connects it to the vagina  will shorten and open to allow the baby to pass through and be born during labour. Sometimes this muscle shortens and opens before it should especially in the second or third trimester. This is known as cervical weakness.

 

Traditional Chinese Medicine Perspective on Recurrent Miscarriages

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the Kidney Essence (Jing), Yin, Yang, and Qi provide direction, energy, and substance to the reproductive system. The quality and balance of these energies determine sexual and reproductive health. TCM theory states that a decline in the vital energies is a significant contributing factor to recurrent miscarriage.

Read more about How TCM works scientifically here.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Causes of Recurrent Miscarriages

In TCM, every condition can be divided into different syndrome differentiation based on their causes.

For recurrent miscarriages, there are six different syndrome differentiation according to TCM.

1.       Deficiency of the Kidney and Spleen, and disharmony of the Chong (Penetrating) and Ren (Conception) vessels

2.       Kidney qi deficiency with blood stagnation in the uterus

3.       Kidney yin deficiency with Liver qi stagnation and blood heat

4.       Spleen qi and blood deficiency

5.       Damp and heat accumulated in the uterus

6.       External factors (trauma)

Energetic Perspective on Recurrent Miscarriage


Women who have repeated (three or more) miscarriages may be due to an interplay between emotions and hormonal systems involved in pregnancy. It is said that there are endocrinological imbalances resulting from emotional stress in women who miscarry habitually and in those who have a weak cervix.

Some studies have also suggested that some of the women who have recurrent miscarriage or weak cervix have difficulty in accepting motherhood and their feminine role. Femininity to these women means being self sacrificing, passive, and suffering and having to serve and cater to their husbands.

Other studies have suggested that women who underwent recurrent miscarriage mainly received pleasure in life through fulfilling the expectations of others. They usually appeared to react compliantly to the demands of others while building up tension and hostility in their bodies. Miscarriages in this case are psychosomatic in nature in which it relieved the tension that had built up in their bodies.

Read more about Dr Xiang Jun Tension Release Therapy here.

Conventional Treatment of Recurrent Miscarriages

Hormone pills

Recurrent miscarriages due to underlying hormonal imbalances such as thyroid problems, diabetes, PCOS can be treated with hormone pills to artificially tilt the imbalance back.

However such approaches do not cure the condition but only to temporarily mask the surface of the root problem. Furthermore there are significant side effects from such hormonal therapy.

surgery

Recurrent miscarriage due to cervix weakness may be recommended to have a cervical cerclage or cervical stitch either before or during pregnancy.

Holistic Treatment of Recurrent Miscarriages

In cases of recurrent miscarriages there is always some degree of Kidney and blood deficiency, and therefore strengthening Kidney qi and nourishing blood are always crucial prior to and during pregnancy.

Emotional stress and anxiety in women who have experiences of recurrent miscarriages can also further increase the risk of miscarriage, therefore soothing Liver qi and nourishing Heart yin must also be considered at all times during treatment.

Read more on how TCM and Acupuncture treat Infertility, Premenstrual syndrome, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Endometriosis, Fibroids, Irregular Period, Menopause.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture can modulate and regulate multi-systems in the body such as the endocrine, vascular, nervous systems which are the factors that can result in recurrent miscarriages.

Common acupoints used for strengthening Kidney Qi and nourish blood are: San Yin Jiao SP-6 三阴交, Zu San LiST-36足三里, Guan Yuan CV-4 关元

Common acupoints used for soothing Liver Qi and nourish Heart Yin are: Tai Chong LV-3 太冲, Shen Men HT-7神门

Herbs

Common herbs used for strengthening Kidney Qi and nourish blood are: Huang Qi (Astragali Radix), Dang Shen (Codonopsis Radix)

Common herbs used for soothing Liver Qi and nourish Heart Yin are: Zhi Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix preparata), Suan Zao Ren (Ziziphi spinosae Semen)

Final words about the Healing Journey for Recurrent Miscarriages

The healing of recurrent miscarriages does not come from using pills to suppress the symptoms or surgery to supposedly eliminate the problem.

Recurrent miscarriage is an interplay between emotions and hormonal systems involved in pregnancy. The ways in which a woman’s body modulates her feelings about her pregnancy are diverse, but all are mediated by the immune and endocrine systems and also by the ways in which our thoughts impact cells directly. Therefore, recurrent miscarriage is multifactorial and has psychosomatic influence.  

The healing of recurrent miscarriages therefore is not simply a physiological process but also a psychological and emotional healing journey for the grief and guilt that come from previous miscarriages and the perspective shift and acceptance with regard to motherhood and femininity moving forward with future pregnancies.

TCM(Traditional Chin Med), TCM Wellness, TCM and Science, Basics of TCM, TCM SexologyXiang Jun LimDr (TCM) Xiang Juntcm, acupuncture, traditional chinese medicine, western medicine, hormonal imbalance, infertility, science, cells, molecules, women's health, hormones, miscarriage