[TCM] Barefoot doctor's manual birth control planning

[Matt Epps]

OK, I'll quote a little from the barefoot doctors manual (this is the
american translation, copyright 1977)... there are 4 decoctions under the
chinese herbs method of contraception

chapter V: birth control planning
section 1:significance
section 2: promoting late marriage
  section 3: contraception
  several simple and safe methods of contraception are as follows:
  chinese herbs
  1. decoction prepared from tender sprouts of Pinus massoniana. 9 stalks,
each about 5 cun long, and roots of white stipa, 1 liang, to be taken once
after conclusion of menstral period, for 5 months in succession. Effective
as contraceptive for 3 years.
  2. preparation from roots of the following, 1 liang each:
  coniogramme japonica
  dysosma auranticocaulis
  paris polyphylla
  crush for juice, and take orally with cold boiled water during menstrual
period, 3 times daily. the number of days the drug is taken depends on the
length of the menstrual period. Effective as contraceptive for 8 months.
  3. Preparation from flowers and roots (about 1-2 ch'ien) of Paris
polyphylla. Crush and take in one dose with wine at end of menstral period.
Effective as a contraceptive for a year.
  4. Decoction prepared from the following:
  dates (from palm Trachycarpus excelsa), 5 liang
  roots of bamboo phyllostachys nigra, 2 liang
  white wine, 1 liang
  brown sugar, 1 liang
  take at the end of menstrual period, once a day for 3 days in a row.
Decoction effective as a contraceptive for one year (if taken by women 2-3
months pregnant abortion may result)

The next subsection include use of condoms, oral contraceptives, and then
section 4 is on to sterilization including subsections on chinese herbs and
surgery. What gets me is the length of suggested effectiveness after such
relatively short courses of treatment. Method 3: one dose..effective one
year...and then theoretically it would stop being effective, because we are
not in the section of sterilization.

Any thoughts on these formulas use and effectiveness, safety? Anyone have
experience with these types of formulas or these herbs? Any thoughts on how
they might work in TCM terms?
Thanks, matt


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Matthew Epps

www.qingqi.ch
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