Postpartum Health and Traditional Chinese Medicine

Giving birth is not only emotionally draining, but also physically. In most cultures, it is very important that new mothers are well-rested and taken care of to help with their physical healing, as giving birth can be very strenuous to the body.

In Chinese traditional medicine, mothers are often helped by a special concoction called Sheng Hua Tang (SHT), which is supposed to help in stimulating blood flow and relieves pain, ultimately leading to faster healing. The concoction includes extracts of Radix angelicae sinensis, Radix ligustici chuanxiong, Semen persicae, Rhizoma zingiberis officinalis (ginger), and Radix glycyrrhizae uralensis. In one study, SHT has been shown to also help with the re-shaping of the uterus to its original form, and stimulates ovarian activity for better hormonal balance. It is only one of the various herbal formulations from many cultures for mothers, which must have arisen over the centuries with the notion to give the best care of health for mothers and babies.