Can Chinese Herbs Be Used for Birth Control Purposes?
Answered by: Robert Newman, L.Ac. Question from: Dennis Crealan Posted on: March 03, 2004 I know that tonic chinese herbs can be used to promote fertility; I am wondering if the opposite is true, if herbs can be used for birth control purposes. My partner and I would far prefer something along the lines of Chinese herbs, or even a tai chi/qi gong exercise of some sort, to the pill for instance. There are basically four types of herbs that are considered potentially abortive in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) when used internally and which are therefore contra-indicated with pregnancy. These are herbs that move the blood (this means that these herbs are increasing circulation of the blood through the body — some of these could also be considered to thin the blood, in western terms), herbs that are toxic or particularly harsh in their effects, herbs that are purgatives or that strongly move the “Qi” or blood downward (such as strong laxatives or many strong diuretics, etc.), and herb
