Herbs, Vitamins and Diet to Avoid Miscarriage
Answered by: Susan Eagles
Question from: Name not given
Posted on: September 15, 2003

What herbs or other things have you used in your practice to prevent unnecessary miscarriages in your pregnant patients? Do you know of some foods that cause miscarriage, or vitamins, herbs, anything one should be cautious of who miscarries too easily?

Who can you refer me to who can answer my questions about the use of herbs for all pregnancy concerns?

Aviva Romm, professional herbalist and midwife, has had many years of experience. In her "The Natural Pregnancy Book" (publishers "The Crossing Press", Freedom, California), Aviva includes a section on preventing miscarriage. Some of her dietary advice is: a balanced diet including adequate protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and fluids; avoid cold-natured and cold-temperature foods like foods that have come right out of the refrigerator, tropical fruit unless grown locally, fresh salads when locally grown produce is not available; use warming, nourishing foods like chicken, legume and miso soups, whole grain hot cereals and soups and dark greens; warm tea or room temperature water as a beverage. For threatened miscarriage, Aviva recommends: vitamin E to strengthen the placental attachment to the uterus: up to 800 iu daily, but for no longer than 3 weeks, because prolonged use can result in the placenta becoming abnormally attached to the uterine wall. If you have heart disease, do not exceed 50 iu daily without consultation your physician; vitamin C with bioflavonoids, up to 1000 mg daily including the amount that is in your prenatal vitamin. Aviva cautions that high doses of vitamin C, in excess of 2000 mg can cause miscarriage.

Aviva documents a "Miscarriage Prevention Tea" that includes partridge berry to tone the uterus, cramp bark to relax the uterine muscles, chasteberry to regulate reproductive hormones so that pregnancy can be sustained, a small amount of lobelia to reduce uterine contractions and ginger root for its warming properties. I recommend that you purchase Aviva’s book, or find it in a library, so that you can follow her recommendations in detail.

Aviva Romm is available for consultation by telephone: 770-751-7548.

Another excellent book that deals with food and vitamins for a healthy pregnancy is: "Healthy Parents, Better Babies" A Couples Guide to Natural Preconception Health Care by Francesca Naish and Janette Roberts (publisher The Crossing Press, California)

To see a list of herbs to be avoided in pregnancy, please visit our web site at http://www.richters.com. Choose "Q&A" from the main menu, then enter "herbs to avoid in pregnancy" for the search. For more information on preventing miscarriage, enter "Preventing Miscarriage" for the search.

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