articles
China Elevator Stories
according to my Chinese Mother-in-law, becoming pregnant will cure Menorrhagia
I’m skeptical when my mother-in-law tells me that pregnancy could cure heavy menses.
04/05/2015
Ruth Silbermayr
Author
Whenever my Chinese mother-in-law assured me that my menstrual problems would be healed by pregnancy, I was skeptical. After all, I had been dealing with menorrhagia (heavy and prolonged periods) for more than a decade. I used to dread that time of the month, and for good reason. Sleep was often disrupted because I had to get up every few hours to go to the toilet.
In the past, I had to plan around my periods to avoid uncomfortable or embarrassing situations. For example, when I climbed the mountains at Tiger Leaping Gorge in the summer of 2013, I chose a shorter route and headed straight to Shangri-La instead of trekking to other villages further down the road because my period was about to start. Sometimes, I had to take a day off work.
Before becoming pregnant, I relied on menstrual cups because pads or tampons simply weren’t enough. I also experienced severe back pain and other menstruation-related discomforts. The pain disappeared completely after receiving Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatment from a doctor in Siping, but my periods remained extremely heavy.
In the summer of 2013, I went to the hospital for check-ups, and the doctor explained that my menorrhagia was linked to hormonal imbalances (excess estrogen and low progesterone levels). She prescribed hormones, but after reading about the potential side effects—including an increased risk of breast or other cancers—I decided to stop taking them.
Instead, in early fall of 2013, I visited a TCM practitioner specializing in gynecology. A few days after beginning treatment for my hormone imbalances (a condition I’ve heard can be effectively treated with TCM), I discovered I was pregnant.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding turned out to be the perfect short-term solution for my menstrual problems. When my periods resumed five months after giving birth, they were no longer heavy.
My husband always emphasizes the importance of avoiding the cold—whether it’s cold foods (both in temperature and in TCM terms), cold weather, cold water, or cold feet. He even makes sure I wear slippers at home and often washes the dishes during my period since many kitchen sinks in China only have cold water.
However, contrary to my mother-in-law’s predictions, my menorrhagia was not permanently cured by pregnancy. After I stopped breastfeeding my second son, my periods returned to being as heavy as they were before.
Have you ever had menstrual problems?