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China Elevator Stories
“Pregnant women can’t eat Chinese hawthorn”
The owner of a fruit shop in Shenzhen won’t sell me Chinese hawthorn.
14/08/2014
Ruth Silbermayr
Author
It’s April 2013. My husband and I go to the fruit shop. The combination of pregnancy and a recent rise in temperatures in Shenzhen has brought on hot flashes for me. I’ve been craving melons for the past two weeks. We choose a melon, place it on the counter, and I look around to see if there are any other fruits I feel like eating. I spot Chinese hawthorn fruits (山楂) and add them to the counter as well. The cashier takes the melon, weighs it, and registers the price—but then stops.
He tells me, “Pregnant women can’t eat Chinese hawthorn.”
I’ve eaten them before during my second trimester of pregnancy after my mother-in-law recommended them. I reply, “Really? I’ve eaten hawthorn fruits quite a few times during pregnancy.”
He confirms, “Yes, really. It’s not indicated for pregnant women. That’s what we say here in the south.”
Seeing that he won’t sell the hawthorn fruits to us even if we insist, we only buy the melon.
My mother-in-law tells me that when she was pregnant with my husband more than 32 years ago, she ate Chinese hawthorn fruits. She says the sour taste helped with her nausea during pregnancy. However, when she recommended them to me, she also warned me to be cautious during the first trimester, when the risk of miscarriage is highest. According to her, it’s relatively safe to eat fewer than three Chinese hawthorn fruits a day after the first three months of pregnancy (but not during the first trimester).
Back at home, I search the terms “hawthorn fruits” and “pregnancy.” On the Chinese internet, I find articles advising pregnant women to be cautious about eating Chinese hawthorn—especially in large amounts. Why? According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chinese hawthorn invigorates blood circulation and might induce contractions in pregnant women, potentially leading to miscarriage.
Just to be safe, I avoid Chinese hawthorn fruits for the rest of my pregnancy. After all, there are plenty of other fruits that are safe to eat during pregnancy.
Have you ever received similar advice?