Zhang Yi, chief physician of Suining Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Sichuan Province.
Hawthorn is classified as a digestion drug in traditional Chinese medicine, but in addition to eliminating food and accumulation, it was later found that it has the effect of dissipating fat and stasis, and is mostly used for dietary stagnation, stasis, lipid spots and other diseases. In traditional Chinese medicine, hawthorn is often believed to help with appetite, but it is also believed by some to cause uterine contractions because of its ability to eliminate stasis. Therefore, the risks and benefits of hawthorn consumption need to be carefully assessed for the specific situation of pregnant women.
Hawthorn is rich in vitamin C, carotene and other nutrients, which help improve immunity and promote fetal development. However, hawthorn also contains a large amount of organic acids, which may irritate the gastric mucosa and cause digestive discomfort. In addition, hawthorn has a certain effect of stimulating the uterus and thinning the blood, and eating a large amount may cause uterine contractions, leading to an increased risk of miscarriage. Therefore, pregnant women must consume hawthorn in moderation, and if there are high-risk factors such as threatened miscarriage, they should avoid eating hawthorn.
Based on the above analysis, it is recommended to consume hawthorn with caution during pregnancy. If you particularly want to eat hawthorn, you can eat it in small amounts, but not in excess. In addition, it is recommended to cook or soak hawthorn in water before eating it to reduce the organic acid content in it and the effect of stimulating the uterus. If you have any uncomfortable symptoms, such as abdominal pain, **bleeding, etc., you should stop eating hawthorn immediately and seek medical attention in time.