Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Threatened Miscarriage: Advantages and Risks

Table 1

Commonly used CHM formulas for the treatment of threatened miscarriage.

Formula	Main compositions and intervention	Comparison	Effective rate	Adverse outcomes	References
Shoutai pill	Semen Cuscutae (10–15 g), Herba Taxilli (10–20 g), Radix Dipsaci (10 g), Colla Corii Asini (10 g) PO, QD/BID, 7–28 days, alone or combined with comparators	(A) Progesterone, 20 mg, IM, QD, 7–21 days; (B) progesterone, 40 mg, PO, every other day, to 10 completed weeks of gestation; followed by once every three days to weekly until 12 completed weeks of gestation	90.00–93.34%	Premature rupture of fetal membranes, gestational diabetes mellitus, gestational hypertension, postpartum hemorrhage, low birth weight infant, neonatal malformation	[34–37]
Zishen Yutai pill	Radix Codonopsis, Radix Dipsaci, Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, Radix Morindae Officinalis, Fallopia multiflora, Cortex Eucommiae make a pill at 5 g PO, TID, 7–21 days, alone or combined with comparators	(A) Progesterone, 20–40 mg, IM, QD, 14–21 days; (B) progesterone, 40 mg, PO, at the first time, followed by 10 mg, Q8H/Q12H, until symptoms disappear; (C) dydrogesterone, 10 mg, PO, BID, 7 days; (D) allylestrenol, 10 mg, PO, QD, 7 days	85.33–100%	Colporrhagia, soreness of waist, abdominal pain, hypogastralgia, nausea, dry mouth, poor appetite, constipation, dizziness, headache, and edema	[38–44]
Gushen Antai pill	Semen Cuscutae, Herba Taxilli, Radix Dipsaci, Fallopia multiflora, Rehmannia glutinosa, Cistanche, Uncaria rhynchophylla, Radix Paeoniae Alba, Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, Radix Scutellariae make a pill at 6 g PO, TID, 14–28 days, combined with comparators	(A) Progesterone, 20–40 mg, IM, QD, or 100 mg, PO, BID, 14 days; (B) progesterone, 100 mg, PO, BID, 14 days; (C) dydrogesterone, 40 mg, PO, at the first time, followed by 10 mg, PO, Q8H, 14 days	87.64–93.90%	Preterm delivery and miscarriage	[45–48]
Andian Ertian decoction	Radix Dipsaci (15 g), Semen Cuscutae (15 g), Herba Taxilli (15 g), Pseudostellaria heterophylla (15 g), Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata (10–15 g), Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae (15–20 g), Dioscoreae Rhizoma (15 g), Fructus Corni (10–15 g), Dolichos Lablab (15 g), Cortex Eucommiae (9-10 g), Fructus Lycii (6 g), Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae (3–6 g) PO, QD/QOD, 7–14 days	Progesterone, 20 mg, IM, QD, 7–90 days	93.33–97.14%	Preterm delivery, miscarriage within 28 weeks	[49, 50]
Baoyin decoction	Rehmannia glutinosa (12 g) (6–15 g), Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata (6–15 g), Radix Scutellariae (4.5–10 g), Phellodendron chinense Schneid (4.5–10 g), Radix Paeoniae Alba (6–10 g), Radix Dipsaci (4.5–10 g), Dioscorea opposita (4.5–15 g), Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae (3–5 g) PO, BID/TID, 7–21 days, combined with progesterone 100–150 mg PO, BID, 7 days, or dydrogesterone as comparator	(A) Dydrogesterone, 20 mg, PO, Q12H, 21 days; (B) hCG, 2000 IU, IM, QD, 7 days	90.00–97.40%	Not reported	[51, 52]
Baotai decoction	Rehmannia glutinosa (6–15 g) (12 g), Semen Cuscutae (12 g), Herba Taxilli (12 g), Radix Scutellariae (9 g), Poria cocos (9 g), Radix Dipsaci (9 g), Dioscoreae Rhizoma (10 g), Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae (15 g), Cinnamomum cassia Presl (6 g), Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata (3 g) PO, QD, 14 days	Dydrogesterone, 40 mg, PO, once; followed by 10 mg, PO, Q8H, 14 days	95.00%	Not reported	[53]
Bushen Antai decoction	Semen Cuscutae (10–30 g), Cortex Eucommiae (10–15 g), Herba Taxilli (10–18 g), Radix Dipsaci (10–15 g), Pseudostellaria heterophylla (10–15 g), Radix Astragali (10–15 g), Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae (10–15 g), Radix Scutellariae (15 g), Radix Paeoniae Alba (10 g), Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata (10 g), Boehmeriae Radix (10 g), Colla Corii Asini (11 g) PO, BID, 10 days, combined with comparator	Progesterone, 20 mg, IM, QD, 10 days	79.22– 96.00%	Constipation, mouth sores, and asitia	[54, 55]

CHM: Chinese herbal medicine; TCM: traditional Chinese medicine; PO: per os; IM: intramuscular; QD: quaque die; Q8H: quaque 8 hours; Q12H: quaque 12 hours; BID: bis in die; TID: ter in die; hCG: human chorionic gonadotropin. Adverse events occurred when using CHM alone or combined with conventional medicine.