Research on Relationship Between Neonatal Health and TCM Constitution Types of Early to ;Mid-Pregnancy Expectant Parents / 中国中医药信息杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the relationship between neonatal health and TCM constitution types of early to mid-pregnancy expectant parents;To provide basis for the targeted interventions for couples of childbearing age before pregnancy-periconceptional TCM constitution. Methods Compiling scales for pregnant couple’ TCM constitution type assessment and postpartum visits to newborns, the research team got access to the information of neonatal physical problems, constitutions and changes of 675 babies’ father and mother who had established maternal manual from April, 2012 to March, 2013 at the Sanlin Community Health Center of Pudong District of Shanghai. Results Early to mid-pregnancy expectant parents mainly had peace constitution type. In detail, 55% of pregnant women had gentle constitution type, while others mainly had qi deficiency, yang deficiency and damp-heat constitution types;76% expectant fathers got peace constitution, while others mainly got damp-heat, yin deficiency and qi deficiency constitution types. Marital pregnancy physique did not change significantly. Compared with the peace constitution type, newborns, whose fathers got damp-heat constitution type, had higher risk of jaundice, and whose mothers got yin deficiency, the babies had higher risk of spits (P<0.05). The constitution types of expectant parents did not have obvious combined action on neonatal health. Conclusion There is a certain relationship between neonatal health and TCM constitution types of early to mid-pregnancy expectant parents. It is necessary to distinguish constitution types of prospective parents, and thus to take targeted health interventions.