1. OZJ

1. OZJ

Q: During a 21-week pregnancy checkup, my labia minora were swollen, and a fungal infection was detected. After two days of washing with baking soda and using nystatin suppositories, the swelling subsided, but a few days later, the labia minora swelled again, with yellow, foul-smelling vaginal discharge. Should I continue checking the discharge with Western medicine or turn to TCM for herbal treatment? I’m worried that herbal treatment might affect the fetus. What should I do?

A: Rest assured—the fetus won’t be affected. The maternal-fetal barrier is a steel wall bestowed by God to protect the baby. Your fungal vaginitis hasn’t healed yet, so you need to persist with treatment. Here’s a sitz bath recipe:

Sitz Bath Recipe

• 20 g of Cnidium monnieri
• 10 g of alum
• 10 g of Phellodendron amurense
• 20 g of Sophora flavescens
• 20 g of Imperata cylindrica
• 20 g of Smilax glabra

Add 3,000 ml of water, boil down to 2,000 ml, and first steam then sit in the bath.

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