The Herbal Treatment of Pregnant Women:
Classical Chinese Medicine Solutions
June 28-29th, 2025
14 CEUs
(California CEU provider # 1005, NCCAOM provider #1134)
live on Zoom with recording available
Please join us for a comprehensive overview of the treatment of pregnant and postpartum women with classical formulae (jing fang 經方). We will start with the comparative study of three classical texts on fetal development: the Tai Chan Shu 台產書 (one of the medical Manuscripts excavated at Mawangdui 馬王堆), Huainanzi 淮南子 chapter 7, and Mai Jing 脈經 chapter 9, in order to lay out the foundations and principles of physiology in pregnancy.
These tenets are the foundation upon which the herbal treatments presented in the Jin Gui Yao Lue 金匱要略 for pregnancy and postpartum are based upon. Many formulae from the Shang Han Za Bing Lun 傷寒雜病論 can be used in pregnancy and postpartum, so long as one understands the underlying physiological principles of this particular time of life, and how to translate that understanding to herbal treatment.
After these foundational principles, we will present commonly encountered pathologies of the pregnancy and postpartum periods, drawing upon the repertoire of the Shang Han Za Bing Lun. From conditions as benign as mild morning sickness to as severe as pre-eclampsia, the latter offers solutions which can tremendously improve the health, comfort and outcome of many patients, where Western medicine typically cannot offer too much. The integration of modern pre-natal care with classical, canonical principles can yield the best outcome for mothers and babies. For each pathology, we will examine possible etiologies and differential diagnoses, focusing on presentation and how to adapt the formula with exquisite precision.
The clear application of diagnosis and formulae will be illustrated with many case studies.
These tenets are the foundation upon which the herbal treatments presented in the Jin Gui Yao Lue 金匱要略 for pregnancy and postpartum are based upon. Many formulae from the Shang Han Za Bing Lun 傷寒雜病論 can be used in pregnancy and postpartum, so long as one understands the underlying physiological principles of this particular time of life, and how to translate that understanding to herbal treatment.
After these foundational principles, we will present commonly encountered pathologies of the pregnancy and postpartum periods, drawing upon the repertoire of the Shang Han Za Bing Lun. From conditions as benign as mild morning sickness to as severe as pre-eclampsia, the latter offers solutions which can tremendously improve the health, comfort and outcome of many patients, where Western medicine typically cannot offer too much. The integration of modern pre-natal care with classical, canonical principles can yield the best outcome for mothers and babies. For each pathology, we will examine possible etiologies and differential diagnoses, focusing on presentation and how to adapt the formula with exquisite precision.
The clear application of diagnosis and formulae will be illustrated with many case studies.
Teacher Bio:
Genevieve Le Goff, Fire Spirit school practitioner and scholar specializing in the formation of canonical medicine, has focused her clincal practice on the treatment of pregnant women for over 15 years. Please read more about her work here...
Genevieve Le Goff, Fire Spirit school practitioner and scholar specializing in the formation of canonical medicine, has focused her clincal practice on the treatment of pregnant women for over 15 years. Please read more about her work here...
Outline:
Saturday, June 28th, 2025, 9 am - 5 pm:
The morning and part of the afternoon will be spent on an analysis and comparative study of the fetal development texts in the Tai Chan Shu, Huainanzi and Mai Jing. This study is at the same time infinitely practical, in that it provides the foundational and overarching principles of the treatment of pregnant women, and also a gateway into some of the most advanced concepts of the canonical medicine of the Han dynasty, like for example biao ben zhong qi, flavor theory, when to use 5 or when to use 6... As the development of the baby is a slow motion delineation of the creation of the human being, the study of obstetrics can therefore be a vehicle for improving our understanding of physiology at large.
The rest of the afternoon will be devoted to the differential diagnosis and treatment of the pathologies of early pregnancy: nausea, fatigue, insomnia, premature contractions, miscarriage, subchorionic bleeding...
Sunday, June 29th, 2025, 9 am - 5 pm:
We will continue to explore common pathologies of pregnancy: metabolic disorders, aches and pains, breech babies, high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia (for which herbs can be miraculous), labor preparation, induction, labor support... as well as the common concerns of the postpartum period: bleeding, recovery, lactation support and issues, constipation, mental-emotional health, prolapse...
We will conclude with a Q&A session.
Logistics:
Taught by: Genevieve Le Goff
June 28-29th, 2025, 9 am - 5 pm on Zoom.
Recording available for 6 months
14 CEUs/PDAs pending (California provider #1105, NCCAOM provider #1134)
Payment options:
Early bird (register by May 7th) $400
Regular (after May 7th) $450
Students $400
2 payments ($225 now and $225 a month later)
Cancellation policy:
Full refund if cancelled within 24 hour of signing up. 50% refund if cancelled within 7 days of signing up. No refunds thereafter.
Taught by: Genevieve Le Goff
June 28-29th, 2025, 9 am - 5 pm on Zoom.
Recording available for 6 months
14 CEUs/PDAs pending (California provider #1105, NCCAOM provider #1134)
Payment options:
Early bird (register by May 7th) $400
Regular (after May 7th) $450
Students $400
2 payments ($225 now and $225 a month later)
Cancellation policy:
Full refund if cancelled within 24 hour of signing up. 50% refund if cancelled within 7 days of signing up. No refunds thereafter.
Any questions? Please email us!
Tai Chan Shu 台產書 manuscript from MAwangdui tomb 3.
