A review study of Thai traditional principle of postpartum women caring by Thai traditional doctors and Applied Thai traditional doctors at public hospitals

Abstract

This study was a survey research. The aim of this study was to study the Thai traditional principle in postnatal care, Thai traditional midwifery, of applied Thai traditional doctor and Thai traditional doctor in 101 hospitals that are professional training centers in Thai traditional medicine. The results show that Thai and applied Thai traditional doctor have a Thai traditional principle in caring namely of Yu Fai. It was found the detail of Yu Fai procedure were massage and Hot herbal compress (100%), postpartum herbal food (99.01%), herbal steam or sauna room(97.03%), salt pot compression (97.03%), postpartum herbal remedies (92.08%) and Hot herbal compresses for maternal breast engorgement (92.08 %), respectively. It was found that the benefits of Yu fire procedure described as follow, increasing of milk production (99.01%), muscle relaxation (99.01%), early recovery (99.01%), normal amniotic fluid (90.10%), and uterus involution (87.13%).  Prohibitions and precautions of YU fire are fever or postpartum hemorrhage or postpartum infection, abnormal of vital signs. In this study, herbal remedy, single herb, food and herbal infusion teas were used for recovering postpartum women and increase milk production. A total of 28 herbal remedies were obtained, divided into 4 herbal remedies for postpartum rehabilitation, 17 herbal remedies and 7 herbal teas formulas for milk production. Herbs with Use Value (UV) were found that it was consistent with medical science report. The anti-inflammatory activity is Zingiber cassumunar Roxb, the antioxidant activity are Caesalpinia sappan L., Piper retrofractum Vahl, the estrogenic effect are Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Mesua ferrea L.), Piper sarmentosum Roxb, and stimulate prolactin secretion that are Xantolis cambodiana (Pierre ex Dubarb) P.Royen, Nigella sativa L, Musa x paradisiaca, and Cyperus rotundus L., respectively . It can be concluded that herbs are suitable and should be further researched both in the laboratory and human research in order to develop as a medicine such as formula to increase milk production and to nourish in postpartum.