I need information on the use of cayenne for hemorrhaging.
I was trained as a midwife through the apprenticeship model and trained to use cayenne. We always prepared a cayenne drink for every birth that was given to the birthing mom to drink after delivery just in case, or to control bleeding. I saw some major hemorrhages during my training and I'm not sure that the cayenne did all that much.
I went to a conference in another state and the midwives there asked me what I used for hemorrhaging and I told them cayenne. Well, that was an eye opener. They were into Chinese medicine and said you should never cure heat with heat, and that cayenne was the worst thing to give a woman who was bleeding out. Other people have told me that it causes too many clots and thus the uterus can't shut down. I like to use it for shock, but I no longer set the cayenne drink out at my births. I use different herbs as well as drugs if needed.
So I want to know everyone's opinion. If you feel cayenne really works, I want to know the scientific reasoning behind it, or if it doesn't, why not? I want to get to the bottom of the controversy.
-Anon.
==== [Issue 49 Dec 3]
In response to the question about hemorrhage and cayenne: since the writer reports that she saw "many" postpartum hemorrhages, I think factors were at work other than the use of cayenne or any other herbs. Hemorrhage of over two cups should be relatively rare; hemorrhage of over 4 cups should be exceedingly rare. If it seemed to occur more often, I would suspect that the midwives were consistently over-estimating the amount of blood loss (this is quite common) or else there might be some unusual management of third stage. Handling the fundus, traction on the cord, and other manipulations, including clamping the cord too soon after birth, can all increase bleeding.
Even management of second stage can influence blood loss. Pushing before full dilation, coached pushing, fundal pressure, and rushing the shoulders (delivering before full restitution and the second contraction after birth) can also increase bleeding and problems with the placenta.
One midwife in a border clinic reported an incidence of hemorrhage over 4 cups of above 10%. I'm not sure what was going on, but it should be closer to one or two percent.
-Gail Hart
==== [Issue 50 Dec 10]
Reprinted from Midwifery Today E-News (Vol 1 Issues 49 & 50, Dec 3 & 10, 1999)
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