Herbal contraception and abortion
This is an information packet about herbal contraception and abortion. It is meant to
inform you as much as possible so that you can use these methods safely and
effectively. For this reason, I also include information about non-herbal contraception
and abortion methods so that you can make the right choice for yourself.
Please understand that just because you can obtain these products without seeing a
doctor does not mean that they are mild. They are medicines and they can have side
effects just like other medicines. Please follow all of the directions and warnings and
make sure you have someone nearby to help you if you need it (just as you would have
a doctor nearby when getting a surgical abortion) before performing an herbal abortion.
WARNING: Do not use any of these herbal methods with synthetic hormonal birth
control (birth control pills, Nuva ring, Ortho Evra patch, Depo shot, Norplant, etc.). You
may do a menstrual extraction or get a surgical abortion after taking synthetic hormonal
birth control or herbal contraceptives/abortatives/etc. You may use non-hormonal birth
control methods (fertility awareness method, male or female condoms,
spermicides/sponge, cervical caps, diaphragms, non-hormonal IUDs, etc.) with synthetic
hormonal birth control or herbal contraceptives/abortatives/etc.
Consult a naturopath, herbalist, or midwife for more information, or visit
http://www.sisterzeus.com/aplan.htm#immediateaction before using any of these
methods
Use your own common sense and intuition when using this information, do not use
something without feeling comfortable with it and seeking more information. Use at
your own risk, I am not responsible for any effects the use of this information may inflict
upon you or anyone else.
Herbs can be purchased at Radiance:
113 5th Ave SE, Olympia, WA 98501,
(360) 357-9470 and from online sites
like http://herb-pharm.com/
http://inharmonyherbs.com/
http://www.sagewomanherbs.com/
http://www.leavesandroots.com/
http://www.mountainroseherbs.com
http://www.wildweeds.com/index.htm
CONTRACEPTION
Non-hormonal birth control
Fertility Awareness Method
I recommend using this method regardless of whatever other contraceptives you are
using as it is a great way to get to know your body and your cycle, and to feel in control
of your own fertility rather than leaving it up to doctors and pharmaceutical companies
to determine whether you do or do not conceive and/or give birth. It is also useful to
know your fertile days in cases of unplanned sex, forgotten or broken contraceptives,
and because condoms, cervical caps, diaphragms, and other non-hormonal methods of
birth control are all less effective when you are fertile, and knowing this, you can choose
not to have sex on your fertile days, or choose to use more than one method of birth
control on those days. Sperm can live in fertile mucous for up to 5 days, which means
that you can get pregnant by having sex up to 5 days before you ovulate (sperm can
only survive up to about 7 hours in non-fertile mucous), and up to one day afterward
because an egg can be fertilized within 24 hours of ovulation. This method can include
one or more of the following options: basal body temperature, tracking your cycle, using
a speculum to view your cervix, looking at your vaginal mucous, and listening to other
fertility signs from your body.
For more information, read: http://www.sisterzeus.com/bbt_risk_of_preg.html
Condoms with spermicide on them do not contain enough spermicide to prevent
pregnancy if the condom breaks! . Male and female condoms are the only method of
birth control that prevents the spread of Sexually transmitted infections, and female
condoms work better than male condoms for preventing the spread of external utbreaks
of infections like herpes because they cover more of the genitals than male condoms do
Diaphrams and cervical caps, when used with a spermicide (or the sponge, which
contains spermicide), prevent sperm from entering the cervix
IUDs can damage or puncture the uterus or cervix, and have been known to cause
infertility. I would not recommend using them without looking into these issues, talking
to a doctor or a friend who has used an IUD, and determining whether you think it is
worth the risk to use an IUD.
Hormonal birth control
Synthetic hormonal birth control causes your body to think that it is pregnant, and
can cause many side effects, including disrupting your natural reproductive cycles.
However, it is the most effective and easiest method for many women and should be
used if it makes you feel secure about having sex without risk of pregnancy. If you are
on hormonal birth control and wish to get off of it, you can take a Vitex pill daily for at
least 6 months to regain your natural cycle and hormonal balance after stopping
hormones. Options include birth control pills, Nuva ring, Norplant and other implants,
Ortho Evra patch, Depo shot. WARNING: The Depo shot, when used for more than 2
years consecutively, has also been known to cause infertility, as have hormonal implants
such as Norplant.
Herbal Contraceptives
There aren’t as many herbal contraceptives as there are herbal implantation inhibitors
and abortatives, and the studies of the effectiveness of herbal contraceptives are not as
consistent or reliable as studies of implantation inhibitors and abortatives. Therefore, I
recommend using them with another form of birth control like condoms.
Neem Oil has been proven effective in studies based in India, where it it orginates.
Neem oil kills sperm in the vagina in about thirty seconds and remains active for five
hours. Neem oil pills or cotton soaked with neem oil can be inserted into the vagina and
kept there for 15 minutes before sex, or for 15 minutes after sex (or both before and
after sex for the best results). It causes no irritation or discomfort like chemical based
spermicidal foams do. It also acts as a lubricant, and it may offer some protection from
vaginal and STIs, although this is unproven and nothing provides as much protection
from STIs as condoms do. Men can also take a capsule filled with neem oil daily to stop
spermatogenesis (the production of sperm). If taken every day, it begins to be effective
after 6 weeks. Some (not very well cited) studies have shown this method to be 100%
effective at preventing pregnancies, without causing any side effects or change in sexual
drive. This method has no influence on the transmission of STIs. Six weeks after not
taking the capsules anymore, full fertility is restored.
Wild yam, taken twice daily for at least two months before relying on it for birth control
and continually taken twice daily after that as well, can be used as a natural hormonal
contraceptive. However, there are mixed opinions on its effectiveness.
If you had unprotected sex LESS THAN TWO HOURS AGO, you may be able to
prevent pregnancy by squeezing some of sperm out of the vagina by contracting your
lower abdominal muscles and pushing, and wiping as much of it away as possible. Try
sitting on the toilet and blowing your nose, to contract the right muscles. Having a
bowel movement will also help to push the semen out.
You should then place two tablets of vitamin c in the vagina next to the cervix, or rinse
the vagina with lemon juice which will increase the acidity of the vagina (sperm can
only survive in alkaline, not acidic, environments). This may sting, and if it becomes too
painful, take a bath or gently douche with water or a saline solution (try not to push any
more sperm into the uterus!), or insert some plain yogurt into your vagina. You can also
peel and bruise a clove of garlic (do not crush, it will burn!) and push it up against your
cervix and leave it there for 8 hours. You can also put spermicide (or neem oil) on the tip
of a dildo or a penis with a condom on it and insert it into the vagina. You can also use a
spermicide applicator to insert spermicide into the vagina if it is available. Try to get the
spermicide as close to the cervix as possible.
IMPLANTATION INHIBITORS
Within a few hours of unprotected sex (implantation usually occurs about 6 days after
an egg is fertilized). DO NOT USE MORE THAN ONE OF THESE METHODS AT ONCE.
Queen Anne’s Lace/Wild Carrot Daucus carota: seeds dry on the flowers in fall, chew
½ tsp of seeds or a dropper full of the tincture, three times in one day, starting
preferably within 8 hours of unprotected sex, but at least within 36 hours. Frequent use
decreases their effectiveness, as does having recently given birth or been on hormonal
birth control
Vitamin C/ascorbic acid without vitamin B, or parsley, which contains large amounts of
Vitamin C: as a suppository (place it into the vagina, DO NOT EAT this much vitamin C)
after unprotected sex, 600-1000 mg an hour for a total of 6000-10000 mg a day for 6
days (may cause diarrhea)
Rutin: 500mg tablets taken once a day for 5 days before and 5 days after ovulation, or
500mg tablets once a day starting the day after unprotected sex and continued until
menstruation begins, this is a very strong herb and is less safe (but possibly more
effective) than other implantation inhibitors. Do not use if you have kidney or
gastrointestinal tract problems. Avoid excessive exposure to the sun while using Rutin.
Smartweed leaves also contain Rutin (and Quercitin and Gallic acid which also interfere
with pregnancy): drink 4 ounces of fresh leaves or 1 ounce of dried leaves in 1 quart of
boiling water regularly until menstruation begins.
Apricot kernels (inside of the apricot pit): eat 5-10 apricot kernels, 3 times a day,
starting within a day of unprotected sex and continuing until menstruation begins.
MENSTRUATION ENCOURAGERS
Start using 5 days before expected period date. DO NOT USE AT THE SAME TIME AS the
implantation inhibitors.
Boil water and pour over 1 T dried Pennyroyal, let steep 5-10 minutes, then add 1
dropper full of Blue Cohosh Tincture; drink 2-3 times a day until expected period date.
If you don’t get your period within a few days of your expected period date, mix equal
parts of sage, yarrow, motherwort and cramp bark; boil water and pour over 1
teaspoon of the mixture; steep 20-30 minutes, drink before bed.
MENSTRUAL EXTRACTION
Within a few days of a missed period (attempting this procedure any later than this can
be dangerous and should only be performed by a doctor or midwife). DEL-EM device:
suction syringe, tubing and mason jar to suck menstrual fluid from uterus without
dilating cervix. USE ONLY WITH STERILE EQUIPMENT AND WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS
PERFORMED A MENSTRUAL EXTRACTION BEFORE. NEVER PUSH AIR INTO THE CERVIX,
IT CAN GO DIRECTLY INTO YOUR BLOODSTREAM.
HERBAL ABORTION
First, get a pregnancy test from http://www.early-pregnancytests.com/pregnancytests.html or your local planned parenthood, gynecologist or
women’s clinic, which can tell you whether you are pregnant or not after 10 days of
ovulation (about 4 days before your expected period). You can also use a speculum
(available from clinics or http://www.fwhc.org/sale3.htm) to check the color of your
cervix; a pink cervix means you are not pregnant, a blue cervix indicates pregnancy. Look
at http://www.sisterzeus.com/bbt_risk_of_preg.html to use your basal body temperature
to determine whether you are pregnant. See a list of ‘symptoms’ of pregnancy at
http://www.americanpregnancy.org/gettingpregnant/earlypregnancysymptoms.html
WARNING: risks of danger to yourself increase dramatically after 8 weeks (before that
they are as safe as, or safer than, surgical abortion), do not use herbal abortatives after 8
weeks of pregnancy without trusted medical supervision. Alcohol, drugs, smoking,
caffeine interfere with herbal absorption, keep medicine level constant even during the
night (set an alarm every few hours), rubbing your nipples stimulates uterine
contractions, don’t use tampons or any other internal device to catch blood (use pads).
Bleeding and cramping should be similar to or slightly heavier/more intense than a
normal period, don’t take Black Haw or Cramp Bark for cramps as they help retain
pregnancy. If you are 5-8 weeks pregnant you may see chorionic villi, an umbilical cord,
a sac containing an embryo, and/or a placenta ranging from ¼- ½ inches in width; the
placenta will pass towards the end of bleeding. The risks listed are not intended to scare
you, and do not usually occur, but are listed to make sure that you know the signs of
danger so that you can prevent yourself from going into shock.
DO NOT induce an herbal abortion when you are by yourself, at least have someone you
trust in the house with you so that they can help you if you need them.
Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) is an emmengogue and opens the cervix. Blue
cohosh is a uterine stimulant and relieves cramps. Take 1/2 teaspoon black cohosh
tincture with 1 teaspoon blue cohosh tincture 3-4 times a day. Then take Pennyroyal
(Hedeoma pulegoides/Mentha pulegium), emmenogogue: 20 drops pennyroyal tincture
in hot water 4x day for 5 days. When an abortion is well underway, begin sipping fresh
Nettle juice or the broth from cooked fresh Nettle greens to prevent hemorrhage and
revitalize the kidneys and take fresh Nettle infusion afterwards to rejuvenate the kidneys.
If you hemorrhage or soak through more than one pad an hour (2 c blood an hour) go
to the hospital or call an ambulance immediately. Sip more nettle juice or broth and
watch for signs of blood loss: pallor, cold sweat, faint, dizzy, confused, faling blood
pressure and rising pulse. If you experience any of these symptoms during the abortion
reduce dosage immediately: queasiness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, dizziness,
ears ringing, sweating, chills, fever. If you experience these symptoms stop taking herbs
immediately and go to the hospital: restlessness, exhaustion, confusion, hallucination,
mania, tremors, convulsions, shock, falling blood pressure, rising pulse, collapse, coma.
Signs of pregnancy should disappear, though the uterus and breasts may still be tender.
Over-the-counter pregnancy tests will show negative results after 3 weeks, and cervix
should be pink instead of blue.
After passing the placenta, bleeding should slow and stop but it is normal to lightly
bleed off and on for a few weeks. If mild bleeding continues steadily for more than 10
days, consult a doctor.
SURGICAL ABORTION
If herbal abortion doesn’t start bleeding within two weeks, get a surgical abortion. IT IS
NOT SAFE to go through with a pregnancy after using herbal abortatives
A vacuum/aspiration abortion may be performed up to 16 weeks of pregnancy. D&E
abortion must be performed after 16-24 weeks of pregnancy.
Mifepristone/RU-486 (the abortion pill, which contains a high dose of hormones, and is
much riskier than herbal abortion or surgical abortion) can be used up to 63 days after
last period, it is 97% effective and a surgical abortion must be performed if it does not
work properly. DO NOT USE THE ABORTION PILL AFTER ATTEMPTING AN HERBAL
ABORTION.
Resources:
http://www.sisterzeus.com/bookshelves.htm
http://www.sisterzeus.com/neem.html
http://www.discoverneem.com/neem-oil-birth-control.html
http://www.sisterzeus.com/herbalcontraception.htm
Herbal Abortion by Uni M. Tiamat 1994 (out of print, zine available)
The Wise Woman Herbal for the Child-Bearing Year by Susun Weed
Hot Pantz (zine)
olyfreeherbalclinic@riseup.net
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/cotto109.html
http://www.sisterzeus.com/risk_of_preg.html
http://sisterzeus.com/directory.html