Formulas · Invigorate Blood 活血祛瘀 · Haejang (海藏)

Divine Method Test-the-Pregnancy Powder

Sinbangheomtae-san

한글 신방험태산 · Pinyin Shen Fang Yan Tai San

神方驗胎散

The pair finely powdered and divided into two doses, each stirred into a cup of strongly decocted mugwort broth — or into good wine. Within two to three hours, if one feels a slight stirring about the belly and navel with some vexation, a pregnancy is present; when the stirring stops, one is well again. If it is not a pregnancy, there is no stirring. Where no effect is felt, decoct safflower broth and take it stirred into that: the effect is certain.

Composition 構成

Cheongung Chuan Xiong
川芎 천궁 · Cnidium

40 g
Chief 君 sparrow-brain grade (雀腦芎)
Danggui Dang Gui
當歸 당귀 · Korean Angelica

28 g
Deputy 臣 whole root

Total 68 g per packet (첩) · representative dosage — verify against source texts.

Received this formula from your practitioner? Amounts shown here are classical reference values — granule and prepared products differ. Always follow your prescribed dosage and directions.

Actions 效能

Determines whether a pregnancy is present by the response it provokes
Moves the Blood just enough to make a quiet womb answer

Indications 主治

Pattern-based

Suspected pregnancy requiring confirmation (驗胎有無)
Missed menses of uncertain cause
Diagnostic rather than therapeutic use

Biomedical correlates

Historical pregnancy testing
Amenorrhea of uncertain cause
Diagnostic preparations of the era

Source text 原文

Donguibogam 東醫寶鑑

眞雀腦芎一兩, 當歸(全用, 重一兩者只用) 七錢. 右二味細末, 分作二服, 濃煎好艾湯一盞調下, 或好酒調下. 二三時間, 覺腹臍微動, 仍煩, 卽有胎也. 動罷卽愈. 如不是胎, 卽不動. 如不覺效, 再煎紅花湯調下, 必有神效. 《海藏》

Translation

True sparrow-brain cnidium 1 nyang; Korean angelica, used whole — of a root weighing 1 nyang, use only 7 don. Powder these two finely and divide into two doses, each stirred into a cup of strongly decocted good mugwort broth, or into good wine. Within two or three hours, if one feels a slight stirring about the belly and navel, with some vexation, then a pregnancy is present; when the stirring ceases, one is well. If it is not a pregnancy, there is no stirring. If no effect is felt, decoct safflower broth and take it stirred into that — the effect is certain. — Haejang 海藏 (Donguibogam · Buin)

Clinical commentary 臨床

A pregnancy test from the age before pregnancy tests, and its logic is sound within its own frame: give a mild Blood-moving dose and see whether the womb answers. The instruction that the sensation stops by itself, and that its absence means no pregnancy, shows the formula being used as a diagnostic instrument with a stated negative result — an unusual piece of clinical reasoning for its century. Note on modern practice: recorded as text; the tradition's own later formularies moved to gentler tests, and contemporary practice uses standard pregnancy testing. — Eui Young (Justin) Chung, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.