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Zhang Zhongjing said: "Inquiry: A woman who has just given birth suffers from three diseases: one is Jing (spasm and convulsion), the second is Yumao (dizziness, vertigo, and confusion of consciousness), and the third is difficulty in defecation. What does this mean?" The Master said: "After childbirth, blood deficiency occurs, accompanied by excessive sweating, making the body susceptible to wind pathogenic factors; thus, Jing (spasm and convulsion) arises. Loss of blood followed by sweating leads to an excess of cold; thus, Yumao (dizziness, vertigo, and confusion of consciousness) arises. Depletion of body fluids results in dryness of the Stomach; thus, difficulty in defecation arises."

Qianjin Fang states: "Twelve postpartum diseases in women. Leukorrhea and infertility are all caused by wind-cold pathogenic factors. If within one hundred days after childbirth, when lochia remains in the uterine collaterals and has not been fully expelled, the patient uses a high toilet (xuan qing), or sits for long periods allowing cold-dampness to enter the interior of the uterus, stagnation forms in the lower abdomen. This presents as firm, painful masses. Small masses are like chicken eggs, large ones like fists. Upon palpation, they throb faintly; the sensation may feel like insect bites or needle pricks. Qi occasionally rushes to the heart region, causing distension and fullness in both hypochondria, inability to eat, and indigestion."

Daquan states: "Eighteen postpartum syndromes. One: fetal death in the womb due to febrile disease. Two: difficult labor. Three: retention of the placenta. Four: blood syncope. Five: dry mouth and chest oppression. Six: alternating chills and fever. Seven: deficiency pain. Eight: hallucinations of seeing ghosts and spirits. Nine: muteness within the first month. Ten: abdominal pain with diarrhea. Eleven: generalized body pain. Twelve: metrorrhagia (profuse uterine bleeding). Thirteen: obstruction of blood and qi with cough. Fourteen: alternating chills and fever, heart pain, and amenorrhea. Fifteen: abdominal distension and fullness with vomiting and regurgitation. Sixteen: black aura around the mouth and nose, and epistaxis. Seventeen: wheezing and急促 breathing in the throat. (The last two syndromes are considered untreatable.) Eighteen: wind-stroke."

Zhang Feichou said: "For various postpartum syndromes, if blood circulation is not promoted, pathogenic factors will not be eliminated. Even in cases of various deficiency syndromes, blood must circulate for Qi to recover. However, promoting blood circulation must be done with proper method and should not be overly harsh. Among all postpartum critical conditions, none are more severe than 'Three Rushes' (San Chong) and 'Three Urgencies' (San Ji). The Three Rushes refer to敗血 (stagnant blood) rushing to the Lung, Heart, and Stomach. The Three Urgencies refer to vomiting, diarrhea, and excessive sweating immediately after childbirth. There are three prohibitions in medication: Banish Foshou San because Chuanxiong Radix (Chuanxiong) can induce sweating; banish Siwu Tang because Rehmanniae Radix Preparata (Shudi) can cause diarrhea; banish Xiaochaihu Tang because Scutellariae Radix (Huangqin) can obstruct the expulsion of lochia. However, these are merely standard methods for postpartum care. If there were no wind-cold, fever, wheezing, distension, dysentery, or other critical conditions, would one strictly adhere to these rules and sit waiting for death? Did ancients never use diaphoretic and purgative methods, nor cold-natured herbs? When acute diseases present with rapid progression, drastic treatment is necessary. If the physician hesitates, acts timidly, or delays, the patient's chance of survival diminishes. Only in cases where the pathogenic factor has been depleted over a long period should one avoid both drastic attack and drastic tonification; instead, mild and gentle formulas should be used to await the recovery of Stomach Qi."