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Wind-cold invasion during pregnancy is mostly caused by irregular changes in weather temperature, or sudden exposure to cold or heat. If people fail to take precautions and are careless in their daily life, they may experience nasal congestion, runny nose, slight cough, aversion to wind, and frequent sneezing. These symptoms resemble mild cases of Shanghan (Cold Damage). However, while Shanghan involves aversion to cold, this condition involves aversion to wind, which distinguishes the two. The appropriate treatment is Xiangsu San (Fragrant Perilla Powder) with Xiangfu removed, plus Congchi (Scallion and Fermented Soybean). If there is much phlegm due to cough, add Jiegeng (Platycodon Root); or use Zisu Yin (Perilla Decoction) with Congchi added for fetal stabilization, which is excellent. If cough is accompanied by diarrhea, and the Qi Kou pulse at the wrist is slippery, full, and forceful, indicating retained food in the stomach, use Weiling Tang (Gastrointestinal Regulating Decoction) without Cangzhu. Once the spleen and stomach are regulated, then treat the cough. I believe that for coughs caused by wind-cold, thickly decocted Scallion Head Soup is superior. Since wind-dispelling herbs can often cause miscarriage, for cough and wheezing accompanied by fetal coldness, a decoction of scallions with roots is widely used; it greatly stabilizes the fetus and disperses qi stagnation, ensuring no danger to the fetus. Adding Xiangchi (Fermented Soybean) is even better. If there is no wheezing, use Zisu Yin with Sharen (Amomum Fruit) and Tongbian (Child's Urine).

Food retention during pregnancy is mostly due to weakness of the middle qi of the spleen and stomach, leading to an inability to transform and transport nutrients. Therefore, Li Dongyuan stated: "If the qi of the spleen and stomach is strong, one will not feel hungry past normal meal times and can eat more without injury." Generally, the stomach governs reception, and the spleen governs digestion. For those who usually have weak spleen and stomach function and difficulty digesting food, equal parts of Baizhu (Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizome) and Chenpi (Tangerine Peel) can be ground into powder, made into pills with Shenqu (Medicated Leaven) paste, and taken regularly for best results. Zhizhu Wan (Immature Bitter Orange and Atractylodes Pill) should only be used temporarily; Zhishi (Immature Bitter Orange) is harsh and can consume healthy qi, so practitioners must exercise caution. Another classic states: "If food intake doubles, the intestines and stomach will be injured." If dietary habits are irregular, and one indulges in raw, cold, or rich flavors, damaging the spleen and stomach, using harsh purgatives will further injure the spleen and stomach and harm the fetus. Moreover, the fetus relies on the spleen and stomach as its foundation; when these organs are strong, the fetus remains stable like a suspended bell. If food retention leads to spleen dysfunction, the fetus cannot be secured. Therefore, in treating food stagnation, the primary approach should always be tonifying the spleen and strengthening the stomach, while promoting the movement of grain qi, so that food digests naturally. If one merely employs draining methods, injuring the spleen repeatedly, the source of transformation will be exhausted, making miscarriage easy. In my treatment of food retention, I frequently use Sharen combined with Sijunzi Tang (Four Gentlemen Decoction), or Xiangsha Sijunzi combined with Pingwei San (Stomach-Pacifying Powder), achieving consistent success. Some use Pingwei San alone to treat pregnant women with food retention; this applies only to robust rural women whose coarse, sticky foods cause abdominal pain, requiring the pacification of stomach earth. For wealthy families who indulge in fine foods, their visceral qi is inherently delicate, and treatment must include tonification. Furthermore, adding Xiaomingxiao (Mirabilite) to Pingwei San creates a harsh formula for inducing abortion; users must be extremely cautious. Upon reviewing medical texts, another method uses Liujunzi Tang (Six Gentlemen Decoction) as the base, adding specific herbs based on the type of food ingested: ShanZha (Hawthorn Fruit) for meat, Maiya (Sprouted Barley) for noodles/rice, Jiuqu (Wine Qu) for fermented items, Chenpi for fish/fowl odors, Huanglian (Coptis Rhizome) for spicy/hot foods, and Muxiang (Aucklandia Root) for cold/raw foods. This approach is very safe. For example, if meat is consumed, add ShanZha to Liujunzi Tang; other cases follow this logic.