Patient's question:
Healthy, low weight. Menstruation on April 8th. On April 22nd, a traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis revealed slippery pulse, suggesting pregnancy, followed by the prescription of medication for fetal health. Mild nausea, slight nipple tenderness, mild abdominal discomfort, and slightly more frequent urination have gradually appeared. The pulse on the right wrist is slippery, while the pulse on the left wrist is slightly stronger than the slippery pulse.Doctor's answer:
A "slippery pulse" appears, which flows smoothly, like pearls rolling in a dish. It generally emerges around forty-five days after the cessation of menstruation. Pregnancy can present with a slippery pulse, but a slippery pulse does not necessarily indicate pregnancy."A normal person's slippery pulse indicates abundant ying and wei," meaning that in a healthy individual, a slippery pulse reflects a rich ying and wei, which is a sign of good health.
To diagnose pregnancy, the following criteria must be met: the woman must be married, living with her husband, have a regular menstrual history, have experienced a cessation of menstruation for over forty-five days, exhibit a typical slippery pulse, appear rosy-cheeked, feel tired and weak as if suffering from a cold, experience bloating in the lower abdomen and swelling in the breasts, or already be experiencing nausea and vomiting. Only then should pregnancy be considered.
A slippery pulse can also appear during the menstrual period, in the three days before or after menstruation, or during the ovulation period between two menstrual cycles. Therefore, the pulse alone should not be used to diagnose pregnancy. Additionally, if a woman is indeed pregnant but does not exhibit a slippery pulse, she is more likely to experience a miscarriage or premature birth.