A complete textbook of gynaecology in Chinese medicine for acupuncturists and herbalists: physiology of menstruation, conception, pregnancy and menopause, female pathology, general diagnostic and treatment principles (including when to tonify and when to reduce, what to do if the gynaecological manifestations contradict the systemic manifestations, how Chinese medicine patterns relate to western disease categories, and the basic treatment principles for the zangfu, qi, blood and the extraordinary vessels), commonly used herbal prescriptions and individual herbs, the use of the extraordinary vessels in treatment. Diseases categories include menstrual irregularities, problems occurring at the time of the period, diseases of pregnancy, diseases after childbirth and miscellaneous disorders. Each disorder is analysed as to its possible aetiology and pathology, differentiation, acupuncture and herbal treatment, prognosis and prevention. In many cases the western medicine differentiation and treatment is also discussed. The book is completed with appendices on herbal prescriptions and patent remedies, a glossary of terminology, cross-referenced indexes of Chinese disease-symptoms and western medicine diseases and an index.