Can you say Emmenagogue?

 I can, I have been practicing! hehe! I have also been taking notes on this word and YES even writing in my journal.......so I thought I might share a little for those who are interested......
 
For those not familiar with what it means....Emmenagogue =  A fancy word meaning to bring on and increase the menstrual flow.

Tansy has for centuries been used (considerably on the sneaky) by women as a means of birth control or to "bring on the menzes".

I have read numerous accounts now of Tansy Tea (being made with the dry herb)  being drunk anything from one cup on the day before to a cup a night for a week prior to your due date as an effective means of keeping regular and avoiding an unwanted pregnancy. Also having the effect of a consistent and heavier flow.

Unfortunately, it was also used as an abortifacient for those who had left it a little too late. In these cases, either a strong tincture or an oil was used. Depending on the dosage and situation and of course the persons own body symptoms would determine whether it actually worked. (These days it is recommended that if you try this method and it does not work, you should immediately seek a common abortion as the side effects are high to the baby).

In some cases where too strong a dose was prescribed, it is said, that women unfortunately died as a result of it. It is therefore not a recommended method by "most" today. Now, I have been unable to back up or find any actual evidence of these people who died so am a bit unsure of the accuracy of this claim.

I am very ashamed to say that many years ago I did try this method. Although I was unaware exactly what I was ingesting at the time. I was prescribed extremely strong doses of a tincture which were increased to even higher doses over the next two weeks. It did not work and at this stage I gave up. I wonder if it was because I did not want it to work? I was co-erced into taking this action and it was not really my choice. In fact I am very much against abortion once a pregancy is confirmed unless the mothers health is in danger. That aside, I did it and am not proud of it. I prayed a lot at that time for the safety of this unborn child and for protection. I guess it worked.

Not being influenced by what I know now, I had no idea as to just how dangerous it apparently was to me or my unborn child. I have since learned via much reading that it can cause birth defects and or death to the mother. Both of us came through it with no major side effects, again leaving me with dubious thoughts as to the accuracy of this claim.  I also developed a very strong aversion to the smell of flowers for a very long time.

Now I will not tell you the doses used, although I do remember mine and I have found various other accounts of how it is done. It is readily available online to those who really want it.  Like I said, I don't agree with it. I do however have no problem with people using it as a preventative so I am going to do some experiments this year with taking the tea myself prior to due dates. Just to see if anything changes.