My hands, feet and lower abdomen are always cold, is pregnancy preparation okay?

Hello, this is Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic. # My hands and lower abdomen are always cold, is pregnancy preparation okay? Have you been living thinking you are a constitution that feels cold exceptionally easily? Even at temperatures where others are fine, if you alone feel your hands and feet chilly, and especially your lower abdomen feels cold, it may be an important signal from our body beyond simple cold hands and feet (sueoknaengjeung). Among women who complain that "my hands and lower abdomen are always cold," many are planning pregnancy or struggling with infertility. Did you know that the coldness of the body can affect women's health beyond mere discomfort, especially pregnancy success? The Songdo branch of Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic helps you regain a healthy body by finding the hidden causes of coldness. 💡 **[Key Answer]** 3 most common causes of 'My hands and lower abdomen are always cold': ① **Decreased blood circulation** / ② **Autonomic imbalance** / ③ **Uterine coldness** Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic creates a healthy uterine environment through **constitutional improvement** to increase the chance of successful pregnancy. ## 'Coldness' where hands, feet, and lower abdomen are always cold, why is it more common in women? Coldness generally refers to a symptom where a specific part of the body feels cold even at temperatures where one would not feel cold. In particular, coldness is often felt in the hands, feet, and lower abdomen, and has the characteristic of appearing much more commonly in women than in men. According to a study, hand and foot coldness was observed in 17.9% of Koreans, coldness in at least one part (hands, feet, lower abdomen) in 34.2%, and coldness in all three parts in 12.3%. In addition, the prevalence of coldness was significantly higher in women than in men across all parts. The reasons why women are more vulnerable to coldness are complex. Women tend to have smaller bones and less muscle mass than men, leading to a lower basal metabolic rate, which is disadvantageous for heat production. In addition, rapid hormonal changes such as menstruation, pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause affect the autonomic nervous system, making it difficult to regulate blood vessel contraction and dilation. Stress and emotional sensitivity are also major causes that excessively activate the sympathetic nervous system, disrupting blood circulation and inducing coldness. In Korean medicine, such coldness is viewed as qi and blood (氣血) circulation disorders, yin and yang (陰陽) imbalance, and decreased function of internal organs. In particular, when spleen and stomach (digestive organ) function weakens, basic calorie supply decreases, and blood vessels in peripheral parts such as hands and feet contract, intensifying coldness. ## Does lower abdomen coldness really hinder pregnancy success? Yes, lower abdomen coldness, or 'haboknaengjeung', is an important issue that can directly affect pregnancy success. In Korean medicine, a warm lower abdomen ('Onggung') is considered the optimal environment for pregnancy, and a cold lower abdomen ('Jajunghohan') is pointed out as a common cause hindering pregnancy implantation. If coldness in the lower abdomen persists, blood circulation to reproductive organs including the uterus in the pelvic cavity is not smooth, which can lower the function of the uterus and ovaries. This can degrade egg quality, make the endometrium thin, or destabilize the implantation environment, leading to infertility. In fact, there are research results supporting the effectiveness of Korean medicine treatment related to this. In a prospective multicenter observational study by Professor Bong-ui Kim's research team published in the *Journal of Clinical Medicine* in 2025, applying Korean medicine treatment (herbal medicine, acupuncture, and moxibustion complex treatment) to 96 female infertility patients showed a clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) of 20.8%. The researchers concluded that these results show that Korean medicine treatment can be an effective and safe treatment for female infertility patients. In addition, another study published in the *Journal of Korean Medicine* in 2016 showed that out of 34 infertile women who received herbal medicine, acupuncture, and moxibustion complex treatment, 5 out of the final 25 patients (20%) succeeded in pregnancy and childbirth. These studies emphasize the importance of Korean medicine treatment in creating a healthy pregnancy environment through systemic function improvement including lower abdomen coldness. The Songdo branch of Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic focuses on optimizing the function of the uterus and ovaries and creating a physical environment suitable for pregnancy based on these data. ## Does hand and foot coldness also affect pregnancy preparation? Hand and foot coldness (sueoknaengjeung) may not just be a problem of peripheral blood circulation. In Korean medicine, sueoknaengjeung is regarded as a major sign directly indicating systemic and organ dysfunction states. It is known to be closely related to women's gynecological diseases (menstrual abnormalities, infertility, uterine and ovarian diseases). The warmth of hands and feet can serve as an indicator of uterine health and is considered an important symptom of women's diseases such as dysmenorrhea, menstrual irregularity, and infertility. According to a national population survey study on Koreans published in PMC in 2019, hand and foot coldness is traditionally known as an important diagnostic factor accompanying various chronic symptoms and diseases such as indigestion, dysmenorrhea, fatigue, and infertility. In this study, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of women with hand and foot coldness was significantly lower than that of women without it. In addition, in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study published in the *Journal of Ethnopharmacology* in 2014, 40 Korean women with hand and foot coldness took 6000mg of Korean red ginseng daily for 8 weeks, and it was confirmed that skin temperature of hands and feet significantly increased and peripheral blood flow improved compared to the placebo group, remarkably reducing coldness symptoms (p\<0.05). The researchers suggested that Korean red ginseng can relieve hand and foot coldness through vasodilation. As such, hand and foot coldness is not unrelated to the health state of our body as a whole, especially women's reproductive function, so if you are preparing for pregnancy, hand and foot coldness must also be closely managed. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Songdo branch helps healthy pregnancy through systemic circulation improvement including hand and foot coldness. ## How does Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic treat coldness through 'constitutional improvement'? Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic aims for 'constitutional improvement' treatment that identifies the root cause of coldness and creates a healthy body that does not relapse, rather than simple symptom alleviation. The coldness in our body often stems from internal imbalance, especially decline of yang energy (陽氣) and qi-blood circulation disorders, as well as external coldness. The Songdo branch of Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic improves coldness and helps healthy pregnancy preparation according to three core principles: **1. Customized herbal medicine to restore 'warmth' inside the body** Cold lower abdomen and hands and feet are like the 'boiler' of our body not working properly. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic prescribes customized herbal medicine that breathes warmth deep inside the body according to the patient's constitution and coldness type. We carefully select medicinal herbs that promote blood circulation, replenish qi and blood, and strengthen the functions of the uterus and ovaries. For example, prescriptions used to improve gynecological diseases related to lower abdomen coldness, such as Ongyeong-tang (溫經湯), can help improve blood flow to the uterus along with alleviating coldness symptoms. In a case reported in *The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine* in 2024, a 68-year-old female patient's overall coldness in the lower abdomen and hands and feet remarkably improved from NRS (Numeric Rating Scale) 8 to 1 after taking a modified Ongyeong-tang decoction for 12 weeks. **2. Acupuncture and moxibustion treatment to aid circulation and stabilize the autonomic nervous system** Acupuncture and moxibustion treatment combined with herbal medicine further enhance the effectiveness of coldness treatment. Acupuncture treatment smooths the circulation of qi and blood throughout the body, and stimulates meridian points (經穴) that improve blood flow, especially in the lower abdomen and peripheral areas, relieving coldness. Moxibustion treatment directly delivers warm energy to warm the cooled uterus and lower abdomen, activating metabolism. Moxibustion treatment can warm the Dandan (丹田) area, which is the fundamental energy of the body, helping both hand and foot coldness and lower abdomen coldness. This complex treatment also contributes to stabilizing the imbalance of the autonomic nervous system, which is one of the causes of coldness. **3. Lifestyle management to build a body that does not become cold again** Along with Korean medicine treatment, correct lifestyle habits are an essential element for constitutional improvement. The Songdo branch of Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic analyzes individual lifestyle patterns and dietary habits to improve factors that worsen coldness, and guides you on how to consistently keep your body warm. We provide realistic advice that can be practiced in daily life, such as increasing muscle mass through appropriate exercise and aiding blood circulation, or consuming foods that warm the body. This is the core of constitutional improvement, which is not about temporarily turning off symptoms, but building a body where symptoms do not turn on again. ## My body's coldness, am I also suffering from 'coldness'? Self-checklist Check the following items and count how many apply to you. * Hands and feet are always cold or chilly even in non-cold weather. * The lower abdomen often feels cold when touched. * Dysmenorrhea is severe, and pain worsens while the lower abdomen feels chilly. * Menstrual cycle is irregular, menstrual volume is small, and leucorrhea frequently occurs. * Digestion is poor, and indigestion or diarrhea/constipation repeats frequently. * Easily tired and lethargic, hard to wake up in the morning. * Waist or knees are chilly and frequently ache. * Sensitive to stress and nervous disposition. * Preparing for pregnancy, but worried because it is not working well. **Criteria:** * **If 3 or less apply:** Management and prevention through lifestyle improvement are needed. * **If 4 to 6 apply:** Coldness can be suspected. Consider precise diagnosis and complex Korean medicine treatment through consultation with Songdo pregnancy preparation Korean medicine clinic Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic. * **If 7 or more apply:** Coldness is likely already advanced. It is recommended to start active treatment through immediate visit. --- ### **Q. How long does Korean medicine treatment take for hand, foot, and lower abdomen coldness?** A. The treatment period for coldness varies depending on individual constitution, symptom severity, and presence of accompanying diseases. Generally, 3 months or more of treatment is recommended for steady improvement, and treatment plans are adjusted while observing bodily changes. ### **Q. If coldness is severe, does it mean I cannot get pregnant at all?** A. Severe coldness does not mean absolute infertility, but it can be an important factor lowering pregnancy success rate. In particular, uterine coldness can make the uterine environment unstable and affect egg quality, so improvement is necessary when preparing for pregnancy. ### **Q. I am preparing for pregnancy, is it okay to take herbal medicine for coldness?** A. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic's pregnancy preparation herbal medicine focuses on creating a physical environment suitable for pregnancy and strengthening the uterus. We carefully diagnose the patient's constitution and health status and prescribe safe medicinal herbs that can be taken during pregnancy. ### **Q. What kind of examinations can I receive at Songdo Coldness Korean Medicine Clinic?** A. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Songdo branch objectively identifies the degree and cause of coldness through peripheral blood circulation tests and digital infrared thermal imaging (DITI) in addition to Korean medical diagnoses such as consultation, pulse diagnosis, and abdominal examination, establishing personalized treatment plans. --- Cold hands, feet, and lower abdomen coldness is not a problem that can be solved by enduring it. You no longer need to ignore the body's signals sent for a long time. If you approach in the right direction, your body reacts faster than you think. Bring your current symptoms as they are. The Songdo branch of Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic will find the cause together. Where life blooms. Herbal medicine is Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic. Check symptoms similar to yours first through AI consultation on the Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic website! This article is health information organized together by Dalimchae medical staff based on questions actually received often in the consultation room. Medical Supervision | Women & Pregnancy Treatment Standard, Songdo Branch of Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic, Korean Medicine Doctor Oh Hyun-min (Pregnancy Preparation Column)