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According to *Baoyuan Lun* (Treatise on Preserving Vitality): When a woman is pregnant, she should maintain a joyful mood to harmonize Qi and Blood (Qi-Blood) and nourish the Fetal Origin (Taiyuan). She should abstain from sexual intercourse early on, regulate her diet, keep away internally from excessive Seven Emotions (Joy, Anger, Worry, Pensiveness, Sadness, Fear, Fright), and avoid externally the Six Exogenous Pathogens (Wind, Cold, Summerheat, Dampness, Dryness, Fire). Her temperament should be calm rather than irritable; her body should be active rather than idle. Her taste preferences should lean towards cool rather than hot; her food should be warm rather than cold. She should not stand or sit for long periods, nor walk or lie down for too long. Furthermore, she should avoid all rich, sweet, and greasy foods, as well as fried, roasted, grilled, and spicy items, fruits, fish, turtles, rabbit, pigeon, beef, horse meat, and scaleless fish such as eels, loaches, and eels. By avoiding all these禁忌 (taboos), she will prevent conditions such as fetal leakage with bleeding, pregnancy edema (Zi Zhong), eclampsia (Zi Xian), hanging fetus (Zi Xuan), malpresentation, difficult labor, intrauterine fetal injury, and postnatal issues like fetal heat, fetal cold, fetal obesity, fetal weakness, fetal fright, and fetal toxins affecting the child. Ancient prenatal education states: A pregnant woman should not sleep on her side, sit askew, or stand limping; she should not eat strange foods, look at ugly sights, listen to obscene sounds, or speak foul words. She should not take what is unjust, nor accept wealth that is unreasonable. Instead, she should listen to poetry and books, and discuss the principles of acquiring knowledge and investigating things. Thus, the child born will have a handsome appearance and exceptional talent. I have observed that women with gentle and kind dispositions who have few desires during pregnancy give birth to children who are rarely ill and have few cases of smallpox; this is the verification.

*Zhizhang Jue* (Finger-Palm Formula) states: One must know the essentials of pregnancy complications; dangerous conditions are often deduced from Phlegm-Fire. If fetal Qi rushes to the chest and heart causing distension, use Chaihu, Baizhu, and scorched Zhizi (Gardeniae Fructus). Bleeding during pregnancy is called "Tai Lou" (Fetal Leakage); it results from Blood Heat or Qi Deficiency. Use Xiong Gui Jiao Ai Tang (Cnidium, Angelica, and Donkey-Hide Gelatin Decoction) to calm the fetus and smooth Qi; do not delay. For Zi Lin (pregnancy dysuria), seek An Rong San. For Tai Shui (excessive amniotic fluid), use Li Yu Tang (Carps Decoction). For generalized edema resembling water accumulation, decoct Fang Ji (Stephaniae Tetrandrae Radix) alone for relief. Edema on the dorsum of the foot with no other symptoms is "Zhou Jiao" (wrinkled feet); use Da Fu Pi (Arecae Pericarpium) to calm the fetus. In the fifth month, severe irritability indicates Zi Fan (pregnancy vexation), treated with Zhi Mu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma) and Maidong (Ophiopogonis Radix). Pregnancy abdominal pain must be differentiated into deficiency and excess; cold and heat, warming and clearing methods can distinguish them. For Zi Xian (pregnancy convulsions), urgently administer Ling Yang Jiao (Capricornis Cornu). For Er Yun (f晕/dizziness), Jingjie (Schizonepetae Spica) is miraculous. For diarrhea and dysentery, add Chi Shi Zhi (Halloysit Rubrum) and Bai Shi Zhi (Halloysit Albus); for heat, Huang Qin (Scutellariae Radix), Bai Zhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), and Hou Po (Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex) are suitable. For wind-cold common cold, use Shen Su Yin (Ginseng and Schizonepeta Drink); if unresolved, use Huang Long Tang without hesitation. For chest fullness, add Zhi Ke (Aurantii Fructus); for heat without sweat, use Ge Gen (Puerariae Lobatae Radix) to dispel. For severe interior heat, use Zhao Tai San; for extreme heat with delirium, apply Wu Ling San (Five-Ingredient Powder with Poria). For slow pulse, treat with Si Ni Tang (Four Counterflow Decoction) and Li Zhong Tang (Regulate the Middle Decoction); for heat-induced diarrhea, remove with Chai Hu (Bupleuri Radix), Huang Qin, and Ban Xia (Pinelliae Rhizoma). Methods of sweating, vomiting, purging, and warming require care; the primary goal is calming the fetus, do not err. To clear the spleen and treat malaria, remove Ban Xia; Si Shou Yin (Four Beast Drink) expels pathogens and tonifies the spleen. For dysentery, Xiang Lian Wan (Costus and Coptis Pill) is effective; Wei Feng Tang treats dysentery by tonifying deficiency. For wind-cold cough, use Xiong Su Yin (Angelica and Schizonepeta Drink) with Ban Xia, Bei Mu, Xing Ren, Huang Qin, and Sang Bai Pi (Mori Cortex); for constipation, use Ma Zi Yin (Hemp Seed Drink); for difficult urination, use Maidong and Kui Zi (Malvae Semen). For palpitations,恍惚 (trance), heart fright, Qi stagnation, and shouting, use Da Sheng San (Great Sage Dispersion). For heart pain, Huo Long Tang (Fire Dragon Decoction) stabilizes it; for lower back pain, differentiation is difficult. Da Sheng San can bind the fetus, but should only be taken in the ninth month. It is also said: The pulse of a pregnant woman shows Yin pulsating below and Yang distinct above; harmonious Qi and Blood indicate pregnancy. The pulses of the Hand-Shaoyin and Foot-Shaoyin meridians move vigorously; pressing the Chi (Cun Cun) position does not cease; this indicates pregnancy. Shaoyin belongs to the Heart, which governs Blood vessels; the Kidney is the Gate of the Uterus (Bao Men); the pulse corresponds to the Chi position. If the Chi pulse is faint, or the Guan position is slippery and Chi rapid, flowing smoothly, faint yet slightly rapid, with no internal heat, or the pulse is surging and slippery, one must inquire about menstruation and deliberate carefully. A woman appearing ill but with no pathogenic pulse is pregnant, not sick. Therefore, if the left pulse is deep and firm, and the right pulse is floating and large, a strong right pulse indicates a female fetus, and a strong left pulse indicates a male fetus; this can be predicted in advance.

Generally, for pregnant women, it is crucial that the Chong and Ren meridians are vigorous, Yuan Qi (Original Qi) is sufficient, diet is normal, the body is robust, complexion remains un-withered, and no miscellaneous diseases invade. Then, after ten months, delivery will surely be worry-free. If Qi and Blood are insufficient, and the Chong and Ren meridians are weak, menstruation will be delayed, and conception will not occur. Even if conception occurs, if the Bao Men Zi Hu (Gate of the Uterus and House of the Child) is deficient and cold, the conceived fetus will ultimately not be solid. Li Nangong said: For various diseases before childbirth, one should only smooth Qi and calm the fetus. If exogenous Four Seasons Qi invades, or internal Seven Emotions cause other diseases, the treatment method is no different from men; one should seek treatment according to each syndrome category. Drugs that disturb the fetus must absolutely not be used.

*Shengji Zonglu* (General Records of the Sacred Repository) states: There are two methods for calming the fetus. If the fetus moves because the mother is ill, treat the mother alone, and the fetus will naturally settle. If the fetal Qi is unstable, disturbing the mother and causing illness, calm the fetus, and the mother will naturally recover.

My former teacher, Mr. Chen Tianxi, said: A pregnant woman who is healthy and eats normally can ensure safety. Do not worry, do not take medicine rashly, do not drink excessively, do not lift heavy objects or climb high, do not sleep too much. Walk in the courtyard when free. Avoid sexual intercourse to prevent disturbing the uterus and causing difficult labor, and to avoid postnatal fetal diseases. Be cautious, be very cautious.

There are two causes for miscarriage in pregnant women: one is trauma from falling or carrying heavy loads; the other is deficiency of Qi and Blood. The waist and knees are where the fetus is attached, like the stem of a melon or the root of a flower; if exposed, it cannot grow, and if heated, it is easily injured. Therefore, in the first month, when the Jueyin Liver meridian is dominant, if the zang-fu organs cannot transmit essence to the Liver, leading to disorder of dispersion and descent, miscarriage may occur. In the second month, when the Shaoyang Gallbladder meridian is dominant, if they cannot transmit essence to the Gallbladder, leading withering may occur. In the third month, when the Pericardium meridian is dominant, if they cannot transmit essence to the Heart, leading to decay may occur. Miscarriages in the fourth, fifth, and seventh months are all similar. Therefore, the method of calming the fetus should be based on its deficiency/excess and cold/heat nature, and medication administered accordingly, ensuring stability.