生产一道，天地自然之理，不待勉强而无难者也。然今之世，往往以难产闻者，得无以人事之失，而损其
天耶？保产之术，可不详乎？世风不古，胎教久废，为母者既不能保于平时，而徒临产措置，犹觉其迟。谨
将难产之由，详列于左，庶知预为调摄也。
一因安逸。盖妇人怀胎，血以养之，气以护之，宜常时微劳，令气血周流，胞胎活动。如久坐久卧，以致
气不营运，血不流顺，胎亦沉滞不活动，故令难产。常见田野劳苦之妇，忽然途中腹痛，立便生产可知。
二因奉养。盖胎之肥瘦，气通于母，母之所嗜，胎之所养。如恣食浓味，不知减节，故致胎肥而难产。常见
藜藿之家，容易生产可知。
三因淫欲。古者妇人怀孕，即居侧室，与夫异寝，以淫欲最所当禁。盖胎在胞中，全赖气血育养，静则神
藏，若情欲一动，火扰于中，血气沸腾。三月已前犯之，则易动胎小产；三月已后犯之，一则胞衣太浓而难产，
一则胎元漏泄，子多肥白而不寿。且不观诸物乎？人与物均禀血气以生，然人之生子，不能胎胎顺，个个存；而
牛马犬豕，胎胎俱易，个个无损。何也？盖牛马犬豕一受胎后，则牝牡绝不相交，而人受孕不能禁绝，矧有纵
而无度者乎！
四因忧疑。今人求子之心虽切，保胎之计甚疏，或问卜祷神，或闻适有产变者，常怀忧惧，心悬意怯，因
之产亦艰难。
五因软怯。如少妇初产，神气怯弱，子户未舒，更腰曲不伸，辗转倾侧，儿不得出；又中年妇人，生育既
多，气虚血少，产亦艰难。
六因仓皇。有等愚蠢稳婆，不审正产、弄产，但见腹痛，遽令努力。产妇无主，只得听从，以致横生倒生，
子母不保。
七因虚乏。孕妇当产时，儿未欲生，用力太早；及儿欲出，母力已乏，令儿停住。因而产户干涩，产亦艰
难，惟大补气血助之可也。
The process of childbirth is a natural law of heaven and earth, which can be completed smoothly without any forced effort. However, in today's society, it is often heard that some women experience difficult labor. Is this not because human negligence has damaged their innate nature? How can the art of preserving pregnancy and ensuring safe delivery not be studied in detail? The customs of the world are not as pure as in ancient times, and prenatal education (Taijiao) has long been abandoned. Mothers fail to maintain their health during pregnancy and only attempt to manage the situation when labor begins, which is already considered too late. Herein, the causes of dystocia (difficult labor) are listed in detail below, so that one may know to regulate and nourish oneself in advance.
1. Cause: Excessive Indolence. Generally, during pregnancy, blood nourishes the fetus, and Qi protects it. It is appropriate to engage in mild physical activity regularly to ensure the free circulation of Qi and Blood, keeping the uterus active. If one sits or lies down for too long, Qi fails to circulate, and Blood becomes stagnant, causing the fetus to become sluggish and inactive, thus leading to difficult labor. One can observe that women engaged in hard field labor often go into sudden abdominal pain while on the road and deliver immediately; this illustrates the point.
2. Cause: Overindulgence in Diet. The size of the fetus is connected to the mother's Qi and Blood; what the mother craves and consumes becomes the nourishment for the fetus. If one indulges in rich and heavy flavors without moderation, it leads to an overly large fetus and difficult labor. Conversely, families living on simple diets often find childbirth easier, which confirms this.
3. Cause: Sexual Desire. In ancient times, pregnant women would reside in separate quarters and sleep apart from their husbands, as sexual desire was strictly prohibited. The fetus within the uterus relies entirely on Qi and Blood for nourishment. Stillness allows the Spirit to remain contained; however, if emotional desires arise, Fire stirs internally, causing Qi and Blood to boil. If this occurs before the third month of pregnancy, it easily disturbs the fetus and leads to miscarriage. If it occurs after the third month, it may result in a thickened placenta (Baoyi) causing dystocia, or leakage of the fetal essence, resulting in children who are fat and fair-skinned but have short lifespans. Do we not observe other creatures? Humans and animals all derive life from Qi and Blood. Yet, human births are not always smooth, nor do all infants survive; whereas cattle, horses, dogs, and pigs give birth easily every time, with no loss. Why is this? Because once cattle, horses, dogs, and pigs conceive, males and females cease mating. Humans, however, cannot abstain after conception, let alone those who indulge without restraint!
4. Cause: Worry and Doubt. Although people today are eager to conceive, their plans for preserving the pregnancy are lax. Some consult fortune-tellers or pray to deities; others hear of birth complications and live in constant fear and anxiety. Their minds are unsettled and spirits timid, leading to difficult labor.
5. Cause: Weakness and Timidity. For young women giving birth for the first time, the spirit and Qi may be weak, and the cervix (Zihu) may not be fully dilated. If they bend their waists and fail to extend themselves, tossing and turning, the child cannot emerge. Similarly, middle-aged women who have given birth many times may suffer from Qi deficiency and Blood depletion, making labor difficult.
6. Cause: Panic and Haste. Some foolish midwives fail to distinguish between true labor and false labor. Upon seeing abdominal pain, they hastily urge the mother to push. Lacking guidance, the mother complies, resulting in malpresentation (such as transverse or breech presentation), endangering both mother and child.
7. Cause: Exhaustion. When labor begins, if the fetus is not yet ready to be born, the mother exerts force too early. By the time the fetus is ready to exit, the mother’s strength is depleted, causing the fetus to stall. This results in a dry and tight vaginal opening, making labor difficult. Only by greatly tonifying Qi and Blood can this be assisted.