欲产之妇脉离经。沉细而滑也同名。夜半觉痛应分诞。来朝日午定知生。
脉经云。妇人怀妊离经。其脉浮。设腹痛引腰脊。为欲生也。但离经者。不
病也。又云。妇人欲生。其脉离经。半夜觉。日中则生也。两观经文。与诀无
异。难经曰。至之脉。一呼三至曰离经。损之脉。一呼一至曰离经。皆病脉
也。惟孕妇则不然。倘诊得其脉。或一呼三至。或一呼一至。脉虽离经。然
非病脉。乃欲产之脉也。或若诊得其脉沉细而滑。亦同名为欲产之脉。
勿听子释为沉细而滑。亦谓之离经。非也。至于夜半觉痛。知来朝日午
当生者。子午对冲。是以知其生也。举一隅而反。当云丑痛则未生。寅痛
则申生。卯痛则酉生。辰痛则戌生。巳痛则亥生。此其常也。变则不拘日数矣。
按圣惠方云。夜半子时觉腹痛。来日午时必定生产。谓子午相半。正半日观数也。
身重体寒热又频。舌下之脉黑复青。及舌上冷子当死。腹中须遗母归冥。
凡妊妇临月之时。但觉其身体沉重。如无他苦。自然气血和畅。如果熟
蒂脱。而子母俱安矣。今寒热频频往来者。乃阴阳两虚。母气虚脱。本实
先拨。则无以荣养其胎。而子死矣。何以知之。舌下之脉肾脉也。肾系胞。
舌下之脉黑而复青。则死色现于舌矣。舌以候子。舌冷而至反厥。则子
死无疑。子既已死。而又不得出。遗于母腹中。母难望其生也。
面赤舌青细寻看。母活子死定应难。唇口俱青沫又出。母子俱死总高判。
面青舌青沫出频。（据理。当云面青舌赤。若云舌青。与理不合。恐舌青之青字为误。）母死子活定知真。不信若能
看应验。始知贤哲不虚陈。
大抵妊娠生死之候。面以候母。舌以候子。一定之论也。巢氏病源曰。候
其母面赤舌青者。儿死母活。母唇口青。两边沫出者。母子俱死。面青舌
赤。口中沫出。母死子活。此从古贤哲相传如是。定不虚陈也。
The pulse of a woman about to give birth is characterized by the *Li Jing* pulse (pulse deviating from the regular pattern), specifically appearing as deep, fine, and slippery. If pain is felt at midnight, delivery should occur at Zi hour (11 PM–1 AM); if pain is felt at noon the following day, delivery will definitely occur at Wu hour (11 AM–1 PM).
The *Mai Jing* (Classic of Pulse Diagnosis) states: When a pregnant woman exhibits the *Li Jing* pulse, the pulse is floating. If accompanied by abdominal pain radiating to the lower back and spine, it indicates imminent labor. The term "Li Jing" here does not refer to disease but to a pulse deviating from the normal resting state. It further states: When a woman is about to deliver, her pulse becomes the *Li Jing* pulse. If this is perceived at midnight, delivery will occur at midday. Observing both passages, there is no difference between these texts and the *Mai Jue* (Pulse Rhymes).
The *Nan Jing* (Classic of Difficult Issues) notes: In rapid pulses, three beats per exhalation are called "Li Jing"; in slow pulses, one beat per exhalation is also called "Li Jing." Both are pathological pulses. However, this is not the case for pregnant women. If such a pulse is found in a pregnant woman—whether three beats or one beat per exhalation—it may appear as "Li Jing," but it is not a pathological pulse; rather, it is the pulse of impending labor. Alternatively, if the pulse is found to be deep, fine, and slippery, it is similarly named the pulse of impending labor.
Do not accept interpretations that forcibly categorize "deep, fine, and slippery" as "Li Jing"; this is incorrect. Regarding the timing: if pain is felt at midnight, knowing that delivery will occur at noon the next day is due to the opposing nature of Zi and Wu hours. By analogy: pain at Chou hour implies delivery at Wei hour; pain at Yin hour implies delivery at Shen hour; pain at Mao hour implies delivery at You hour; pain at Chen hour implies delivery at Xu hour; pain at Si hour implies delivery at Hai hour. This is the general rule. Variations do not strictly adhere to fixed days.
According to the *Shenghui Fang*, if abdominal pain is felt at Zi hour (midnight), delivery will certainly occur at Wu hour (noon) the next day, because Zi and Wu divide the day equally, corresponding to half a day's cycle.
If the body feels heavy with frequent alternating chills and fever, and the veins under the tongue are blackish and bluish, or if the tongue feels cold, the fetus is likely dead. If the dead fetus remains in the uterus, the mother will also die.
When a pregnant woman near term feels only bodily heaviness without other distress, it indicates harmonious Qi and Blood, similar to a ripe fruit falling naturally, ensuring safety for both mother and child. However, frequent alternating chills and fever indicate deficiency of both Yin and Yang, depletion of maternal Qi, and instability of the root, leading to an inability to nourish the fetus, resulting in fetal death. How is this known? The veins under the tongue reflect the Kidney pulse, and the Kidneys connect to the uterus. Blackness and blueness under the tongue indicate signs of death manifesting on the tongue. The tongue is used to prognosticate the fetus; coldness of the tongue extending to cold limbs confirms fetal death. Once the fetus dies and cannot be expelled, remaining in the mother’s abdomen, the mother’s survival becomes unlikely.
If the face is red and the tongue is cyanotic, careful observation confirms that the mother lives while the fetus dies, though this situation is difficult. If the lips and mouth are cyanotic with frothy discharge, it indicates death for both mother and child.
(Note: Based on medical theory, it should be "face cyanotic and tongue red"; stating "tongue cyanotic" contradicts theory, suggesting "cyanotic" might be a textual error for the tongue.) If the mother dies and the fetus lives, this is certain. If one does not believe this, observing its verification will reveal that the words of the sages are not in vain.
Generally, the principle for prognosticating life and death in pregnancy is: the face reflects the mother, and the tongue reflects the fetus. This is a definitive theory. Chao Yuanfang’s *Zhubing Yuanhou Lun* (Treatise on the Pathogenesis and Symptoms of All Diseases) records: If the mother’s face is red and the tongue is cyanotic, the fetus is dead but the mother lives. If the mother’s lips and mouth are cyanotic with froth at the corners of the mouth, both mother and child die. If the mother’s face is cyanotic and the tongue is red with froth in the mouth, the mother dies but the fetus lives. This has been transmitted from ancient sages and is reliable.