A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c25.604.3

v1.c25.604.3

the position of the foetus within the womb, dependent on its sex;⁶⁰ the rhythm of sleeping and being awake of the child depends on that of the mother;⁶¹ the child in the womb is completely dependent (paratantravṛtti) and lives upon the upasneha and upasveda produced in the uterus⁶² (2.16); the major and minor parts of the foetus become gradually visible; the child’s nutrition takes place through the umbilical cord, attached to the placenta (aparā), which is connected to the mother’s heart; the juice derived from the mother’s food is carried by the dhamanīs from her heart to the placenta, and thence to the child’s navel; it is digested in the child’s pakvāśaya and nourishes, being rich in prasāda, its bodily constituents;⁶³ the upasneha is absorbed through the pores of the child’s hairs (2.17); the reason for the non-production of urine and faeces in the foetus;⁶⁴ the position in which a child is normally born (2.18);⁶⁵ signs indicating that the pregnancy will result in the birth of a boy, girl or klība (= napuṃsaka) (2.19);⁶⁶ when vāta desiccates the vessels transporting rasa, the child may suffer from a vāta disease or show defective limbs; such a foetus may remain in the womb for several years (2.20);⁶⁷ factors resulting in the birth of children liable to show abnormal types of sexual behaviour and functioning;