[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Science, technology and education](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science) › [Hindu Medicine](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.zimmer-1948) › c8.223 # Hindu Medicine c8.223 Hindu Medicine c8.223 - **Language:** English ### [c8.223](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.zimmer-1948.c8.223) What will the child’s sex be? This is a crucial question, of vital importance in the individual’s fate under the Hindu paternal order, which entails more suffering than happiness for women. The incidence of the birth of a girl-child, in fact, is viewed¹ in non-medical tradition as an effect of bad karman. In terms of pre-scientific physiology the following solution is offered: “If (in the mixture of semen and menstrual blood) the seed prevails, a boy will be the issue; if the menstrual blood prevails, it will be a girl; from the equal proportion of both springs the hermaphrodite.” - [Previous: c8.222](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.zimmer-1948.c8.222) - [Next: c8.224](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.zimmer-1948.c8.224) - [Up: c8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.zimmer-1948.c8) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.zimmer-1948.c8.223](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.zimmer-1948.c8.223) · Pramāṇa