Abnormalities | Disorders Of Foetus

• Coitus during first three days of menstruation has been contraindicated, saying that if woman conceives during this period either she will abort or bear a child having less body parts or will be short lived.
• Upto sixth month the expulsion of foetus is called garbhapata.
   
    This can be explained as thus:
  • During the seventh month foetus attains development of all body parts and capability to survive. The child born in this month does not survive due to akala-parasava (delivery in improper time) and it does not possess longevity etc. characteristics as seen in full term delivered child.
  • If delivery in seventh month takes place normally (normal labour) without any abnormality (diseases of the mother or foetus) then the child survives. However, if delivery has occurred due to some abnormality (viguna) then the child does not survive and delivery in this month also may be called as garbhapata. Since the delivery in seventh month occurs due to abnormality of dosas hence it is called "Viprasava".
• Due to abnormalities of dosas specially propelled by vayu the delivery may take place before completing full term and the child thus born will be of weak constitution.
• For normal full term delivery, normalcy of sukra, artava, atmakarma, asaya, kala and diet along with normal mode of life of mother is essential. This implies that abnormality of either of these factors can cause premature labour.
• Aggravated vayu located in sukra is said to cause premature expulsion of foetus.
   

• Intrauterine stay of foetus after tenth or twelfth month has been considered as abnormal.
• Aggravated vayu can retain the foetus in uterus for a very prolong duration
• In eleventh and twelfth month abnormality is comparatively less. Obstruction in the exit passage due to vitiated vayu is the causes of prolong intrauterine stay of the foetus and this definitely causes abnormality in labour. The vayu located in sukra can also be one of the causes.
• Linagarbha is the foetus having prolonged intrauterine stay. Spasms of the exit passage of foetus caused by vayu produces this abnormality, in which there can be even intrauterine death of the foetus. This can be treated by pestling paddy in a mortar or by traveling in jerking vehicles etc. These procedures may initiate labour due to the increase in intra abdominal pressure or irritation.