🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Fetus, fully known as embryo, refers to the stage within the first month of pregnancy. “Embryo” comes from “female” (as in “embryo”), while “fetus” is defined in *Shuowen Jiezi* as “pregnancy at three months.” The developing organism inside the mother’s womb before birth is called fetus.Fetal and maternal health preservation refers to measures taken during the period from conception to delivery to promote healthy fetal development and ensure the physical and mental well-being of both mother and fetus. Its content resembles the knowledge of “nourishing the fetus,” “protecting the fetus,” and “fetal education” found in traditional Chinese medicine.The term “nourishing the fetus” first appeared in Zhang Zhongjing’s *Jin Kui Yao Lue – Treatments for Diseases in Women During Pregnancy*, which states: “For pregnant women, nourishing the fetus, Bai Zhu San is the main prescription.” Subsequently, it mentions: “When a woman injures her fetus, with abdominal distension during pregnancy, inability to urinate, heaviness below the waist, resembling fluid retention. At seven months of pregnancy, the sun energy should nourish but fails to do so—this indicates excess heart qi.”