妇人之脉，以血为本。血旺易胎，气旺难孕。
少阴动甚，谓之有子。尺脉滑利，妊娠可喜。
滑疾不散，胎必三月。但疾不散，五月可别。
左疾为男，右疾为女。女腹如箕，男腹如釜。
欲产之脉，其至离经。水下乃产，未下勿惊。
新产之脉，缓滑为吉。实大弦牢，有证则逆。
男为阳，女为阴。阳主气，阴主血，一定之常理也。故女子以血为本。血旺，
是为本足。本足而施之以阳，则生化自全，而成胎亦易易矣。气旺，则血反衰，是
为本不足，且失常理，未有理失常而能孕者也。又人之身，阴静阳动，阴体阳用。
则血固阴静也，亦体也。凝胎结孕，必动由静始，体成用先。是知女人以血胜气者
为贵。少阴动甚者，心手少阴之脉动甚也。心主血，动甚则血旺，血旺易胎，故云
有子。即《素问》平人气象论所谓妇人手少阴脉动甚者，妊子也。有子者，有妊之
谓，男女之通称，非独指男子。如下文所辨，则有男女之分矣。尺脉者，左右肾脉
也。肾为天一之水，主子宫以系胞，孕胎之根蒂也。滑利，则不枯涩，而且有替替
含物之象，故喜其妊娠。即《素问》阴阳别论所谓阴搏阳别，谓之有子。叔和《脉
经》所谓尺中之脉，按之不绝，法妊娠。上文所谓动甚妊子者，同义也。即此滑利
之脉，应指疾而不散。滑为血液，疾而不散，乃血液敛结之象，是为有胎三月矣。
若但疾而不散，是从虚渐实，从柔渐刚，血液坚凝，转为形体，故不滑耳。此妊娠
五月之脉状也。其疾，左胜于右，是为男孕。以男属阳居左，胎气钟于阳，故左胜。
右胜于左，是为女孕。以女属阴居右，胎气钟于阴，故右胜。胜者，甚、不甚之谓，
非左疾右不疾也。更视其腹，如箕者为女胎，如釜者为男胎。盖男、女之孕于胞中，
女则面母腹，男则面母背。虽各肖父母之形，亦阴阳相抱之理。女面腹，则足膝抵腹，下
大上小，故如箕。（箕，簸箕也。前浅而后深，覆之则高下异。）男面背，则背脊抵腹，其形
正圆，故如釜。（釜，食锅也，覆之正圆。）一说女动于腹，动不一处而动甚。男动于腹，举
腹动而动微。动不一者，四肢也。举腹动者，背也。历观数说，则男女在胞之仰覆，
信不诬矣。及其欲产也，其脉与十月怀妊平常见者忽异。假如平日之脉浓浮，临产
则脉忽沉；平日之脉迟，临产则脉忽数。至如大小滑涩，临产皆忽然而异。盖十月
胎气安定，一旦欲落，气血动荡，胞胎迸裂，自与经常离异，而脉亦非平昔之状貌
矣。虽然亦必有水先下，俗谓之胞浆，养胎之液也。水下，则胞裂而产。不尔，犹
未即下，勿认为产难而惊讶也。及其已产也，气血两虚，其脉宜缓滑。缓则舒徐，
不因气夺而急促。滑则流利，不因血去而涩枯，均吉兆也。若脉实大弦牢，非产后
气血俱虚者所宜。实为邪实，大为邪进，弦为阴敛而宣布不能，牢为坚着而瘀凝不
解，是皆相逆之脉。设外有证，又岂能顺乎？
妇女的脉象，以血为根本。血气旺盛容易受孕，气机旺盛反而难以怀孕。
少阴脉（手少阴心经或足少阴肾经）搏动明显，称为有孕。尺部脉象滑利，是妊娠的吉兆。
脉象滑疾且不散乱，必定是怀孕三个月。如果仅见疾脉而不散乱，五个月时可以辨别胎儿性别。
左手脉疾快的是男胎，右手脉疾快的是女胎。怀女胎的腹部形状像簸箕，怀男胎的腹部形状像锅釜。
临产时的脉象，会脱离平时的常规脉象。羊水先破然后分娩，若羊水未破则不必惊慌。
产后脉象，缓滑为吉利。若脉象实大弦牢，伴有病症则为逆证。
男性属阳，女性属阴。阳主气，阴主血，这是固定的常理。所以女子以血为本。血气旺盛，就是本元充足。本元充足而施以阳气，则生化功能自然完备，受孕也就很容易了。气机旺盛，则血气反而衰弱，这就是本元不足，且违背了常理，没有违背常理还能怀孕的。另外人的身体，阴静阳动，阴为体阳为用。那么血固然是阴静之物，也是形体基础。凝结胚胎形成胎儿，必然由静变动开始，形体成就后作用才显现。因此知道女子以血胜气（血气优于气机）为珍贵。所谓“少阴动甚”，是指手少阴心经的脉搏跳动明显。心主血脉，脉搏跳动明显说明血气旺盛，血气旺盛容易受孕，所以说“有子”。“有子”是有身孕的意思，是男女的统称，并非专指男孩。如下文所辨析，则有男女之分了。尺脉，是左右两肾的脉象。肾为天一之水，主管子宫并系连胞胎，是孕育胎儿的根本。脉象滑利，说明不枯涩，而且有充实含物的景象，所以喜欢它是妊娠之象。即《素问》阴阳别论所说的“阴搏阳别，谓之有子”。叔和《脉经》所说的“尺中之脉，按之不绝，法妊娠”。上文所说的“动甚妊子”，意思相同。就这滑利的脉象，应指感觉疾快而不散乱。滑代表血液，疾快而不散乱，是血液收敛凝聚的景象，这是怀孕三个月的脉象。如果只是疾快而不散乱，是从虚渐实，从柔渐刚，血液坚凝，转化为形体，所以不再滑利。这是怀孕五个月的脉状。其疾脉，左边胜过右边，是男胎。因为男属阳居左，胎气汇聚于阳，所以左边脉象盛。右边胜过左边，是女胎。因为女属阴居右，胎气汇聚于阴，所以右边脉象盛。所谓“胜”，是指脉象显著与不显著的区别，并非左边疾快右边就不疾快。再观察腹部，像簸箕的是女胎，像锅釜的是男胎。大概男女在胞宫中的位置，女胎面向母亲的腹部，男胎面向母亲的背部。虽然各自模仿父母的形态，也是阴阳相抱的道理。女胎面向腹部，则足膝抵住腹壁，下大上小，所以像簸箕。（簸箕，是扬米去糠的器具。前浅后深，倒扣过来则高低不同。）男胎面向背部，则背脊抵住腹壁，形状正圆，所以像锅釜。（锅釜，是做饭的锅，倒扣过来正圆。）另一种说法是女胎在腹中活动，动处不一且动势剧烈。男胎在腹中活动，整个腹部都在动但动势轻微。动处不一的是四肢，整个腹部动的是背部。纵观上述几种说法，则男女在胞宫中的仰覆姿态，确实没有虚假。等到临产时，其脉象与十月怀胎平时常见的脉象忽然不同。假如平日脉象浮浓，临产时脉象忽然沉；平日脉象迟，临产时脉象忽然数。至于大小滑涩，临产时都忽然改变。大概是因为十月胎气安定，一旦要降生，气血动荡，胞胎破裂，自然与常规的脉象不同，脉象也就不是平时的样子了。尽管如此，也必须有羊水先破，俗称胞浆，是滋养胎儿的液体。羊水破了，则胞胎破裂而分娩。如果不是这样，羊水还未下来，不要认为是难产而惊讶。等到已经分娩后，气血两虚，脉象宜缓滑。缓则舒缓徐和，不因气脱而急促。滑则流利，不因血去而涩枯，都是吉兆。如果脉象实大弦牢，不是产后气血俱虚者应有的脉象。实代表邪气实，大代表邪气进，弦代表阴气收敛而宣发不能，牢代表坚硬附着而瘀凝不解，这些都是相逆的脉象。假设外有病症，又怎么能顺乎常理呢？
The pulse of women is based on blood. Abundant blood facilitates conception, while abundant qi makes pregnancy difficult.
When the Shaoyin pulse (the pulse of the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian or Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian) beats vigorously, it indicates pregnancy. A slippery and smooth pulse at the Chi position (cubital fossa) is a favorable sign of gestation.
A pulse that is slippery, rapid, and not scattered indicates a pregnancy of three months. If the pulse is merely rapid and not scattered, the sex of the fetus can be distinguished at five months.
A rapid pulse on the left side indicates a male fetus; a rapid pulse on the right side indicates a female fetus. The abdomen of a woman pregnant with a female resembles a winnowing basket, while that of a woman pregnant with a male resembles a cauldron.
The pulse during impending labor deviates from the regular pattern. Delivery occurs after the rupture of membranes (amniotic fluid); if the fluid has not yet ruptured, there is no need for alarm.
For postpartum women, a slow and slippery pulse is auspicious. A solid, large, wiry, or deep-firm pulse accompanied by symptoms indicates an adverse condition.
Males belong to Yang, females to Yin. Yang governs Qi, and Yin governs Blood; this is a fixed principle. Therefore, women are based on blood. When blood is abundant, the root is sufficient. With a sufficient root acted upon by Yang, the processes of generation and transformation are complete, and conception becomes easy. If Qi is abundant, Blood may become deficient, meaning the root is insufficient and the normal order is violated; one cannot conceive by violating these principles. Furthermore, in the human body, Yin is still and Yang is active; Yin is the substance, and Yang is the function. Blood is inherently Yin-still and constitutes the substance. The formation of the embryo requires movement to arise from stillness, and function to follow the establishment of substance. Thus, it is considered precious for women to have blood that prevails over Qi. "Shaoyin beating vigorously" refers to the vigorous pulsation of the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian. The Heart governs Blood vessels; vigorous pulsation indicates abundant blood, which facilitates conception, hence "having a child." "Having a child" means being pregnant and is a general term for both sexes, not specifically referring to males, as differentiated later in the text. The Chi pulse refers to the pulses of the left and right Kidneys. The Kidneys represent the Water of Tianyi (Heavenly One), govern the uterus, and connect to the Bao Luo (uterus/fetus sac), serving as the root of gestation. A slippery and smooth pulse indicates non-witheredness and a sense of fullness containing life, favoring pregnancy. This aligns with the *Suwen* (Basic Questions) chapter *Yin Yang Bie Lun*, which states: "When Yin pulses beat distinctly different from Yang, it is called having a child." It also aligns with He Huan's *Mai Jing* (Pulse Classic): "The pulse at the Chi position, unceasing upon pressure, indicates pregnancy." The aforementioned "vigorous Shaoyin indicates pregnancy" shares the same meaning. Regarding this slippery pulse, feeling rapid and not scattered on the fingers: Slippery represents Blood; rapid and not scattered indicates the gathering and coagulation of Blood, characteristic of a three-month pregnancy. If merely rapid and not scattered, it signifies a transition from deficiency to excess, from softness to firmness, where Blood hardens and transforms into form, thus losing its slipperiness. This describes the pulse at five months of gestation. If the rapidness is more pronounced on the left, it indicates a male fetus. Since males belong to Yang and reside on the left, fetal Qi gathers in Yang, making the left side stronger. If the right side is stronger than the left, it indicates a female fetus. Since females belong to Yin and reside on the right, fetal Qi gathers in Yin, making the right side stronger. "Stronger" here refers to the degree of prominence, not necessarily that the right is not rapid when the left is. Observing the abdomen: resembling a winnowing basket indicates a female fetus; resembling a cauldron indicates a male fetus. Generally, in the womb, the female fetus faces the mother's abdomen, and the male fetus faces the mother's back. Although they mimic the parents' forms, this also reflects the principle of Yin-Yang embracing. The female facing the abdomen presses her knees against the abdominal wall, resulting in a shape larger at the bottom and smaller at the top, like a winnowing basket. (A winnowing basket is shallow at the front and deep at the back; inverted, it has uneven height.) The male facing the back presses his spine against the abdominal wall, resulting in a perfectly round shape, like a cauldron. (A cauldron is a cooking pot; inverted, it is perfectly round.) Another theory states that female fetuses move in various places within the abdomen with vigorous motion, while male fetuses move the entire abdomen but with slight motion. Movement in specific places involves the limbs; movement of the entire abdomen involves the back. Reviewing these theories confirms the orientation of males and females in the womb. Upon impending labor, the pulse suddenly differs from the usual ten-month gestational pulse. For instance, if the pulse was typically floating and thick, it suddenly becomes deep during labor; if it was typically slow, it suddenly becomes rapid. Whether small, large, slippery, or choppy, all change abruptly. This is because the fetal Qi has been stable for ten months; once delivery begins, Qi and Blood become turbulent, the fetal sac ruptures, and the pulse naturally deviates from the norm, no longer resembling its usual appearance. Nevertheless, the amniotic fluid (commonly called Bao Jiang, the liquid nourishing the fetus) must rupture first. Once the fluid breaks, the sac ruptures and delivery ensues. If this has not happened, do not mistake it for dystocia (difficult labor) and be alarmed. After delivery, when Qi and Blood are both deficient, the pulse should be slow and slippery. Slow indicates relaxation and slowness, not急促 (hasty/rapid) due to Qi depletion. Slippery indicates smoothness, not choppy or withered due to Blood loss. Both are auspicious signs. However, a solid, large, wiry, or deep-firm pulse is unsuitable for postpartum women with Qi and Blood deficiency. Solid indicates pathogenic excess; Large indicates pathogenic advancement; Wiry indicates Yin constriction preventing free circulation; Deep-firm indicates hardness and attachment with unresolved stasis. These are all contrary pulses. If external symptoms are present, how can the condition be harmonious?