bubble_chart Concept

Fetal toxin refers to the condition where a fetus is exposed to pathogenic toxins within the mother's body during gestation and develops the disease after birth. This condition often arises because the mother fails to properly care for herself or consumes excessive spicy and hot foods during pregnancy, causing pathogenic heat toxins to accumulate in the womb, damaging fetal qi, and resulting in fetal toxin.

bubble_chart Pattern Analysis

1. Fever︰The body is covered with high fever, the mouth is closed and the face is red, breathing is hot, the eyelids are swollen, there is gasping and panting, crying and restlessness, scanty and dark urine, and severe constipation. Also known as "fetal heat." There are two causes of the disease: one is that the mother consumed excessive spicy and fried foods during pregnancy, leaving the fetus with a hot and pungent qi; the other is that the mother suffered from Rebing and failed to clear and resolve it, allowing pathogenic heat toxins to invade the fetus. The key points of diagnosis are: after birth, the infant exhibits high fever all over the body, a closed mouth and red face, and hot breathing; if pathogenic heat stagnates in the lungs and stomach, there will be gasping and panting; if heat toxins transform into fire and enter the pericardium, there will be crying, restlessness, scanty and dark urine, and severe constipation. If treatment is delayed, conditions such as erysipelas (red wandering), infantile eczema, carcinoma of the tongue (wooden tongue), or thrush (aphtha) may develop. The treatment should focus on clearing heat and removing toxins, with the representative formula being Jicheng Hangxie Dan.
2. Cold Aversion︰The complexion is pale and bluish, with drowsiness and excessive sleepiness, white stools from breastfeeding, cold breath, and the body develops cold foxtail millet-like symptoms, with curled feet and clenched fists, abdominal pain causing incessant crying, or lockjaw preventing mouth opening. Also known as "fetal cold." There are three causes of the disease: first, the mother consumed excessive raw, cold, or greasy foods during pregnancy, leaving cold qi in the fetus; second, the mother was exposed to cold pathogens without treatment, allowing them to invade the womb; third, the mother suffered from Rebing and took excessive cooling medications, causing internal damage to the fetus. The key diagnostic points are: after birth, the infant has a pale and bluish complexion, drowsiness, and white stools from breastfeeding; if further exposed to cold pathogens, external cold may trigger internal cold, manifesting as cold breath, cold chestnut-like body symptoms, occasional shivering, curled feet and clenched fists, abdominal pain causing incessant crying, or lockjaw preventing mouth opening. If treatment is delayed, it may lead to chronic convulsions, chronic convulsion due to spleen disorder, or intestinal colic. The treatment principle is warming the middle and dissipating cold, with the representative formula being Zhimi Seven Qi Decoction.
3. Convulsive Seizure︰Frequent convulsions, fever with a bluish complexion, locked jaw, qi counterflow with phlegm sounds, stiff back and body, upward staring eyes, and inability to cry. Also known as "fetal convulsions," "fetal fright," or "fetal epilepsy." The cause of the disease is often due to the mother experiencing sudden anger or fright during pregnancy, which is transmitted to the fetus. Key diagnostic points include: frequent convulsions after birth, locked jaw, stiff back and body, upward staring eyes, inability to cry, and often difficult to treat. If caused by excessive heat generating wind, symptoms such as fever with a red face and incessant crying will appear. The treatment method should focus on calming fright and unblocking collaterals, with the representative formula being Gastrodia Pill.
4. Yellowish Discoloration︰The face and entire body are yellow like gold, with fever, urine the color of gardenia juice, no desire for milk or food, and incessant crying. Also known as "fetal jaundice" (see the section on infantile jaundice for details).

The origin of fetal toxin is attributed to congenital factors, which can lead to various diseases in infants and young children. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment of fetal toxin are of positive significance for protecting the physical health of infants and young children and promoting their growth and development.

bubble_chart Documentation

1. Youyou Jicheng．The Theory of Fetal Diseases: "Fetal toxin refers to the toxin from the life gate ministerial fire of the parents. The life gate, in men, stores essence, and in women, it connects to the womb, which Taoists refer to as the lower dantian. The essence of the two fives (yin and yang) combines wonderfully and solidifies, forming the purest essence that melts and forms the fetus. The fire of excess, when accumulated, becomes fetal toxin. It is said that humans are born with a quiet nature, which is the nature of heaven; moved by things, which is the desire of humans; after the formation of the fetus, the mother's condition is especially crucial. All thoughts and worries ignite fire in the heart; anger and rage generate fire in the liver; sorrow and fire stagnation occur in the lungs; sweet and fatty foods accumulate fire in the spleen; excessive indulgence releases fire from the kidneys. The fire of the five desires hides in the mother's womb, thus forming fetal toxin. The manifestations of fetal toxin include conditions like insect bites, flowing cinnabar, eczema, abscesses, subcutaneous nodes, carcinoma of the tongue, wooden tongue, thrush, aphtha, as well as fetal heat, fetal convulsions, fetal jaundice, and the like. If neonatal tetanus within seven days, cough with phlegm within a hundred days, true convulsions within half a year, and flowing cinnabar within a year occur, these are the most severe and intense forms of toxin that cannot be resolved."