Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S
AIAPGET Points
Development of fetus in 3rd month – Ayurveda
– Charaka Samhita – Formation of Sarva Indriyani and Sarva Anga Avayava.
– Sushruta Samhita – Formation of Pancha Pinda (one each for four limbs and one for head). Sukshma anga pratyanga vibhaga.
– Ashtanga Hridaya – Formation of Gatra Panchaka (as in Pancha Pinda mentioned by Sushruta) and Sukshma Angas, Sukha Dukha Jnana.
– Ashtanga Sangraha – Manifestation of Vedana (feelings), Spandana (pulsations, movements) and Pancha Indriyartheshu Abhilasha (desires in the objects of five sense organs).
– Kashyapa – Formation of Sarva Anga Avayava, Praspandana, Vedana and Chetana (consciousness).
– Harita Samhita – Formation of Hasta, Pada and Anga Pratyanga, Hasta-Pada Pravardhana and Five Pindas.
– Garbhopanishad – Feet are formed.
Modern Embryology
– 9th week – growth of week, appearance of elbows, visibility of toes, formation of eyelids and head is large with unclearly formed chin. Dimension – less than 3 / 4 inch long.
– 10th week – head becomes rounder, elbows bend, toes and fingers lose webbing and become longer, eyelids and outer parts of ears continue to develop.
– Week 11 – baby is called FETUS. The face is broad, eyes are widely separated, eyelids are fused, ears are set low on the side of head, appearance of buds for future teeth. Formation of red blood cells in the liver, development of outer genitals. Measurement – about 2 inches long. Weight – about 1 / 3 ounce (8 grams).
– 12th week – sprouting of finger nails, clear facial features, intestines are in the abdomen. Measurement – 2 1 / 2 inches (61 mm) long. Weight – 1 / 2 ounce (14 grams).
In this article we shall have a look at different opinions of different acharyas regarding the development of the fetus in the third month of pregnancy, in Ayurveda treatises.
Development of Fetus in the third month of pregnancy – Different Opinions of Different Acharyas in Different Treatises
Charaka Samhita
तृतीये मासि सर्वेन्द्रियाणि सर्वाङ्गावयवाश्च यौगपद्येनाभिनिर्वर्तन्ते||११|| (Cha.Sha.4/11)
Sarva Indriyani – All the sense organs are manifested in the third month.
Sarva Anga Avayava – Along with this, all the other body parts are simultaneously manifested.
Sushruta Samhita
तृतीये हस्तपादशिरसां पञ्च पिण्डका निर्वर्त्तन्तेऽङ्गप्रत्यङ्गविभागश्च सूक्ष्मो भवति । (Su. Sha. 3/18).
Five Pindas i.e. lump-like masses / protuberances appear from which two hands (upper limbs), two legs (lower limbs) and head develop. The distribution is as follows –
– One pinda for right upper limb
– One pinda for left upper limb
– One pinda for right lower limb
– One pinda for left lower limb and
– One pinda for head
The anga (organs) and pratyanga (minor organs) develop in extremely subtle and unclear ways. Some are also of the opinion that the pindas where future major and minor organs would develop are also manifested in the form of extremely small protuberances.
Ashtanga Hrdaya & Ashtanga Sangraha
व्यक्तीभवति मासेऽस्य तृतीये गात्रपञ्चकम् ॥ ५४॥ मूर्द्धा द्वे सक्थिनी बाहू सर्वसूक्ष्माङ्गजन्म च सममेव हि मूर्द्धाद्यैर्ज्ञानं च सुखदुःखयोः ॥ ५५॥(A.Hr.Sha.1/54-55)
According to Ashtanga Hridaya, the below mentioned are manifested in the third month –
- Gatra Panchaka i.e. five body parts i.e. the head, two upper limbs and two lower limbs
- Sukshma Angas – apart from the above said organs, all the sukshma angas (minor organs) are also manifested.
- Sukha Dukha Jnana – Along with the head etc. organs, the knowledge of sukha-dukha i.e. pleasure and pain is also manifested.
तदा चास्य वेदना प्रव्यक्ता भवति । ततश्च तत्प्रभृति स्पन्दतेऽभिलाषं पञ्चेन्द्रियार्थेषु करोति ॥१०॥ (A.Sa.Sha.2/10)
According to Ashtanga Sangraha, in the third month, the vedana i.e. feelings of the fetus becomes clearer. Following this, the fetus makes movements (spandate) and expresses pancha indriyartha abhilasha – desires in the objects of the five sense organs.
Putting the events in nut-shell –
– Vedana
– Spandana
– Pancha indriyartheshu abhilasha
Kashyapa Samhita
Below mentioned events occur in the third month of pregnancy –
– Sarva Anga Avayava – all the organs and body parts are sequentially formed, including hands and feet
– Praspandana – heard beat or pulsations begin / fetus starts quivering
– Vedana – the fetus experiences pain, pleasure and sensations
– Chetayati – there is a manifestation of consciousness.
Harita Samhita
Hasta – upper limbs, Pada – lower limbs and Anga Pratyanga – organs and minor organs are formed.
Pravardhana of hasta and pada – advanced stage or further development of upper and lower limbs.
Shira i.e. head is formed at three and half months.
Basically, Acharya Harita also explains the formation of five pindas or gatra panchaka.
Garbhopanishad
Feet of the fetus are formed.
According to Modern Embryology
Development of fetus in third month of pregnancy
Week 9
– Arms grow.
– Elbows appear.
– Toes are visible.
– Eyelids are formed.
– The head is large and the chin is not formed clearly.
– The baby is little less than 3 / 4 inch(16-18 millimetres approximately) long from crown to rump by 9th weekend.
Week 10
– The head of the baby has become rounder.
– The elbows can bend now.
– The toes and fingers have become longer after having lost their webbing.
– The eyelids and the outer parts of the ears of the baby continue to develop.
Week 11
– The baby will now be called FETUS.
– The face of the baby is broad.
– The eyes are widely separated and the eyelids are fused.
– The ears are set low on the side of the head.
– There is the appearance of buds for future teeth.
– In the liver, the red blood cells start forming.
– The outer genitals of the fetus start developing by the end of the 11th week.
– Measurement of the baby – about 2 inches (50 mm) long from crown to rump.
– Weight of the baby – roughly about 1 / 3 ounce or 8 grams.
Week 12
– The fingernails are sprouting.
– The facial features are more developed.
– The intestines are in the abdomen now.
– Length of the baby – about 2 and 1 / 2 inches (61 mm) long, from crown to rump.
– Weight of the baby – about 1 / 2 ounce or 14 grams.
