This document discusses the concept of garbha-poshan, or fetal nourishment. It describes the two main stages of fetal nourishment:
1) In the first stage, the fetus receives nourishment through the mother's upsweeda and upsweda, which provide dense nutritious material and less heavy material like vitamins and gases. This occurs through processes like diffusion, active transport, and osmosis.
2) In the second stage, the placenta plays the primary role in selective permeability and transfer of particulate matter and macromolecules to the fetus. Ancient Indian texts described this mechanism as occurring through the kedarikulya nyaya, where microvascular channels carry nourishment
4. Stages of Fetal nourishment
1. Asanjat anga-pratyanga bibhaga
stage:
Where Garbha take
nourishment by Upsweda and Upsneha of
mother by Triyagagat Rasavahi dhamanies.
Upsneha - Guru, Snigdha part (dense nutritious material),
eg. glucose, lipid by-products and protein by-products.
Upsweda - liquid / gaseous (less heavy nutritious material)
eg. Vitamins, enzymes, gases like O2 and CO2 exchange.
5. It may be the process of:
•Simple diffusion : O2 and CO2 cross the placenta
•Diffusion through channels - Voltage & Ligand gated
•By concentration gradient
•By active transport - Na+K+ pump: Ca+2 , Fe, Water
soluble vitamines,Amino acids.
•Endo/Exo cytosis
•Osmosis.
6. After conception, menstrual discharges are absent And
Artavavaha srotasa is obstructed by growing fetus. So
the downward going obstructed artava goes up and form
the Apara (placenta).
2. Nourishment by Apara (Placenta):
7. Throughout pregnancy, the Apara (placenta) retains
the primary role of all biologic membranes
(i.e. selective permeability), with particulate matter
such as blood cells and macromolecules, transfer is
severely restricted, providing a “placental barrier.”
8. Sushruta, A.H, Dalhana and Bhela described
this mechanism to be happening by Kedarikulya Nyaya
(theory of microcirculation and tissue perfusion).
Nourishment with innumerable microvascular
channels which carry nourishment to the respective
sites in Dhatus (tissues). The cells and tissues are
literally perfused with nutrient plasma. (Ch. Su 28/4)