Tarifas para interconexión, funciones administrativas, facilidades para el sistema

The uterus, or the palace of the fetus, is located in the center of the lower abdomen and connected with vagina at the lower end, posterior to the urinary bladder and anterior to the rectum. It resembles an inverted pear when not conceived. The main physiological functions of the uterus are as follows:

1. Governing menstruation. The uterus is an organ where menstruation occurs after the maturity of female reproductive function. A healthy female begins to develop in productivity at the age of 13 to 14 years old, and under the influence of tiangui, the conception vessel will be unob- structed, and the thoroughfare vessel is abundant in qi and blood, and thus menstruation occurs. So the normal functions of the uterus are of great significance to the menstrual onset.

2. Conceiving fetus. After normal menstrual onset, the uterus will be capable of producing and conceiving the fetus. After pregnancy, the men- struation stops, and visceral or meridian qi, blood and body fluid will reach the uterus through the thoroughfare vessel and the conception vessel to nourish the fetus. So the uterus also plays a key role in conceiving the fetus.

The Relationship of the Uterus to Tiangui, Thoroughfare Vessel, Conception Vessel, Heart, Liver and Spleen

The process of the uterus in governing menstruation and pregnancy is very complicated and involves tiangui, thoroughfare vessel and conception ves- sel, as well as the heart, liver and spleen, which mainly manifests as follows:

1. The functions of tiangui. Tiangui, a substance produced when the kidney essence is abundant to a certain extent, can promote the develop- ment and maturity of sexual glands and maintain the female reproductive functions. Hence, promoted by it, the female sexual organs begin to develop and menstruation begins to occur, preparing for conceiving the

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fetus. When people are old, however, their renal essence begins to decline and tiangui becomes declined and depleted. It is thus evident that the arrival or discontinuation of tiangui is decisive in triggering the onset of menstruation and the action of thoroughfare vessel and conception vessel.

2. The functions of thoroughfare vessel and conception vessel. The two meridians both start from the uterus. The thoroughfare vessel runs alongside the kidney-meridian and connects with the stomach-meridian. Because the thoroughfare vessel can regulate qi and blood from the 12 meridians, it is called the sea of blood; the conception vessel, connecting with the three yin meridians of foot at the lower abdomen, is in charge of the uterus and can regulate the yin meridians all over the body, therefore it is called the sea of yin meridians. Only when qi and blood from the 12 meridians are abundant can they overflow into the thoroughfare vessel and conception vessel and subsequently into the uterus to promote menstrua- tion. The waxing and waning of qi and blood in the thoroughfare vessel and conception vessel are regulated by tiangui. Before adolescence, the kidney essence is inadequate, tiangui has not come, the conception vessel is obstructed and thoroughfare vessel is not abundant, hence there will be no menstruation; when people become old, tiangui begin to decline, Qi and blood in the thoroughfare vessel and conception vessel begin to wane, and there will be irregular menstruation and eventually menopause. If there are disorders of the thoroughfare vessel and conception vessel, there will be irregular menstruation or even amenorrhea and infertility, etc.

3. The influences of the heart, liver and spleen. The uterus plays a sig- nificant role in menstrual onset and cycle as well as fetal conception. All of these functions, however, rely on the abundance of qi and blood and the normal regulation of blood which is dominated by the heart, stored by the liver, and controlled by the spleen. Hence, menstruation is closely associ- ated with the heart, liver and spleen. If the liver fails to store blood or the spleen fails to control blood, there will be profuse menses, shortened men- strual cycle, prolonged menstrual period, or even metrorrhagia and met- rostaxis. If the spleen is weak in producing qi and blood, there will be scanty menses, prolonged menstrual cycle or even amenorrhea. If the heart-spirit is impaired or the dispersion-ventilation function of the liver is affected due to emotional disorders, such pathological manifestations as irregular menstruation may also appear.

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Daily Exercises

1. What are extraordinary fu-organs?

2. What are the main physiological functions of the uterus?

SECTION 4 THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG

THE VISCERA

The human body, a unified organic whole, is composed of many tissues and organs such as the viscera, meridians and collaterals. Their functional activities are not isolated, but a coordinated performance of the whole body. They are physiologically inter-restricted, interdependent and inter- promoted; besides, they also constitute a coordinated, unified organic body aided by the connection of meridians and the circulation of qi, blood and body fluid.