Premature birth is a common instance seen in the Hindu society. Birth in the eighth month of pregnancy is reasoned out to a cat having entered the pregnant mother`s room in a previous confinement. A child born in this month is believed to die on the eighth day, in the eighth month or eighth month or eighteenth year after birth. Thus the number eight is considered to be an ominous one in case of a premature child, if he or she takes birth in the eighth month. Hence the number eight is not to be mentioned while speaking of the child`s age. Lucky and unlucky births are gravely believed referring to the Hindu society.

The planets, months and days have strongly influence the month and the child. There are various superstitions and beliefs in the Hindu society about unlucky ones and accordingly remedies are also practiced in different regions of India. Some of them are described here. It is believed that Monday is an unlucky day for birth and as a remedy the child`s nose or ear is bored.

Saturn: If this planet rules the child, then seven kinds of grain, or anything black including materials like iron or a black buffalo, should be given in charity to the mother or child.

Mars: If this planet rules the child, articles like copper, Gur or jaggery, cloth dyed red or oil should be given in charity.

The Sun: In case of sovereignty of this planet, reddish things such as Ghee, wheat, gold, a red colored cow should be given in charity.

The Moon: If this planet rules the child, white articles, such as silver, rice, a white cow, white cloth are the articles to be given as gifts. Mercury and Venus: In case of sovereignty of this planet, green articles such as mug (green gram), fruits such as oranges or green clothes are given in charity.

Jupiter: If this planet controls the child, yellow things such as yellow clothes, gram pulse, yellow sweetmeats, gold, etc are given as charity.

Rah (ascending node): coconut, ghee, sugar and Urd (pulse) are given to the child being controlled by this condition.

Kret (Typhoon: the descending node): Samosa (a fried product) and bluish clothes are given in charity to the child if this condition rules him.

For the well being of the child and the mother many kinds of pujas are performed before and after the birth of the child. Above mentioned charity is given in worship of planets and is called Greha Puja.

The planets governing different days are Monday (Moon), Tuesday (Mars), Wednesday (Mercury), Thursday (Jupiter), Friday (Venus) and Saturday (Saturn).

Under natal astrology, the following thirteen Nakshatras are ill fated for childbirth:
1. Asauni
2. Razvati (Reoti)
3. Maghan (Magha)
4. Shelkhan
5. Mulan (mul)
6. Jeshtan (Jeshtha)
7. Garhan (eclipse)
8. Atepat
9. Shankrattt
10. Gand
11. Owudas(14th)
12. Amavas (15th)
13. Bhadra

The 4th in the Shelkhan, Jeyestha and Rewati asterisms and the first in Mulan, Ashwini and Maghan are called Gand; childbirth in these consequences is unlucky. If it occurs during the day, the ill luck is transferred to the father. If the birth takes place during the night and if during the morning or evening, the bad luck comes for the child itself. These are the unlucky days are not auspicious for childbirth especially under these particular nakshatras in the dark half of the lunar month. A child born on any of these days brings ill luck to the parents. But all these refinements are not known to the popular astrology and the popular observations in regard to births in Jeshtan, Ashlekhan, Mulan and Maghan asterism as ill fated.

The remedy of these ill fates is prescribed that the father of the child should not see the child unless the recurrence of the nakshatra in which the baby was born occurs. He has to worship the Gods continuously until the five dolls have been created and kept in a copper vessel and apprehensively propitiated. A perforated jug is hung up and from there water trickles over the heads of the parents. Charity in form of mainly food is given to Brahmins.

The evil influence of birth during the dark night or K`rsna paksa, Chaudas or fourteenth day and Amavas or last day of the dark half also prevails. The children born on these days are not favorable to the mother, those born on the latter brings bad luck to the father. To ward off their evil influence, an idol of Siva is installed that is made of silver. The Shiva is kept inside a clay jar with leaves from trees like mango, Pipul, Bel, Palas, etc. or sometimes covered with a red cloth, on which a coconut is placed. On that the idol of Siva is placed, duly purified with mantras. Hawan {Yagaye) is also performed. The idol is offered to any Brahmin or else money in exchange of.

A child born in Kartik or the months of Oct-Nov is inauspicious and is responsible for misfortunate to others and themselves. Various rites are performed to ward off the consequence of their births. The parents must bathe with water drawn from seven wells and mix turmeric, sandal, ginger and other drugs to the bathing water. Water from seven wells or rivers is purified with various mantras. Such water is poured on the mother and the child through a filter. Charity is given to the Brahmins. A child born, when the moon is in the sixth or eighth zodiacal sign, is ominous. To prevent its evil influence on the 27th day of such birth, rice, camphor, a sold/silver piece or piece of white cloth are given in charity. This is an orthodox rite and is not widely observed.