胎教是对尚未出生的胎儿进行外界刺激，比如播放音乐，以期在婴儿出生之前促进其智力发育的努力，被视为中医学的一个传统做法。

“胎教”一词最早出现在汉朝，那时胎教的基本含义是孕妇必须遵守的道德、行为规范。

中国南北朝的颜之推在《颜氏家训·教子》中说：“在者圣王有胎之法，怀子三月，出居别宫，目不邪视，耳不妄听，声音滋味，以礼节之。”宋代朱熹在其《小学集注·立法》中指出：“古者妇人妊子，寝不侧，坐不边，立不跸，不食邪味，割不正不食，席不正不坐，目不视邪色，耳不听淫声，…… 如此则生子形容端正，才过人矣。”清代康有为的《大同书》也说：“天下之人皆出子胎，胎生既误，施教无从。然而胎教之地，其为治者之第一要地”。

Taegyo refers to a set of practices and beliefs related to prenatal development. Taegyo is said to be regulations that a mother should observe in order to have good effects on her unborn child during maternity. Also, it is the education occurring in the period of maternity and considered that when an expectant mother tries to be careful of everything, prudent in speech and action, and keep distance from evil thoughts, it affects the unborn child in good ways. In other words, Taegyo is all the effort for the mother to provide the best environment for the fetal development. This is based on the belief that fetal environment has a huge influence on the fetal development and the whole life of the baby.