Abstract

A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH OF AYURVEDA TO ESSENTIALS OF HEALTHY PROGENY

Kumari Monika*, Meena Kedar L., Sharma Sushila, Vardhan Prabhakar, Guleria Praveen and Bhardwaj Renu

ABSTRACT

Pregnancy and childbirth are one of the most critical events in a woman's life cycle that maintain the continuity and existence of human species in this world. However this natural phenomenon turns in to nightmare for a family when they get abnormal offspring. Despite the advancements in diagnostic techniques and therapeutic interventions, medical science has failed to keep the incidence of congenital malformations under control. Congenitally malformed persons either have a very short life span or they suffer from dreadful illnesses throughout their life. According to Ayurveda a living being comes into existence under the influence of rajasika (passionate) and tamasika (delusion) of psychological activities and undergoes the effect of good and bad feelings and gets entangled in the miserable series of birth and death. Only a psychologically and physically healthy person can follow the measures of attaining the salvation from this despondent series. Besides this spiritual aim, Ayurveda also emphasizes to lead a perfect life free from sufferings. Also such spirited individuals are a blessing to the society in which they live. Measures for a healthy pregnancy and childbirth begin even before conception. Ayurveda, the ancient Indian medical system has given due emphasis on this and postulated various measures to minimize the risks. The ancient science lays emphasis on physical and emotional maturity of the parents at the time of conception. Rituals and dietary modifications are suggested to ensure optimum quality of ova and sperm as well as a balanced state of body processes and emotions. These measures start well before conception and continue till fertilization, during the antenatal period upto childbirth. The article discusses the causes of birth, basics of healthy pregnancy, causes and detail of birth defects along with basics of ayurvedic care done preconceptionally and during antenatal periods along with its contemporary aspect to obtain supreme progeny.

Keywords: congenital malformation, salvation, rajasika, tamasika, preconceptional, progeny.