Pregnancy and Ayurveda

Abstract

Pregnancy is among the most miraculous bodily functions. Generally understood as the gestation of offspring inside of a female’s body, pregnancy has many biological components that allow for this process to be completed successfully. What we consider the maternity cycle has five phases: fertilization, antenatal period, intra-natal period, postnatal period, and interconeptional period. Although a beautiful process, pregnancy is a dangerous condition and numerous complications can occur that affect both the fetus and the person carrying the fetus during and after pregnancy. According to the World Health Organization, complications arising from pregnancy and child birth are the leading cause of death and disability among women in developing countries. With its well versed and specific nutritional instructions that have shown their benefits in maintaining prenatal and postnatal health for centuries to its focus on the health of a whole person, Ayurveda is unlike the modern science of nutrition or obstetrics. Because of its tailored approach to pregnancy, Ayurveda is the best tool to help combat the issues and illnesses that plague our world. Ayurvedic principles are easily practicable due to the wide availability of the nutritious diet it instructs as well as the preventative and curative medicines it prescribes for pregnancy. While the knowledge of pregnancy and Ayurveda has existed for centuries despite efforts to erase it, it should be used throughout India and the world to improve the process of pregnancy and birth for a safer and healthier world for women bringing children into the world.