Ayurvedic Pre-conceptional Care

Preliminary Concept of Birth

• Pre-conceptional care in Ayurveda aims at beejsudhi and beejposhan.
• Fertility is the ability to produce offspring.
• Decreasing fertility rates are attributed to stress and competition.
• Solutions are needed to address the problem of declining fertility.
• Pregnancy should be by choice and not by chance, for safe pregnancy and healthy progeny.
• The advanced generation desires only one child to be physically, mentally, and intellectually stronger.
• Society couples give more importance to carrier than family.
• There is a lack of attention towards proper marital age, sex timing, dincharya, and Ritucharya.
• A woman should be monitored in all stages of pregnancy, like pre-conceptional, prenatal, intra-natal, and post-natal, to deliver a healthy progeny.
• Garbhadhana, the regimen followed during the pre-pregnancy period, aims to achieve conception.
• Rajaswalacharya concerns mode of living during menstruation, appropriate age of marriage and conception, and other factors essential for conception, as described in Ayurveda for pre-conceptional care.

Ayurvedic Preconceptional Care

• Preconception care starts with selecting the right partners.
• Ayurveda stipulates that males at 25 and females at 16-18 years are fully mature and eligible for conception because they are full of valour and vigour at this age.
• Impregnating very young or old women should be avoided.
• For marriage, women should belong to the same community but a different gotra, and gotra means different family lineage for an intelligent and healthy child.
• This reduces the risk of hereditary diseases and congenital anomalies.
• Early pregnancy increases the risk of NTD's, IUGR, preterm birth, and stillbirth.
• Late pregnancy increases the risk of Down's syndrome.
• Rutukala is a period of ovulation.
• Conception on successive days of Rutukala promotes longevity, good health, fortune, prosperity, and energy.
• Rajaswalacharya concerns discipline during menstruation.
  • Specifically:
    • Rest for women who work hard.
    • Avoidance of sexual intercourse.
    • Avoidance of day-sleep and work.
    • Consumption of meals made of ghrita, Sali, and milk.
    • Avoidance of hot, pungent, and salty food.

Garbh Sambhav Samagri

• Factors are essential for conception.
• Vata is known as prana, or life energy.
• Apana vata, one of the five types of vata, is responsible for menses, secretion of semen, and elimination of urine and stool.
• Aggravated vata cannot carry out functions and can create semen-related disorders, leading to menstrual irregularities.
• Ayurveda specifies four factors essential for conception:
  • Rutu (Rutukala or ovulation period).
  • Kshetra (garbhasaya or healthy uterus).
  • Ambu (rasa dhatu or nourishment).
  • Bija (Sukra and artava or healthy gametes).
• Conception is bound to occur when the four factors come together, like a seed germinates.
• Vayu plays a role from maturation of gametes and fertilization to fetal nourishment, including asmaturation and ejaculation of semen.
• On the fourth day of menstruation, women should take a head bath.
  • They should wear:
    • White clothes.
    • Garlands.
    • Flowers.
  • They should see their husband's face.
• The couple's psychological state of mind influences the outcome.
• Yoga and Pranayam are important for males pre-conceptionally.

Yoga - Preconceptional

• For males, asanas such as sarvangasana, matsyasana, shirshakasana, and bhujangasana.
• For females, asanas include paschimottanasana, pavan muktadana, shavasana, bhujangasana, and hastapadmasana.
• After menstruation, the couple who yearns for progeny should follow specific Karmas with happy and pleasant mind.
• These practices are important for receiving a good offspring and avoiding violence because hridya means happy and pleasant mind.

Concept of Garbhadhana - Conception

• During Garbhadhana (conception) according to Ayurveda:
  • Couples must undergo Sneha, Sweda, and Sodhana.
  • Males receive madhura drugs processed with milk and ghee.
• Ghee nourishes and strengthens the body enhancing sperm health and vigour.
• Milk strengthens the body and increases sperm quantity and quality.
• Women receive tila and masa.
  • Tila (sesamum oil) is a property of garbhasaya Shodhan and tridosha Shamak.
  • Masa (black gram) contains vitamin B, folic acid, magnesium, iron, and calcium, which are essential for conception.
• The couple should be happy and cheerful.
• Putresti yagya is a ritual for achieving psychological calmness for both partners.

Concept of Chikitsya Purush

• The term Purusha synonymous with Brahma.
• As a general term, Purusha means man and denotes human beings.
• In Ayurveda, Purusha means Chetana Dhatu or Atma, the soul or life.
• Chikitsya or Shad Dhatwatmaka Purusha is also known as Karmapurush.
• There are six elements:
  • Panchamabhutas and Jeevatma.
    • Panchamabhutas - 5 basic elements of nature.
      • Pritvi (earth element).
      • Apor Jala (water element).
      • Teja or Agni (fire element).
      • Vayu (air element).
      • Akasha (space/sky).
    • Jeevatma means soul
    • Sharreeri means Chetana and Soul
• Only humans are considered not otherwise living because treatment involves medicine dealing with only purusha.
• This indicates that medical anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, therapeutics, and hygiene serve human interests.

Introduction of Marma

• Marma Points is a branch of science, it's referenced in Vedas, scriptures, and literature.
• These vital areas, also vulnerable spots, hold life-force energy.
• Marma points are junctures in the body where two or more tissues meet: muscles, vessels, bones, ligaments, and joints.
• 107 Marma points exist in the body.
• Marma point massage involves full or partial body treatment, a therapy where practitioners use fingers, knuckles, and thumbs to apply pressure to points.
• Benefits of Marma points:
  • Detoxifies the mind, body, emotions, and spirit.
  • Relieves deep-seated tension.
  • Deepens breathing patterns, relieving asthma & anxiety.
  • Clears troublesome emotions and psychological blocks.
  • Improves circulation and energy flow.
  • Encourages self-healing.
  • Improves overall health.

Introduction of Nadi

• Nadi is a term to denote the channels through which energies such as Prana (life force) flow: tube, pipe, nerve, blood vessel, and pulse.
• All nadis originate from one of two centers:
  • The heart.
  • The Kanda-egg (egg-shaped bulb in the pelvic area).
• Yoga can unblock the channels and improve energy flow.
• Nadis carry Prana or life force.
• In the physical body, are channels carry air, water, nutrients, blood and bodily fliuids.
• Central Channel is the Sushumna:
  • A central and important channel that connects the base chakra to the crown chakra.
  • Important in Yoga and Tantra.
  • Corresponds to the river Saraswati.
• Left Channel is the Ida:
  • Associated with lunar energy.
  • The word "Ida" comfort.
  • Has a moon-like or feminine qualities, with cooling effects.
  • Courses from the left testicle to the left nostril.
  • Corresponds to the Ganga river.
• Right Channel is the Pingala:
  • Associated with solar energy.
  • Pingala:denotes sun and sun-like or masculine energy.
  • Heating and courses from the testicular to nostril.
  • Corresponds to Yamuna.

Introduction of Srotas

• Ayurveda says the human body is made of innumerable Srotas (channels).
• Responsible for performing the physiological and functional activities.
• Dosha, dhatu, and mala perform their functions.
• Srotas are pathways through which the material tissue building, nutrition, and nutrients flow.
• Sushrutha says that Srotas carries or transports prana, Anna, vari, mamsa, and meda Dhatu.
• Srotas complex, governed by Vayu channels conducts physiological activities, including nervous system.
• Synonyms include sira, dhamani, rasayani, rasa vahini, panth, and nadi.
• Types of Srotas:
  • Manovaha Srotas- carries thoughts and emotions.
  • Stanyavaha Srotas- channels carry breast milk.
  • Shabdaraha Srotas- Carry buddhi.
  • Swaravaha Srotas- Carry Shabd.

Introduction of Roga and Vikrit Vigyan

• Roga word, of Sanskrit origin, means "illness or disease".
  • Examples:
    • Grahani Roga is a disease of the gastrointestinal tract.
    • Udara Roga causes limb weakness, swelling, nausea, and other symptoms.
• Vikrit Vigyan (Roga-nidan) (Pathology):
  • Study of disease.
• Rog Nidanevum Vikrit Vigyan is useful which aids early diagnosis of disease and deals with classification of disease and techniques of diagnosis.
• Vikrit Vigyan understanding of factors, pathogenesis, diagnosis and investigations is critical.
• It covers clinic-pathological and aetiopathological aspects of disease as aspects of pathology and laboratory medicine.

Kriya-Kala

• Kriya-Kala is a disease's pathological aspects
• "Prevention better that cure"
• Kriya-kala (pathological aspects), is understanding and its pathogenesis.
• Goal: Disease diagnosis a budding or earliest stages.
• Shat Kriya Kala is an action/treatment time period.
• It is appropiate to take action or plant during time periods.
• Causative factors are called 'Nidana' in ayurveda, for any disease to start.
  • 2 types of Nidana existing:
    • Bahiya Nidana are causative or external type factors (incompatible, dust, smoke, infection, injuries, allergi4es).
    • Abhyantara Nidana (Internal) are internally caused/induced combinations like the vitiated Vata or Dosha states.

Vitation

• Vitation takes its time in getting towards various origin stages and diseases.
• In the intial stages the Doshas increase slowly.
• The Dosha' in search of susceptible 'Weak' tissues spread or overflow the body.
• When found, damaging tissues is severe, the full onset of symptoms appear.
• At severe stage the disease cannot be treated anymore, or severe complications result.
• Dosha Kriya kala is a diagnostic treatment that prevents a disease from going towards further stages.
  • The early stages stop harm happening.
  • (Stages: Chaya, Prakopa, Prasara).
• Vyadhi Kriyakala are the later stages of disease that are not diagonised.
  • This is an unmanagable stage due to complications.
  • (Stages: Sthana, Vyakta, Bheda).

Classification of Kriya Kala

• Three stages are explained by Charaka or Vagbhata.
  • Vata Dosha: Sanchaya in the summer, Prakopa during the rainy season, and Prashamana during autumn.
  • Pitta Dosha: Sanchaya during monsoon, Prakopa during autumn, and Prashamana during early winter.
  • Kapha Dosha: Sanchaya during late winter, Prakopa during Vasanta (spring season), Prashamana Greeshma "Summer season".
• The Six Stages of disease manifests when:
  • Sanchaya or accumulation happens
  • Followed with aggravation and liquification
  • Before tissue invasion/lodgement occurs
  • Leading to either 1) or 2) manifestation.
  • and finally - Complications.

Principles for people to avoid disease

• 61% deaths in India are lifestyle related.
• Primary disease factor is tobacco, alcohol, poor diet, mental stress, etc.
• Ayurveda provides prevention principles for lifestyle:
  • Dincharya/daily routine - to improve.
  • Ritucharya - provides a seasonal routine.
  • Sad Vrath is code of conduct.
• There are senven life principles:
  • Tri- means a 3 upstairs which are:
    • ahara
    • vihara
    • brahmacharya
  • Together a satvik diet/lifestyle from main health pillars.
  • Dincharya, Daily life routine
  • Ritucharya, Seasonal life routine
  • Vegadharana - is suppressing natural/correct urges.
  • Prajna pradha, Renuciation of good conduct