By Dr Raghuram Y. S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa, B. A. M. S
Some precautions need to be taken with respect to diet and life activities all through period of pregnancy. This helps to avoid complications and enable easy delivery of child at term. Caution at food and lifestyle activities will contribute towards well being of both mother and child and also will maintain pregnancy in a safe and healthy way.
Table of Contents
Garbhopaghatakara Bhavas = Garbha + Upaghatakara + Bhavas
Garbha = fetus
Upaghata kara = which tend to harm or destroy
Bhavas = factors
‘Garbhopaghatakara Bhavas’ = factors which tend to harm fetus
Read – Herbs Useful For Maintenance Of Pregnancy
Consumption in excess of –
Contraindications related to lifestyle activities and mode of living
Contraindications related to habits
Contraindications related to mind, speech and senses
Contraindications related to treatments and medicines
Contraindications related to beliefs, conducts, rituals and cosmic influence
Analysis of contraindications during pregnancy and fetus-harming factors explained by various authors
Contraindications mentioned for pregnant woman during pregnancy and factors which could harm fetus when consumed can be categorized into below mentioned headings –
Factors producing psychological or physical strain – includes causes like excessive grief, exercise, coitus etc. Generally exercise and coitus are beneficial in normal terms. However excessive indulgence in these activities or psychological trauma may precipitate abortion. This is more common in woman who had already experienced abortion i. e. habitual for abortion.
Read – Bleeding During Pregnancy: Causes, Ayurvedic Treatment
Factors which cause sudden shock – visit to cremation ground, lonely places etc cause sudden shock. This shock may cause many abnormalities in fetus. It can even cause abortion. Therefore they should be avoided.
Factors which cause sudden increase in intra-abdominal pressure – factors like carrying excessive weights, riding vehicles and animals etc may precipitate abortion by causing increase in intra-abdominal pressure. Prolonged squatting in abnormal postures and supine position may influence placental and uterine blood flow due to pressure of gravid uterus on iliac blood vessels. This may cause abortion, intra-uterine death of fetus or other abnormalities and complications.
Read – Essential Elements For Conception – Garbha Sambhava Samagri
Difference of opinion regarding dietetic regulations and contraindications – diet is an important factor during pregnancy. It is important for maintenance of her health and also for proper nourishment and growth of fetus. There is contraindication for use of meat in many treatises. But Sushruta has advised use of meat of wild animals in 4th and 5th months of pregnancy. From this we can infer that contraindication is for use of other forms of meat like meat of aquatic animals, animals living in marshy lands etc. Similarly, wine in small quantities is not harmful, when taken in large quantities it may harm fetus. It is very difficult to explain logic behind contraindications for use of pulses, garlic and onion etc. We can infer that excessive use of these foods may cause digestion related abnormalities.
Read – Diet And Lifestyle For Women In Ayurveda
Effect of over satiation – excessive satiation or over-nourishment may excessively increase body weight of mother and fetus. Over eating is one of causes of pregnancy toxemia. Over weight of fetus may cause difficulty in labour.
Read – How Much Food To Eat Per Day As Per Ayurveda?
Effect of abnormal rays – specific rays emitted during solar and lunar eclipse may produce harm to fetus and pregnant woman and cause many fetal anomalies and complications.
Effect of purifying treatments – treatments given to purify body including emesis etc can also precipitate abortion and harm fetus and mother. This can happen due to effect of reflex stimulation of myometrium caused by these treatments.
Read – Ayurvedic Panchakarma Treatment: simple explanation for easy understanding
Effect of using contraindicated things by pregnant woman during pregnancy
|Sl No||Dietetics & mode of life of pregnant women||Effect on fetus (child)||Authors (Ref)|
|1||a) Used to squatting / sitting in abnormal positions b) Habit of suppression of urges of defecation, urination & flatus (fart) c) Regular indulgence in mproper & excessive exercises d) Use of less quantity of food, pungent & hot foods||Intrauterine death of fetus Premature delivery of child or Fetus becomes dry (upasushka – missed abortion)||Cha. Sha. 8/21|
|2||a) Trauma or compression in lower part of belly b) Peeping or falling into a deep pit or well c) Taking a ride on a vehicle or animal which keeps jerking d) Listening to words which are not pleasant to hear||Premature delivery of child Abortion||Cha. Sha. 8/21|
|3||a) Pregnant woman sleeping in supine (on back, facing upwards) position with upper and lower limbs stretched||umbilical cord strangulates neck of fetus and troubles it||Cha. Sha. 8/21 & A. San. Sha. 2/61|
|4||a) Woman sleeping in open areas without covering herself b) Night walking||Unmatta – child becomes insane||Cha. Sha. 8/21 & A. San. Sha. 2/61|
|5||a) Woman who is inclined to quarrel physically or verbally (quarrelsome)||Apasmara – child would be epileptic or with low memory||Cha. Sha. 8/21 & A. San. Sha. 2/61|
|6||Excessive indulgence in coitus||child would be born deformed, impudent or lazy and henpecked||Cha. Sha. 8/21 & A. San. Sha. 2/61|
|7||Always being distressed or grieved||child would be coward, emaciated and thin, would have less life span (short-lived)||Cha. Sha. 8/21 & A. San. Sha. 2/61|
|8||Wishing bad and evil for others (abhidhyatri)||child would have nature of troubling others, would be jealous of others and henpecked||Cha. Sha. 8/21 & A. San. Sha. 2/61|
|9||Thief, robber (habituated to steal)||Idle, industrious, spiteful||Cha. Sha. 8/21 & A. San. Sha. 2/61|
|10||Intolerant||Furious, deceitful, insidious, calumnious||Cha. Sha. 8/21 & A. San. Sha. 2/61|
|11||Sleeping in excess||child would be sleepy, ignorant and will have less digestive power||Cha. Sha. 8/21 & A. San. Sha. 2/61|
|12||Addicted to drinking wine regularly||child would always be thirsty, will have short term memory and fickle mind||Cha. Sha. 8/21 & A. San. Sha. 2/61|
|13||Regularly eating meat of iguana (godha mamsa)||Child would suffer from stones in urinary bladder, gravel in urinary bladder or passages or slow stream of urine||Cha. Sha. 8/21 & A. San. Sha. 2/61|
|14||Regularly eating hog’s meat or pork (shukara mamsa)||Child would have red eyes, rough body hairs and obstructed breathing or snoring||Cha. Sha. 8/21 & A. San. Sha. 2/61|
|15||Used to eat fish regularly (daily)||Child would have fixed eyes or delayed blinking of eyes||Cha. Sha. 8/21 & A. San. Sha. 2/61|
|16||Regular and excessive use of sweet articles with exception of milk||child would suffer from prameha (urinary disorders, diabetes mellitus), would become obese and dumb||Cha. Sha. 8/21 & A. San. Sha. 2/61|
|17||Excessive and daily use of sour articles||child would suffer from raktapitta (bleeding disorders) and also diseases of skin and eyes||Cha. Sha. 8/21 & A. San. Sha. 2/61|
|18||Excessive and daily use of salty foods||Child would suffer from early wrinkling, graying of hair and balding||Cha. Sha. 8/21 & A. San. Sha. 2/61|
|19||Excessive and daily use of pungent foods||child would be weak, possess less quantity of semen and would be infertile||Cha. Sha. 8/21 & A. San. Sha. 2/61|
|20||Excessive and daily use of bitter foods||Child would suffer from emaciation or edema, weak and debilitated||Cha. Sha. 8/21 & A. San. Sha. 2/61|
|21||Excessive and daily use of astringent foods||Child would be dark or dusky complexioned, would suffer from flatulence and eructation, upward and abnormal movement of vata||Cha. Sha. 8/21 & A. San. Sha. 2/61|
|22||Use of articles and foods likely to produce diseases||Diseases are produced according to causes||Cha. Sha. 8/21 & A. San. Sha. 2/61|