Motherhood and Childhood: An Ayurvedic Perspective | Family Life

Ayurveda ?Motherhood and child hood

INTRODUCTION
Mother and child are the most graceful bond in the world due to an endogenous reason that the relation between them is not created by man but by the nature itself. This realization might have been the source of wisdom behind the ayurvedic explanation of their care and treatment in a single branch among the 8 branches of science known as the ?Koumaarabhrtya?. Koumaarabhrtya is known as a branch of science that deals with the care of child, its mother, nursing mother, the purification of the milk fed to the baby, treatment of diseases that afflicts it due to intake of impure milk and other external reasons. Only a healthy mother can conceive a healthy child. This concept is implicated in Ayurveda, that for the health of a child the care should start from the commencement of reproductive cycle in a women i.e., menarche. Ayurveda uses the term ?aartava? to describe both the menstrual blood and the ovum. For the formation of an embryo the first essential requirement is ?pure aartava? (ovum) and pure sperm. As we move deep in to the science we can see that not only the irregular dietary habits but also even the improper body postures practiced during sleep by a women can lead to gynecological complaints and thereby to infertility. It is a life science which even decides the proper age for marriage, age to conceive a child, apt season and time for intercourse, the regimens to be followed by the male and female before an intercourse for a healthy child. For the sustainment of a fetus inside the womb this science even explains the indicated foods, activities, treatments and with due importance along with that the contraindications are also well described. It is the age old ayurvedic view to satisfy the wishes and dreams of a pregnant lady as it has relationship with the child i.e., in its character, mind and physical features. This directs you to the fact that the health science of a child begins from the teenage of its mother.
Menstruation and Ovulation (Aartava):
According to Vaagbhata, the exact age of menarche is 12 years and menopause is 50 years. Kasyapa, who describes pediatrics in detail, explains that, this can extend up to an age of 16 years. The features of pure menstrual blood according to Ayurveda is that it is the one which is being expelled out from the uterus (garbhakoshta) in each and every month without pain and burning sensation at the vaginal orifice.The bleeding phase is almost for 5 days. Its quantity should neither be profuse nor scanty. The color of this blood is almost similar to that of the color of seeds of Abrus precatorius .It should not be sticky in its consistency that no stains will be left on the clothes once it is washed with water. The purity of this blood get affected when it get vitiated by the cardinal humors.
Disorders of aartava(Menstrual Disorders):
The menstrual disorders in ayurveda are explained based on certain criteria. Ayurveda Scholars categorizes them on the basis of:
? Involved dosha (humor)
? Based on the color of the blood.
? Consistency
? Quantity of blood / no: of bleeding days.
? Smell of blood.
There are 8 disorders discussed in our science. These are:

Name of disorder Dosha Clinical features Treatment
1. Vaataja aartava roga Vaata Discharge-frothy, bright red color, scanty, contains clots, number of days will be more It is almost similar to oligomenorrhoea.
Ghee preparations like sukumaram ghritham.
Medicated milks, Douche.
2. Pittaja disease Pitta Slight yellowish blue in color, produces burning sensation. Inflammatory diseases are clinically similar to this. Kwatha with drugs of sweet taste, purgation,
Douche.
3. Kaphaja disease Kapha Thick, with lots of clots, heavy, like the bone marrow. Menorrhagia is excessive bleeding in which approach similar with kaphaja disorder can be adopted. Emetics,intake of decotions,douche.
4. Kunapa Rakta Smell of decayed flesh. Malignancy associated with the female reproductive system can bear such a discharge. Intake of medicines, external application of drugs, douche.
5. Granthi Vaata, kapha Features of both vataja and kaphaja diseases. Uterine fibroids, myoma and other growths in the reproductive organs etc. can be correlated. Intake of medicines.
6. Pooya Kapha,pitta Bad odor, with pus. Chronic infectious disorders take up similar features. Intake of kwatha with sandal, external application of medicines, wash with triphala decotion.
7. Ksheena Vaata,pitta Scanty in quantity quality and no:of days.Hypomenorrhoea is a clinical condition where there is scanty episodes of bleeding. Medicines which can relieve both vaata and pitta.
8. Mootra Vit prabham tridosha With features of all three doshas, appearance similar as mixed with excreta. It is a condition similar to that of a urethro vaginal fistula or recto vaginal fistula. Treatment for all doshas.

Among these eight disorders, trihumoral disorder is in the category of incurable so that the doctor should make patient aware before starting the treatment. All the others belong to the category of those which can be cured with proper treatment, medicines and if needed a surgical therapy. The menstrual disorders finally affect regular ovulation and can lead to anovulatory cycles. The major complication due to these conditions is nothing but infertility.
Recommended Dietary Habits for Proper Reproductive Health :
To maintain the reproductive health of males and females certain special dietary habits are explained in our science. For males foods stuffs prepared with milk, ghee and processed with sweet taste medicines are considered as the most special ones. In the case of females oil (Sesame oil and sesame seeds) ,black gram, and all other food stuffs which can increase the level of the humor pitta are found effective. These foods are advised considering the influence they can create on the hormonal levels of body. It also points to the fact that female taking male mode of food in excess can lead to the increase of male type of hormone in her body leading to conditions like the PCOD.
Age is an important factor that decides the reproductive health in a person. Ayuveda points to the fact that the age of the parents can affect the health of the child and can even lead to infertility or abortion. Vaagbhata describes that the suitable age for marriage is 21 years for a male and 12 years for females. But for conception a male has to reach 25 years and female should attain 16 years of age.

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Source: http://www.versapacs.com/2012/08/Motherhood-and-Childhood-An-Ayurvedic-Perspective/

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