Role of Diet and Nutrition in Pregnancy – An Ayurvedic Perspective

Abstract

Women have special dietary needs during each stage of her lives, including adolescence, pregnancy, breast feeding and menopause. During pregnancy the mother’s nutrition bears a great impact on the foetus’s growth and its future. Ayurveda lays great emphasis on ensuring holistic nutrition. A combination of Ahara (diet), Vihara (regimen), Vichara (emotions/thoughts) and Aushadha (medications) have been given great significance in Ayurveda in antenatal care called as Garbhini Paricharya (Antenatal care). Diet comprises the most important component of Garbhini Paricharya. Ayurveda advises congenital diet and regimen throughout the pregnancy. It also stresses on the healthy state of mind and body to beget healthy progeny. Milk and ghee stand out as the most common in the pregnant diet that Ayurveda advises. The idea of this is to provide optimum amount of protein and fat to the body. In addition, it provides right amount of calcium and vitamins for the pregnant mother helping in sustaining a comfortable lactation. In this review article a designed protocol of the month wise diet advised by various ancient Ayurvedic physicians, which can be modified according to the age, season, place, constitution and the digestive fire of the pregnant woman has been presented