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In today’s medical practice, many forms of contraception are available.  Benefits of contraception include decrease in unwanted pregnancies thereby reducing maternal deaths by as much as 40%.  Contraception also helps in increasing time interval between pregnancies, which increases perinatal and infant survival. Contraception is available to both females and males.  It can be reversible or permanent.  Choice often depends on availability, prior experience, knowledge and comorbidities. This article focuses on contraceptive options described in Ayurveda and current practices.   
 
In today’s medical practice, many forms of contraception are available.  Benefits of contraception include decrease in unwanted pregnancies thereby reducing maternal deaths by as much as 40%.  Contraception also helps in increasing time interval between pregnancies, which increases perinatal and infant survival. Contraception is available to both females and males.  It can be reversible or permanent.  Choice often depends on availability, prior experience, knowledge and comorbidities. This article focuses on contraceptive options described in Ayurveda and current practices.   
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Ideal contraceptive:  
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== Ideal contraceptive: ==
 
   
An ideal contraceptive method should be widely acceptable, inexpensive, simple to use, safe and effective. It should require minimal motivation, maintenance and supervision.  
 
An ideal contraceptive method should be widely acceptable, inexpensive, simple to use, safe and effective. It should require minimal motivation, maintenance and supervision.  
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Classification:  
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== Classification: ==
    
The methods of contraception can be broadly divided into two.
 
The methods of contraception can be broadly divided into two.
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b) Vasectomy
 
b) Vasectomy
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Contraceptive options:  
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=='''Contraceptive options:''' ==
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I. Natural Family Planning
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'''I. Natural Family Planning'''
    
These are convenient methods but carry a failure rate of up to 25%.  With this, pregnancy can be prevented by using one or more of the following:  
 
These are convenient methods but carry a failure rate of up to 25%.  With this, pregnancy can be prevented by using one or more of the following:  
 
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'''
 
1. Abstinence method:  
 
1. Abstinence method:  
 
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'''
 
Ayurveda literature emphasises the regulated sexual life or abstinence as the best method of contraception. It is one of the three major pillars for sustenance of life. [ref. Ashtanga hridaya]  
 
Ayurveda literature emphasises the regulated sexual life or abstinence as the best method of contraception. It is one of the three major pillars for sustenance of life. [ref. Ashtanga hridaya]  
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2. Breathing exercise:  
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'''2. Breathing exercise:'''
    
Breathing exercise to be practiced during coitus in order to prevent conception is mentioned in “Bruhadaranyaka Upanishad”.  
 
Breathing exercise to be practiced during coitus in order to prevent conception is mentioned in “Bruhadaranyaka Upanishad”.  
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*One or both partners may not feel completely satisfied by the sexual experience.
 
*One or both partners may not feel completely satisfied by the sexual experience.
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II. Oral contraceptives
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==II. Oral contraceptives==
    
The “Atharva veda” describes certain drugs to make a person impotent which is administered by chanting some verses as a punishment to the person committing social sins.  
 
The “Atharva veda” describes certain drugs to make a person impotent which is administered by chanting some verses as a punishment to the person committing social sins.  
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Table 1: Oral contraceptives in Ayurveda
 
Table 1: Oral contraceptives in Ayurveda
Drugs Period of menstrual cycle Vehicle/After drink
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{| class= "wikitable" |}
(anupana/prakshepa) Dose / Duration  
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|-
Powder of Piper longum Linn(pippali), Embelia ribes(vidanga), borax(tankana) First 12-16 days (ritu kala) Milk 12- 16 days
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!Drugs!!Period of menstrual cycle!!Vehicle/After drink
Flowers of Hibiscus rosasinensis (japa) First 12-16 days(ritu kala) fermented rice water (Kanji) and Old jiggery(48g) 3 days
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(anupana/prakshepa)!!Dose / Duration  
Root of Amaranthus spinosus (tanduliyaka)
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|-
after the stoppage of menstrual bleeding Rice water. 3 days
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|Powder of Piper longum Linn(pippali), Embelia ribes(vidanga), borax(tankana)|| First 12-16 days (ritu kala)|| Milk||12- 16 days
Leaves of Abes webbiana (talisa) and red orche (gairika) 4th day of menstruation Not specified 12 g, 1 day
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|-
Extract of Berberis aristata (rasanjana), Iris germanica Linn. (shweta vacha),and Terminalia chebula (haritaki) Not specified Cold water Not specified
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|Flowers of Hibiscus rosasinensis (japa)||First 12-16 days(ritu kala)|| fermented rice water (Kanji) and Old jiggery(48g)||3 days
(probably for the whole month)
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|-
Paste of leaves of Cesampelus pareira (patha) After the stoppage of menstrual bleeding Not specified Not specified
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|Root of Amaranthus spinosus (tanduliyaka) ||after the stoppage of menstrual bleeding ||Rice water|| 3 days
3 years old jaggery Not specified Not specified Continuously for 15 days
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|-
Decoction of Plumbago zeylanica (chitraka) From the 4th day of menstrual cycle/after the stoppage of bleeding Rice water 3 days
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|Leaves of Abes webbiana (talisa) and red orche (gairika)||4th day of menstruation||Not specified ||12 g, 1 day
Decoction of Nauclea cadamba/ Nauclea parvifolia (kallambha) and the feet of jungle flies. From the 4th day of menstrual cycle/after the stoppage of bleeding Not specified 3 days
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|-
19.5 g of marking nut/semicarpus anacardium or seeds of Terminalia bellerica (bibhitaki) boiled in rice water. From the 4th day of menstrual cycle/after the stoppage of bleeding) Not specified 7 days
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|Extract of Berberis aristata (rasanjana), Iris germanica Linn. (shweta vacha),and Terminalia chebula (haritaki)|| Not specified||Cold water||Not specified(probably for the whole month)
Ashes of stem of  Euphorbia neriifolia (sehunda)  
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|-
21 days
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|Paste of leaves of Cesampelus pareira (patha) ||After the stoppage of menstrual bleeding||Not specified||Not specified
Not specified
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|-
1 tola(12 gm)
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|3 years old jaggery || Not specified|| Not specified|| Continuously for 15 days
 
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|-
Curcuma longa (haridra) rhizome having knots  
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|Decoction of Plumbago zeylanica (chitraka)|| From the 4th day of menstrual cycle/after the stoppage of bleeding ||Rice water|| 3 days
3 days during menstruation, and continued for 3 more days
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|-
Not specified
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|Decoction of Nauclea cadamba/ Nauclea parvifolia (kallambha) and the feet of jungle flies.|| From the 4th day of menstrual cycle/after the stoppage of bleeding||Not specified ||3 days
1 rhizome/day, (total 6 days)
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|-
 
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|19.5 g of marking nut/semicarpus anacardium or seeds of Terminalia bellerica (bibhitaki) boiled in rice water. ||From the 4th day of menstrual cycle/after the stoppage of bleeding)||Not specified||7 days
Powder of Carum carvi (krishna jeeraka), Hedchim spicatum (kachura), Mesua ferrea (nagakesara), Terminalia chebula (haritaki), Ngella sativa (kalonji), Myrica nagi (kayaphala)  
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|-
7 days
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|Ashes of stem of  Euphorbia neriifolia (sehunda)||21 days||Not specified ||1 tola(12 gm)
Not specified
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|-
In the size of Ziziphus fruit
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|Curcuma longa (haridra) rhizome having knots ||3 days during menstruation, and continued for 3 more days||Not specified||1 rhizome/day, (total 6 days)
 
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|-
Powder of seeds of Brassica campestris a (sarshap), Amaranthus spinosus (tandula), sugar candy (sharkara)- pound with rice water.  
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|Powder of Carum carvi (krishna jeeraka), Hedchim spicatum (kachura), Mesua ferrea (nagakesara), Terminalia chebula (haritaki), Ngella sativa (kalonji), Myrica nagi (kayaphala)|| 7 days||Not specified||In the size of Ziziphus fruit
Not specified
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|-
Milk Not specified
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|Powder of seeds of Brassica campestris a (sarshap), Amaranthus spinosus (tandula), sugar candy (sharkara)- pound with rice water.||Not specified ||Milk||Not specified
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|}
    
In current medical practices, two synthetic female hormones, oestrogen and progesterone are used to prevent pregnancy by inhibiting ovulation. These are also known as ‘birth control pills’.  Some injectable steroid contraceptives like progesterone only contraceptive injections including DMPA or Depo-Provera and Nexplanon are also in practice.  
 
In current medical practices, two synthetic female hormones, oestrogen and progesterone are used to prevent pregnancy by inhibiting ovulation. These are also known as ‘birth control pills’.  Some injectable steroid contraceptives like progesterone only contraceptive injections including DMPA or Depo-Provera and Nexplanon are also in practice.  
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