Infertility - Have Ayurveda At Your Rescue!

Infertility is when a female is not able to conceive for almost a year when not using contraception or is not able to carry the pregnancy through to term. With changing lifestyles, the incidence of infertility is on the rise. It is due to a combination of factors including lifestyle changes, improper diet habits, genetics, a healthy relationship, and of course all leading to body imbalances.

Ayurveda believes that infertility is caused by lack of “shukra dhatu” which is basically the reproductive tissue. A healthy semen, healthy ovum, and healthy uterus are essential for a healthy pregnancy. This shukra dhatu is the 7th element and is formed by a sequence of reactions between other 6 dhatus. The entire chain reaction must be healthy to achieve a healthy shukra dhatu, the 7th element. While Bringhana types of foods nourish all the dhatus, the Vrishya types of foods enhance the shukra dhatu per se.

Addressing diet, therapies, and lifestyle changes using a combination of measures is necessary to ensure healthy dhatus are formed, leading to a healthy pregnancy.

1. Swedanam: This is a form of therapy where there is the use of heavy blankets and some exercises. The idea is to get the patient to sweat out the toxins, and once the toxins are out of the system, fertility is ensured.

2. Vamanam: This is a detox system, where vomiting is induced to get the undigested food and toxins out of the body.

3. Basti: This involves giving an enema to the person rectally, with the result of achieving cleaner sperms and eggs which are essential for a healthy pregnancy.

4. Shirodhara: Using medicated herbal oils where they are moved over the forehead at specific points in a rhythmic manner helps in body-mind balancing. It stimulates the pituitary gland, hypothalamus, and pineal glands which play a significant role in secreting adequate amounts of hormones essential for pregnancy. FSH is essential for the release of the egg, where the process of fertility begins.

5. Gokshura: This is useful in women with polycystic ovaries, where it stimulates the ovaries and is effective in promoting conception.

6. Shatavari: This is useful in regulating menstruation and is also useful in women with polycystic ovaries, who generally have a problem conceiving. It nourishes and cleanses the female reproductive organs and restores hormonal balances which are essential for conception and pregnancy.

Lodhra boosts the amount of pregnancy hormones in circulation (FSH and LH). In women who have had repeated miscarriages, giving this a couple of months in advance can help in preventing miscarriages or abortions.

In addition to these, a healthy lifestyle with diet and exercise minus alcohol and smoking leads to overall health, which is very helpful in conception and pregnancy.