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Getting Pregnant the Ayurvedic Way

We are created to procreate. It is one of our human conditions to want to lead a long and healthy life and to have children. Like many of the best things in life it often goes more smoothly if it is planned.

Ideally pregnancy starts about six months before conception as both partners prepare themselves for the magical act of creation. As a good gardener says, it is essential to prepare the ground so that your seeds can grow, or so that your body is clean and nourished and unobstructed by toxins and blockages. It is vital that the mother-to-be is at optimum health so that she stays strong for the journey ahead. The father-to-be must rid himself of toxins and nourish his reproductive tissue so that optimum fertilization can take place.

A priority for understanding your health in Ayurveda is establishing your constitution, known as your prakriti. It is best for you to see an Ayurvedic practitioner to determine this and from here you can tell the best diet for you both, the best time of year for you to try to conceive and other appropriate lifestyle recommendations.

Before we look at what Ayurveda recommends we do to get into this rejuvenated condition we need to understand the reproductive system.

The Ayurvedic view of egg and sperm production

Eggs and sperm are the result of the deepest level of nutritional transformation. All that we eat and drink gets continually refined until it is transformed into the most vital essence, the potential of life, known as ‘shukra’ in Sanskrit. This is the seed of life.

Ayurveda believes that if there are any obstructions in the body then the reproductive system becomes deficient and it is necessary to undergo a programme of rejuvenation to re-establish the health of the reproductive tissues. ‘Obstructions’ may be such problems as an impaired digestive system, excess weight, anemia, constipation, fibroids etc.

Certain foods and herbs are more egg and sperm potentiating than others. Milk, almonds, walnuts, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, saffron, honey, ghee are all seen as the ultimate reproductive foods in Ayurveda. Herbs such as Ashwagandha and Shatavari are all used to enhance egg and sperm quality and quantity. Ashwagandha is the fertility tonic for vata types, Shatavari is the tonic for pitta types and a herb called Punarnava is often taken by kapha types.

The Ayurvedic View of the Menstrual Cycle:

As menstruation is controlled by the different doshas here is a quick overview of what is happening in your cycle from the Ayurvedic point of view. Normal menses are considered to be on a 26-30 day cycle, 5 days long, moderate flow, moderate colour, no clots, no discomfort, no PMT.

The cycle is divided into three phases according to the different doshas.

Kapha phase: From the end of bleeding until ovulation is a time of building the endometrium and increasing kapha. Oestrogen is increasing. It is the phase of restoring strength to the body and preparing for conception.

Pitta phase: This lasts from ovulation until your period starts. The corpus luteum secretes progesterone which peaks during this phase. This prepares the endometrium for implantation of the fertilized egg and the breasts for milk production. This can be a time of PMT due to pitta accumulating in the blood and liver. As the blood channels and menstruation are connected this means that there can be extra heat in the system and this can lead to feelings of irritation and emotional overload.

Vata phase: This predominates during the period itself. Apana vayu (the force that regulates all downward movements in the body) pushes the menstrum down and out, therefore emptying the contents of the womb when menses occur and facilitating delivery during birth.

Understanding the doshas in the me