Ayurvedic approach to maternal health: A review of literature

Abstract

Maternal health refers to the health aspects of pregnancy, childbirth, and post-partum care. Ayurveda may offer some solutions to maternal health problems. Hence, a review of the literature was carried out to understand the role of Ayurveda in maternal health using internet based search engines; PubMed and Google Scholar. Of 70 articles identified six articles were finally selected for this review based on full text articles from both the sources. It was observed that original clinical research in this particular subject is comparatively few. The records found in these databases are primarily theoretical research or review articles. Of these six titles: one article (n = 6) is related to growth-related problems, four articles (n = 6) are related to maternal anemia, and one article (n = 6) is related to pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting. None of the original research is related to childbirth or post-partum care; hence, this review primarily focused on pregnancy-related problems and their ayurvedic approach. Poor research in this direction indicates that either research is very few in this area, or the research results are not being disseminated in the form of research publications. Ayurvedic principles and therapeutic regimens may offer some solution for various types of pregnancy-related problems hence research in this clinical area is highly desirable. Given the situation of maternal morbidity and mortality, research regarding the role of Ayurveda in pregnancy and other areas of maternal health should be fostered across the health system.