Janjivan Bureau / New Delhi : Narendra Modi government prescribed Don’t eat meat, say no to sex after conception, avoid bad company, have spiritual thoughts and hang some good and beautiful pictures in your room to have a healthy baby. Ayush ministry website prescribed these formula before International Yoga day.
Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy, whose website describes yoga and naturopathy as “the good old Indian traditional systems of health care having the history of centuries”, the recommendations are part of a booklet called Mother and Child Care. The booklet was released by minister of state for Ayush Shripad Naik in the run-up to International Day for Yoga on June 21.
Naik could not be reached for comments. Both his mobile phones were switched off.
Pregnant women must
Stay away from desire, anger, attachment, hatred and lust.
Avoid bad company
Be with good people in stable and peaceful conditions only
Hang some good and beautiful pictures in the bedroom, which will effect the child also.
Self study, have spiritual thoughts
At least this advice comes free. Last month, the Jamnagar-based Garbhvigyan Anusandhan Kendra made news for charging couples to conceive the “best progeny” through purification (shuddhikaran), having sex on auspicious days and abstinence after conception.
“The advice is unscientific. Protein-deficiency malnutrition and anaemia are health concerns for pregnant women and meats are a great source of both protein and iron, which is better absorbed from animal sources than plant sources,” says senior gynaecologist and obstetrician Dr Malavika Sabharwal with Jeewan Mala Hospital and Nova Specialty Hospitals of the Apollo Healthcare Group.
As for sex, if the pregnancy is normal, there is no need for abstinence as the baby in the womb is protected by the amniotic fluid and the uterus muscles.
“Caution is advised during the first trimester when the placenta is low-lying and for complicated pregnancies, where there is a miscarriage risk,” says Dr Suneeta Mittal, director of the obstetrics and gynaecology at Fortis Gurgaon.
Some studies show that the mother’s stress, anxiety and depression may affect the baby’s development.
“Pregnant women need to be happy and instead of being prescriptive about what they should think and do to be happy, we must urge them to do things they enjoy and strongly advise the family be to supportive,” says Sabharwal.
