There has been some recent interest in neonatal care, food regime
during pregnancy, application of henna etc on this list. Why not?
The happiest moments of the life are when you fondle your baby and
innocent baby keeps playing with you. With recent successes in giving
fertility to aged mothers by means of IVF, many infertile women in
fifties and beyond (even post-menopausal) are seeking to become
mothers. Only last week a romanian lady became mom at age 66, a
complete woman. The interview of a a mom aged 56, published on net is
also very intersting to read.

In this post, author wishes to attract attention to a subject which
ancient ayurvedic acharyas would not have imagined so seriously. The
challenges of modern times create new challenges to ayurvedists also.

With almost 1 out of every five couples in U.S., needing IVF for
seeking fertility, the effect of various pollutants and pesticides,
and most importantly, the effect of genetically modified
(engineered?) food on fertility is obvious. If one observesd nature
carefully, it will be seen that all the manifestations of
energy/matter are created with a single purpose. The growth. Growth
is a rhythm of nature.

But if the health of a specie is endangered, the specie either
becomes extinct or develops resistance to factors dangerous to its
existence. For instance, mosquitoes used to run away moment the
lights are put on or fan is switched "ON", during childhood days of
author. Now a days, even mosquito repellants are not working. When we
try to extinguish one specie by use of insecticides, pesticides, we
also need to suffer. All poisons have one common property. They
reduce the fertility of the person who ingests the poison. Creator
wishes that poisoned specie does not multiply by itself. On the other
hand, effect of evolution in growing intelligence of the next
generation can be easily identified. This of course is possible, if
we guard our health.

Going through full pregnancy term is becoming rare nowadays.

Premature birth - by which doctors mean at least three weeks early -
is the leading cause of developmental disability in children,
including cerebral palsy and mental retardation. Those who get into
such situation, very well know what grief is. Whole life becomes
dominated by single issue. What will happen to the child?
1 out of 8 babies in the U.S. is born at least three weeks before it
is due. Even more alarming, that ratio represents a 27% increase
since 1980. Advances in neonatal care have saved many children who
might otherwise have died. And lots of babies who leave the intensive-
care unit grow up to be healthy, vibrant adults. But no incubator -
no matter how high tech - will ever replace the womb.

Much of the jump in premature births in the U.S. can be tied to the
growing number of multiple births - twins, triplets or more - that
result from infertility treatments. Please visit following links to
check how creator does not allow multiple plantation of embryos to
grow full term.

http://www.time.com/time/archive/pre...87,1101041018-
713195,00.html
http://www.obgynworld.com/internatio...k_03/Day_3/66-
year-old_gives_bi.asp

It has happened in past and is recurring again and again. Modern
science re-invents the wheel. What was known to ayurveda thousands of
years ago, modern science rediscovers. Of particular interest for
pregnant ladies, is one intervention that has shown some promise in
early trials of women with a history of premature delivery and no
other known risk factors. Injecting these women once a week with the
hormone progesterone reduces their chance of delivering early by a
third. Researchers still don't quite understand why it works. The
placenta produces a lot of the hormone, so it wouldn't seem that
adding a little more would make a big difference. The treatment has
not been studied in women who are carrying more than one child.

This has been recommended by ayurveda long back. Most ayurvedic
medications/herbs recommended during pregnancy try to increase
progesterone. The animal with plenty quantity of oxytocin,
progesterone is Indian cow. The love towards the offspring is the
unique feature found in maximum quantity in cow. Hence, Indian
mythology often depicts lord Krishna with his cow, and calf drinking
milk from the cow. Most medications to aid fertility, to help baby
grow healthy in the womb and/or to increase the chances of full term
pregnancy are made using Indian cow ghee.

The reason cow is so holly in India is not far to seek. Author has
seen cow deliver the calf in an hour or so, without any medical help.
Tribal women also deliver normally, in less than few hours, no
anasthesia needed. Certain hebal decoction is givebn prior to second
stage of labor, and the pregnant lady keeps holding certain roots in
her hand. Those roots she must release after the birth, to limit the
post partum hemorrage. Within a day, she starts household work again.

In modern human society, author has seen a number of mothers and
babies suffer by way of health, due to complications created by
surgical intervention. Truth can no longer be hidden, as long as
medical practitioners with humanitarian touch exist. Even in west,
researchers are discovering the results of intervention. Another
result of a study which concludes that the surgical intervention
during pregnancy should be avoided as far as possible, and resort to
manipulation of fetus position rather. Please visit:

http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_r...fm?DR_ID=26097

For expecting moms ayurveda provides various herbs and ghrutams to
aid fertility, womb care and also easy labor. Dr Shashikant
Patwardhan, a member of this group has recently circulated a monthly
news letter, whose theme article is on the healthy fetus growth and
easing labor during pregnancy. Members may see the full article by
going to his website.

Dr Bhate