Abstract

A RATIONAL REVIEW OF MENTAL HEALTH IN PREGNANCY

Meeta Jhala* and Vishnu Dutt Sharma

ABSTRACT

Motherhood is a journey that is both rewarding and challenging. The physical and emotional changes in pregnancy and then the experience of labor, birth and breastfeeding play a vital role as women make the transition to motherhood. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Mental illness complicates pregnancy by compromising mental health, negatively impacting foetal development, and impairing mother-infant bonding. Mental health is very important at every stage of life, from birth to death. Physical, emotional, and social changes during pregnancy lead to mental health issues in pregnant women. Ayurveda plays a very important role in the prevention of mental illness during pregnancy. In our Ayurvedic texts, there have been descriptions of Dincharya, Ratricharya, Ritucharya, Specific Ahara, Aushadha, and therapeutic procedures that can prevent
mental illness. Yoga, pranayama, meditation, and chanting mantras can also help manage mental health issues during pregnancy.

Keywords: motherhood, pregnancy, mental health, dincharya, ritucharya, yoga, pranayam, meditation.