Prenatal Health - Dr. Vandana Sandhir
Vandana Sandhir, BAMS, MD (Ayurveda), Reno, Nevada, USA
Dr. Vandana Sandhir, with postgraduate education in ayurveda, panchakarma and yoga is Assistant Editor for the journal "JREIM”. She has published 4 papers in reputed Indian journals and been an invited speaker for 14 seminars and workshops. Dr. Sandhir’s educational background is MD (Ayurvedic Medicine), 2002 from Himachal Pradesh University, India; B.A.M.S, 1995 from Punjab University. Her professional experience includes: associate professor with 9 years in teaching; 15 years consulting; administration; and superintendent of a girls’ hostel. She has actively participated in national and state campaigns on geriatrics and anemia through ayurveda. Dr. Sandhir was instrumental in opening & running a geriatric clinic with Central Government support. She is a member of various committees and is an evaluator, observer, and examination supervisor with BFUHS and other universities.
Abstract: She from whom one is born is mother, the same being about whom the prophet of Islam has said, “Heaven lies under the feet of the mother.” Woman is the root cause of progeny; she bears entire responsibility from conception to maturity of a fetus, birth, care and nutrition of the infant. If a woman is carefully attended, it keeps normal and healthy generation. The concept of progeny in ancient time was to achieve qualitative growth to society, not just a quantitative spurt in population. A critical review of Ayurvedic classics reveals that an individual’s physical and psychic constitution are both formed at the time of conception, i.e. constitution of an individual carried out from sperm and ovum, which is called moola prakriti of an individual. This is influenced by environment, diet, general activity, age, physical health, and mental condition of the mother. Thus, ayurveda places great emphasis on the care of the expectant mother in the subject garbhini paricharyaa (prenatal care).