Women's health and Ayurveda

Ayurveda is the oldest system of medicine originated in Bharatavarsha. It offers knowledge of various methods to obtain health and longevity, by preventing illness in healthy individuals and eradicating the diseases in diseased individuals. This knowledge encompasses all the aspects of human life and is not restricted to a particular gender. In fact special attention has been given to the peculiar differences arising due to the male or female body types and then the ways to achieve and maintain health considering these specialties have been put forward. Thus one can find ample amount of information and all the details about women's health in Ayurveda. Ayurveda offers natural methods and ways not just to prevent general ailments but also to maintain reproductive health (hormonal balance & menstrual health) and wellbeing.

How Ayurveda differentiates women from men

Darshana shastras discuss about Prakrti and Purusha while explaining the process of srshti utpatti (origin of the universe). Prakrti and Purusha both have some attributes in common while there are few characteristic features that make them different than each other and also are responsible for origin of the universe after their union. Similarly, Ayurveda looks at male and female both as a purusha (human beings) which indicates that despite having different bodies,

there are some common life elements in both of them making them equal. But at the same time, there are few characteristic features of a female body which make her capable of nurturing a life within, giving birth and nourishing a new life till the later becomes capable of surviving by own. These features are not found in men. For this reason, Acharya Charaka has called woman as a root of progeny (child) while discussing various gynecological disorders affecting females in chikistasthanam of Charaka Samhita.

यदपत्यानां मूलं नार्यः परं नृणाम्| (Char. Samh 30.5)

In reference to this, Ayurveda samhitas mention about presence of various body organs like Yoni (योनिः), Garbhashayam (गर्भाशयम्), stana (स्तनौ), artavavaha srotas (आर्तववह स्त्रोतसम् The channels of transformation and transportation of female reproductive constituents) etc in female which make her body different than male. Also, acharyas clearly mention that a female is born after conception when there is abundance of artava (आर्तवम्) or rakta (रक्तम्/ शोणितम् feminine reproductive tissue) in the product of conception. Artava inherently possesses excessive heat. Thus, pertaining to it (high pitta levels in body), a female body develops certain characteristics like generally having less tolerance, strength and emotional stability than male counterpart. These multiple features make a woman different than man and necessitate development of certain health protocols specifically designed for feminine balance. Acharya Chraka also says that a vaidya should keep these differences in mind while selecting the drugs, their dosage for women so as to make the medicine tolerable and effective at the same time. Such peculiarities of female body which are commonly observed in the clinical settings while treating the female patient have been cleverly put forward by Acharya Charaka in Vimanasthanam.

The branch and treatise of Ayurveda for women's health

Ashtanga Ayurveda refers to the 8 branches of Ayurveda dealing with 8 different aspects of life and health. Among these 8 specialties the one named as 'Kaumarabhrtya tantra' (कौमारभृत्यतन्त्रम् ) is that branch which provides knowledge of treating diseases occurring in neonates, infants and children. Diseases in this age group are considered to be caused by imbalances in nutrition, contaminated breast milk from feeding mother etc. Thus many of the feminine disorders particularly related to child birth, breast feeding etc can be considered to be the topic of discussion under Kaumarabhrtya tantra. Most of the gynecological, pregnancy related or ante-natal, post partum health conditions can be found to be described under various sthanas like Sharirasthana, uttarasthana of Ayurveda treatises.

Although all the treatises discuss about women's health, a lesser known treatise named Kashyapa Samhita (काश्यप संहिता) dedicates major part of it towards discussion on Kaumarabhrtyatantra in general and women's health in particular. However, the complete version of this samhita is not available currently. It is available in parts and thus many of the important topics related to women's health discussed in Kashyapa Samhita and known to bharateeyas in earlier times are missing today.

Important milestones in Women's life

In reference to the childbearing capacity of a woman and various structural and functional peculiarities designed to facilitate the reproduction woman, is believed to have 3 important milestones in her life. These are health related milestones which are dependent on the hormones, strength and overall health of that woman. Menstruation is known as Rajapravrtti or rajodharma in Ayurveda. The start and end of the menstruation are considered 2 important milestones and development of ability to conceive and reproduce at a certain age so as to get healthy progeny and uneventful or safe motherhood is considered to be the other milestone. Acharyas have clearly stated the age at which a woman can reach upto these milestones as below.

Rajapravrtti and Rajonivrtti

Menarch which means the beginning of menstrual cycle is the first milestone which is achieved mostly at the age of 12 years. From this time the menstrual cycle known as Rajapravrtti or Rajapraseka starts and continues till the conception occurs. At the age of around 50 years when the dhatus of sharira become senile or mature completely the rajapraseka stops permanently and it is known as Rajonivrtti meaning menopause. Thus age of 12 years and 50 years is thus considered significant in terms of menstrual cycle and hormonal balance as per Ayurveda.

तद्वर्षाद्द्वादशात् काले वर्तमानमसृक् पुनः | जरापक्वशरीराणां याति पञ्चाशतः क्षयम् ||११|| (Sush. Samh. 3.11)

Samatavagata veeryam

If the age of rajapravrtti is normal as per the standards, the age at which that woman can bear a child or conceive and have a safe motherhood as well as a healthy progeny is considered the second milestone. This time was previously considered to be the minimum standard age of a woman to conceive so as to maintain good health and life as per Ayurveda. Samatavagata means to attain and veerya refers to the necessary strength woman needs for reproduction. Ayurveda acharyas have stated that the age of 16 years in woman's life can be considered to be such an age.

पञ्चविंशे ततो वर्षे पुमान् नारी तु षोडशे | समत्वागतवीर्यौ तौ जानीयात् कुशलो भिषक् ||१३|| (Sush. Samh. 35.13)

Commentary of Dalhana: समत्वागतवीर्याविति समत्वं परिपूर्णत्वमागतं वीर्यं ययोस्तौ समत्वागतवीर्यौ, रसादिधातुपरिपूर्त्या वीर्यपूर्तिः, परिपूर्णसर्वधातुकावित्यर्थः| अन्ये त्वेवं पठन्ति ‘समन्वागतवीर्यौ’ इति; “सम्यगनु पश्चादागतं वीर्यमुपचयशक्तिलक्षणं ययोः” इति च व्याख्यानयन्ति||