Sutikagara (सूतिकागारम्)

Sutikagara refers to the the specially designed labour room for a pregnant woman who is about to deliver a baby or has just delivered a baby. This room is the place for residence of a woman a few days before labour , during labour and few days after labour till she needs specific attention and care. Ayurveda scholars have paid detail attention to it

Introduction

Today we see that the pregnant women get admitted to the hospital once the labour pains begin or a day before their planned day for caesarian section. Institutional deliveries have started in recent times in world after the rise of western medicine. However before that, the women used to deliver babies at home under the guidance and assistance of a skilled, experienced midwifes. Ayurveda scholars had deeply studied and understood the need of implementing special safety measures during labor so as to ensure safety and wellbeing of woman in labour and the newly born baby. For that Ayurveda recommends construction of a place named as 'Sutikagara' which is specially designed for delivery. Thus Sutikagara helps a medical person or vaidya to make preparation for labour and management of complications that might arise during or post labobur. It isolates mother and newly born baby from rest of the family and friends so as to ensure their safety and wellbeing during and post labor when their immune function is weak and they are susceptible for infections.

Etymology

The term Sutikagara is made up of 2 terms namely 'Sutika' and 'Agara'.

Sutika- This refers to a woman who has just delivered a baby or a parturient woman or a woman in lobour.

Agara- Means house, apartment or a dwelling place

Thus, collectively it means a house or a dwelling place for a woman who is in labour or who has just delivered a baby.

Sutika

Ayurveda acharyas opine that the woman is called Sutika from her labour till one and half month post labour. There are differences of opinion regarding fixing the period upto which the woman is called as sutika. Some acharyas opine that the owman will be called as sutika upto 4 months from labour while others also opine that she should be referred as sutika untill her menstruation begins.

Structure of sutikagara

Arrangements in sutikagara

Process of entering the sutikagara