Morung Express News Dimapur | June 14 The Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy, or Ayush Ministry, refuted reports that it’s booklet “Mother and Child Care” had advised women against having sex during their pregnancy. The ministry said the words “no sex” do not feature in its document. The booklet was released by Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik during the National Health Editors' Conference on Yoga on June 9 in the run-up to the International Yoga Day. According to news report, the AYUSH Ministry in the booklet advised pregnant women to “Abstain from sex. Do not eat non-vegetarian food and harbour spiritual thoughts.” “The ministry's lofty and pious advice, given in a booklet, includes that pregnant women should read life histories of great personalities, stay calm, and avoid anger or lust” IANS reported on June 13. "Hang some good and beautiful pictures in bedroom, which will have an effect on the (unborn) child also... during pregnancy, women have to do self-study, should have spiritual thoughts, should read the life histories of great personalities and should keep themselves in peace," the reported said quoting the booklet. Medical experts, however, have contradicted what the booklet says, it added. Professor Alka Kriplani, Gynaecology Department head at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences here, said that unless there is a specific reason, a pregnant woman should continue with all activities she routinely indulges in, including sex, "unless there is a high-risk factor". Regarding consumption of non-veg food, she said fish and chicken are good for health while (red) meat increases cholesterol levels. Prof. Suneeta Mittal, Director and Head of Gynaecology at Fortis Research Institute, agreed and said expectant women should continue to follow the same dietary pattern that they follow otherwise. "However, during the first trimester, we ask pregnant women to avoid drinking and smoking. In terms of dietary advice, we tell them not to consume too much fried food. But we don't give them any specific advice regarding non-vegetarian food. Whatever is their dietary pattern, they should continue with the same," she told IANS. Regarding sexual intercourse during pregnancy, she said it is best avoided during the first three months. In a PIB press release through on June 14, the Ministry of AYUSH clarified that some reports which have appeared in the print and electronic media since June 13, 2017 concerning the publication ‘Mother and Child Care’ are “seen to be inaccurate, and some are even seen to misrepresent facts.” It further maintained that publication has been in distribution through the units of the erstwhile Department of AYUSH and CCRYN since 2013 and the report that it was released by the Minister of State (IC) for AYUSH in the recent past is incorrect. “Some news reports carry an assertion that the booklet puts forward the ‘prescription’ that ‘pregnant women in India’ should ‘say no to sex after conception.’ This is far from the truth. In fact, the words ‘no sex’ do not feature at all in the booklet,” it added. According to the Ministry, the booklet puts together relevant and useful information culled out from many years of clinical practice in the fields of Yoga and Naturopathy and contains general guidelines for pregnant women base on those principles. “The suggestion on page 14 of the booklet regarding avoiding certain types of food like tea, coffee, white flour products, fried and oily items and non-veg during pregnancy, is seen to have received selective attention, the Ministry further stated.
