Infertility Treatments in Ayurveda – Know More!

When it comes to conceiving a child not all couples have rainbows and unicorns along their path. Many of them face difficulty even after regular intercourse. Technically, “infertility” refers to the inability to conceive a child even after 12 months of regular, unprotected sexual intercourse. Infertility cases are increasing day by day, yet they are considered a taboo, and are discussed only in whispers.

Couples suffering from infertility often avoid visiting a doctor or avoid undergoing proper treatment. At times, couples try to solve the problem on their own; usually, by taking medicines or opting for other cures without a medical advice. By doing so, they do nothing, but only exacerbate the condition or increase the risk of drug side effects.

Opting a treatment method with minimal side effects is what best you can do get rid of this condition. In addition to an array of home or natural remedies, Ayurveda is a branch of medicine that is widely known to effectively cure infertility.

Except a few, majority of the cases of infertility are due to anxiety, depression, insomnia, consumption of salty and spicy food and other underlying health condition. Ayurvedic treatment tackles this problem in a holistic manner by utilizing a bi-model approach in which both samshodhana (purifying) and samshamana (balancing) methods are used.

Some Ayurvedic Approaches to Treat Infertility are as Follows:

Virechana (Purgation):

Multiple days of internal oleation are involved, you make take pure or medicated ghee for this purpose, followed by herbal purgative. This method treats pitta and kapha doshas as it decreases the heat (ushna guna) of pitta and induces coolness (sheeta guna) required to form sperm and ovum (shakradhatu). According to Ayurveda, a strong and balanced tissue (dhatvagni) is must for the production of reproductive tissues (shukradhatu). Common purgation dravyas are: trivrit (churna or leha) and mahatiktaghrit.

Niruha Basti and Anuvasana (Medicated Enemata):

Medicated enemas are chiefly of two types. Basti predominantly focuses on vata dosha and large intestine (pakvashaya). The uterus (garbhashaya) is believed to be made up of akash mahabhuta and vayu. Basti mainly delivers medicines to vatashana (vata region) through tiktarasadravya (vayu + akasha mahabhutas). It facilitates the normal motion of sperm and proper release of ovum.

Uttar Basti (Medicated Intrauterine Enema):

It directly acts on reproductive tissues and plays a major role in treating female infertility. Receptors, receiving hormones from pituitary and hypothalamus glands are located on the ovaries. Sensitivity of these receptors are increased by the herbal medicines present in uttar basti. It also increases the receptivity towards the entry of sperms.

Additionally, uttar basti improves reproductive metabolism (artava dhatvagni) and channels of menstrual flow (artava srotosanga). It further helps in correcting altered cervical pH. Different uttar basti dravyas are used to tackle different issues. For instance, in case of ovulatory disorders, shatavarighrita and phalaghrita are used. Likewise, for tubal obstruction, til taila, kshar taila are used, and in case of uterine fibroids or PCOD, varunadi kwath and dashmoola taila are used.

Nasya (Administration of Nasal):

According to Ayurveda, nostrils are the direct pathway to the brain and hence, any substance inhaled through the nostrils directly reaches the brain; particularly, to the hypothalamus and pituitary glands. Nasya medications are given through nostrils and stimulate these glands and increases the secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). Some nasya medications are phalaghrita and chandanbala taila.

Adjuvant Panchakarna Treatments:

These are the specialized techniques that include forehead dripping therapy (Shirodhara), oil-crown (Shirobasti) and herbal mud (lepa), using specialized medicated oils and other substances. They help in stabilizing pitta and vata doshas.

Avagaham:

This is a relaxing bath, in which a person is made to sit in a bath tub (avagaham tub) filled with warm water and herbs. Anointment of the body is done through ayurvedic medicated oils, and herbal bath is given according to your condition.

Other Herbal Medicines:

To be true, it is beyond the scope of this article to list all the individual formulas and herbal medicines that are used to treat infertility. However, all these are mainly adaptogens and aphrodisiac, and strengthens reproductive tissues. They also enhance digestion and have some antidepressant properties.

Some common herbal medicines are Tinospora cordifolia (guduchi), Abutilon indicum (atibala), A.graveolens (shatapushpa).