Garbhsanskar: Scientific edit of foetus towards better generation.

Introduction:

Every couple heartily desires to have a very healthy, good-looking, intelligent, cultured, happy and achiever child. For this, usually couple consider that it’s all luck, one cannot do anything in it, and if one can do something to develop the desired quality in child that can be done in adolescent period when the child can understand the commands. But there are scientific evidences that 95% of brain develops before adolescent period and that from that 85% of brain develop during mother’s womb¹. So educating the foetus will give very fast and very fruitful results as at that time brain is developing at fastest rate so that can be moulded in desired directions. There are many scientific evidences^2-7 which reported that child’s mental, emotional and spiritual along with physical development begins inside mother’s womb and a foetus can hear, understand and respond to mother’s activity during pregnancy. Scientists^2-5,6 also reported that baby’s senses can be stimulated from outside and thoughts, feelings, and behaviours of surrounded persons especially of mothers also influences foetus. In ancient literature also Acharya Charaka stated that the foetus’ mind is connected with the parents’ mind, especially with the mother during pregnancy.^5,6  And from ancient ages Garbhoupnishad is available as documentary proof and Garbhini-Paricharya i.e. Garbhsanskar is accepted as one of sixteen sanskars in Indian culture. This Garbhsanskar is educating the foetus in mother’s womb in i.e. scientific edit of foetus.⁶

It can be concluded from various studies^1-7 that foetal development is highly adaptive and evolving process which can be given the desired direction by customized Garbhsanskar.

Thus to get desired version of future generation ‘Garbhsanskar’ should be promoted after having ample evidences. Garbhsanskar also reduces bad pregnancy outcomes thus favouring the mother and child health.⁷

Strategy of Garbhsanskar: There are five fundamental questions regarding strategy of Garbhsanskar, questions and possible answers these questions are as follows:-

1. What is the target population for Garbhsanskar ?

Target population of Garbhsanskar is mainly the pregnant women, where the Garbhsanskar care is given throughout pregnancy. But as preparation of couple before conception is also needed to have right conception, thus its target population is not only the pregnant women but all married couples along with whole community should receive respective appropriate Garbhsanskar care.

2. What may be appropriate time for Garbhsanskar?

Appropriate care of Garbhsanskar is beneficial though out life to have life style change but literature reported that atleast before three months of conception it should be started.⁶ But it is never late to start with the Garbhsanskar care to pregnant women.

3. What are various tools for conducting Garbhsanskar?

Tools, with which the Garbhsanskar is conducted, may be in the form of IEC materials, modules, audio-visual CDs and YouTube audio-videos to educate target population. To keep a close watch on Garbhsanskar conduction either a checklist or mobile App may be used.

4. What are various methods used for conducting Garbhsanskar?

Methods adopted for conducting Garbhsanskar may be health education camps, counselling, teaching, trainings and personal examination. Personal examination may include physical examinations and investigations.

5. What are various types of care done in Garbhsanskar?

Garbhsanskar care is given of two types:-

A. General Garbhsanskar care: This type of care is given for overall development of child to have better physical, mental, social and spiritual health.

1. Garbhsanskar care for physical health: This care include proper & balance nutrition, appropriate physical exercises, proper personal & environmental hygiene, regular ANC checkups, risk factors identifications & their timely corrections and specific protections with TT vaccination, IFA tablets etc.
2. Garbhsanskar care for mental health: This care include proper sleep & yogasana exercises, reading good literature, doing some light mental exercises like solving puzzeles and being in cheerful happy mood (no worries-no stress), which will help in proper development of mental health.
3. Garbhsanskar care for social health: Social health is usually controlled by emotional health. For emotional health care safety and support from spouse, family and community is very important. Thus counselling & IEC of couple and community is needed for that. Every effort should be done to keep pregnant women happy. Another important thing is maternal foetal attachment behaviour should be promoted for better results.
4. Garbhsanskar care for spiritual health: This care include promoting virtuous life. Worshiping, chanting, meditating and listening soothing music also helps in proper spiritual health by which one can cope easily in adversities. All efforts are done to be at peace.

B. Customized Garbhsanskar care: This type of care should be given along with general Garbhsanskar care to them who want an achiever child in a desired dimension, like either genius or devotee or player or musician or singer etc. This type of care is customized and is given to cultivate that desired quality in that particular child.

References:

1. Ackerman S. Discovering the Brain. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1992. 6, The Development and Shaping of the Brain.Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK234146/
2. https://www.healthline.com/health/when-does-a-fetus-develop-a-brain#takeaway
3. Jyotsna Deshpande. The Effect of Selected Aspect of Garbha Sanskar on Stress, Coping Strategies and Wellbeing of Antenatal Mothers. International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR). March 2016;5(3): 588-591
4. Kshitij Itraj and Eesha Rakhi. Comparative study of pregnant women with Garbhsankar challanges and without garbhsanskar challanges on stress, depression and anxiety. International Journal of Indian Psychology. Dec 2023;11(4):
5. Charak  Samhita,  Yadavji  Trikramji  Acharya, editor, Reprint 2014. Varanasi Chaukhambha Publications Sutrasthan
6. Brahmananda Tripathi, Caraksamhita, Chaukhambha surbharti prakashan, Vol. 1, Shareersthan
7. Chaudhary A., Verma U., Verma A., Chaudhary D., Bhatnagar D., Agrawal N., Shankar J. Effect of Garbhsanskar (Yoga) on Maternal and Perinatal Outcomes. Int J Med Res Rev. 2022;10(1):17-23