Abstract

Dr. Shilpa Sangamkar*

ABSTRACT

Pregnancy is the most exciting and joyous time in a woman’s life. Giving birth to a baby brings about many changes, and these can include changes in a new mom’s mood and emotions. Some women experience more than normal ups and downs of the postpartum period. Pregnancy and Puerperium are at times sufficiently stressful to provoke mental illness. Today a high number of women continue to die during and after childbirth. Puerperal or Postpartum Psychosis is very rare, but several mental health conditions are experienced by one or two in 1000 women in the first 1-4 weeks after having a baby. In Ayurvedic texts, Unmaada is described as a similar condition. The holistic approach to mental health due importance of care of the mother at every phase of her life especially antenatal and postnatal care. In Ayurveda Unmaad is treated as somatic altercation, the main principle being to break the Aavarana or Manovaha Srotas.