Health experts slam guidelines for pregnant women
Pregnant women in India are being advised to stay away from meat, eggs and lust –– drawing derision from health experts, who slammed the tips as unscientific. The tips are contained in a booklet compiled by the governmentfunded Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy.
Pregnant women must avoid eggs, non-veg etc, and detach themselves from desire and lust, said the booklet. “Pregnant women should have spiritual thoughts, read history of great personalities and be peaceful,” it went on. Doctors said the advice bordered on ridiculous information, especially in a country that recorded a staggering 45,000 maternal deaths in 2015, as per the World Health Organization.
About 174 women die of pregnancy-related causes in India for every 100,000 live births, compared with just 14 in the United States. “The advice isn’t scientific. To stay away from non-veg food is ridiculous since malnutrition and anaemia are the problems in our country. We encourage them to have it during pregnancy as it’s rich in protein and iron,” says Sharmila Lal, a gynaecologist.
The ministry of Ayush, which promotes traditional healing practices, has defended the booklet, saying it only contained general guidelines based on the concepts of yoga and naturopathy. “The diet plans are based on clinical experience, naturopathy treatments and tips for remaining stress-free during pregnancy,” it said in a statement.