Rising obesity among Indian women underscores need for preconception interventions
Identifying and addressing health risks in both prospective parents could improve reproductive and pregnancy outcomes, experts say
Nearly one in three Indian women aged 15-49 years is now overweight or obese, according to data from the Central government's latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6). This marks a significant increase from one in four women five years ago, in NFHS-5 (2019-21). The data revealed that 30.7% of women within this age group were overweight or obese in 2023-24, up from 24% in the previous survey.
The prevalence of obesity among men in the same age group rose from 22.9% to 27.3%. Health experts are now emphasizing the importance of preconception interventions, recognizing that addressing health risks before conception could improve reproductive and pregnancy outcomes. Ayurvedic practitioners argue that the traditional system has long advocated for a pre-conception regimen called garbhadana samskara, which prepares both prospective parents physically and mentally before conception.
This approach is now being offered as a structured program at the SDM College of Ayurveda and Hospital in Udupi, Karnataka, providing pre-conception counselling and care to couples across south India. The program involves comprehensive assessments of both partners' health, along with personalized advice on diet, lifestyle, and other factors that may impact reproductive health.
By focusing on the four key factors of conception in Ayurveda — ritu, kshetra, beeja, and ambu — the program aims to tailor interventions for individual patients, considering dietary and lifestyle changes, as well as traditional therapies where appropriate.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
