Concept of

Garbhadha
n and
Garbha

Reetu
Pandey
MD 1st yr
Garbhadhan Samskara:The
Science Of Conception
 Vedas have described various aspect pertaining
to health and disease which includes procreation,
most imp for continuation races,
Eg: healthy plant comes with healthy seed, soil,
season, water so as human being .
Healthy seed
 Health is cyclic

Healthy adult
Healthy
Healthy embryo
society

Healthy child
 Ayurveda fixed some rules and regulations for
upliftment of human race by getting shreyasi
prajam.
Age for conception: suitable age of man for
conception is 25 yrs and age of women is 16 yrs
because at this age male and female are fully
mature physically and psychycologicaly hence
they should attempt for achievement of
conception
Time of conception
 According to astrological principles the ideal time
to get Garbhadhan sanskar (pregnant) is the 4th
and 16th lunar days after menstruation. Besides
these lunar days the 6th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 12th,
14th, days are favorable for Garbhadhan
sanskar according to ayurveda.
 Nakshatra
For Garbhadhan sanskar the Uttraphalguni,
Uttrabhadrapada, Rohini, Mrigashira, Anuradha,
Hasta, Swati, Shravan, Ghanistha nakshatras
are very auspicious.
Purva samyog vidhi/ pre conceptional
councelling
 SHODHAN: It is of 2 types:
1. External purification
2. Internal purification
 External purification : It consist of snehan followed
by swedan and then undergo purification methods
like vaman, virechan and vasti.
 Internal purification :
Euphoria (saumanasyam) is the best aid for achieving
good pregnancy,
saumanasyam garbhkaranam
Maintenance of saumanasyam :
 Avoiding negative emotions like krodha, shoka,
bhaya, dwesha etc.
 Dev and brahmin pujan,
 Hearing soft enthusiastic stories,
 Utility of purva samyog vidhi : This samskara is
said to do away with all impurities related to
conception and reproductive system of female
and male so as to ensure the birth of a healthy
child.
 Clinical importance : to ensure that the women
enters pregnancy with an optimal state of health
which would be safe both to herself and fetus.
 It is the time to identify any risk factor that could
affect the pregnancy or perinatal outcome.
Women and their partner being encouraged to
prepare actively for pregnancy and as healthy as
possible.
Folic acid supplementation(4 mg / day) 4 wks prior
to conception
Method of conception
 From the day of onset of menstruation female
should follow brahmcharya for 3 days, on 4th day
she should take bath with washing her head also,
and wear white garments than enter the place of
god and should offer oblation with rice and ghrit.
 To get male child even days of ritukala should be
selected, and for female child odd day of ritukala
should be selected.
 Even days the quantity of artava is less and on
odd days quantity of artava increase thus leading
to birth of male or female child respectively.
 Borne child acquires similar characters of that type of
diet , behavior, and conduct followed by couple at
time of intercourse.
 Ahara and vihara :
 Male : should have food containing ghrit , rice and
milk
Ghrita –
 Pitta anilharam rasa shukra ojasam hitam
With these property ghrita increasse the quality of
shukra .
All these having madhura rasa and sheeta virya
property which promotes the production of shukra
dhatu
 Female : should consume the food containing of taila
and masha.
 Taila - having the property of yonivishodhan so
 Taila and masha are ushna virya which increases the
quality and quantity of aartava ,
Behavior
 Sumanasya and kalyan-kamana : she should
remain of peaceful mind and positive thoughts,
relatives and husband have tender words and
behavior with her.
 Anyonya – abhikamata: psychological intimacy of
couples, decorative environment.
 White color clothing: unique vibration of each color
could have specific effect on psyche , white probably
indicates tranquility pacification and sattva guna.
 Time -An appropriate auspicious period of night
facilitate garbhadhan
Clinical importance
 Favorable external environment and sound
interpersonal relationship described in ayu prove
well in dealing with even sexual dysfunction.
 Physically or mentally ill male or female can
become infertile
Factors essential for conception

Dhruvam chaturnam sanindhyat garbhah syat

vidhi purvakh I
Ritu kshetraambubijanam samgrayadankuro
yatha II
 With these factors vag has described that besides
healthy garbhashaya( uterus), marga (vaginal
canal), rakta (ovum), shukra (sperm), proper
function of vayu (nervous system and harmons )
and normal psychological status are also
essential.
1) Ritu kala
 Thirty days or one month is required for
completion of the Ritu Chakra.
 It is divided into three phases according to
changes occur in the female both in the genital
organ and general body. i.e.
1. Rajahstrava kala 3-5 days.
2. Ritu kala 12 or 16 days.
3. Rituvyatita kala 9-13 days.
 Ritu kala is the appropriate period for Beejotsarga
and also for Garbhadhana. The uterus is ready
for nidation, ovum is ready for fertilization , Vagina
is ready to allow the passage of sperm through.
Changes of Genital organs during
Ritukala
previously collected rajah has been discharged from yoni

New collection of rajah starts in garbhashya

The female genital organs are in good healthy condition.

the life period of sperm and ovum are very short for fertilization and to get a perfect
zygote timely intercourse is very much essential and garbhadhan in ritukala ensures it.
Clinical imp
 It is considered as proliferative or peri ovulatory
period,
 By the end of the peri ovulatory phase the mature
follicle will develop and rupture, excrete the oocyte
with some granulosa cells into oviduct. The oocyte is
now competent to undergo fertilization.
 Prediction of ovulation is imp to advice the
alternative day for practice of intercourse in case
of infertility due to oligospermia
 Imp to collect ovum for in vitro fertilization
2) Kshetra
Tatra shukra rupa beeja prarohanat I
 Shukra enters in to female like a seed hence is
called kshetra
 Being the origin of children the women is
considered as kshetra and is the best aphrodisiac
,
Shukshma kesha pratikasha beejarakta vahah
shirah I
Garbhashyam tarpyanti masad beejay kalpate II
 Garbhashya also termed as kshetra , its interior
was lined by minute capillary for whole month to
receives the fertilized ova and give nourishment
 Clinical imp:
 Garbhashya represents the interior of uterus i.e.
emdometrium with all its decidual changes which
provides good nidus for implantation of
blastocyst, supplies nutrition to early growing
zygote by its rich source of glycogen and fat.
 reception-ready phase of the endometrium of the
uterus is usually termed the "implantation
window” . The implantation window follows
around 6 days after the peak in luteinizing
hormone levels (20th to the 23rd day after the last
menstrual period.)
3) Ambu
Ambuh punara-aharpakajo vyapi rasadhatu I
 Ambu is the rasa dhatu derived as end product of
food digestion with reference to implanted ovum
and zygote.
 Growth of the fetus is result of ahara rasa of
mother because the rasavaha srotas of mother
are connected to nabhi nadi of garbha through
which potent nutrients are circulated to fetus.
 Clinical importance: the blood , inter cellular
fluid of endometrium and secretions of
endometrial glands with required nutrients without
any abnormality is helpful for growing fetus.
 The embryo spends approximately 72 hours in
the uterine cavity before implanting. In that time, it
cannot receive nourishment directly from the
blood of the mother, and must rely on secreted
nutrients into the uterine cavity, e.g. iron and fat-
soluble vitamins.
 endometrium secretes several steroid-dependent
proteins, important for growth and implantation.
 Cholesterol and steroids are also secreted.
4) Beeja
Beeja iti shukra shonite I
 Beeja considered as male and female gametes
 Mother and father by providing gametes can be
claimed as chief contributors for the formation of
fetus
 Stree beeja :
 Human ovum is the largest cell of body and
have specific name for its parts
 Cytoplasm--- ooplasm/ yolk/vittelus
 Nucleus--- germinal vesicle
 Nucleolus--- germinal spot
 Cell membrane--- viteline membrane
 Coverings: outer– corona radiata
inner_ zona pellucida
 Fertile life of ovum: 12 - 24 hours
 Time of ovulation - Day(14) after initiation of
menstrual cycle
follicle development and
Ovum structure
 Purush beeja : sperm
Bahalam madhuram snigdhamavishram guru
pichchhilam I
Shuklam bahu cha yat shukram phalvat
tadashyanshyam II
 Sperm has 2 parts head and tail
 Head : consist condensed nucleus and acrosomal
cap
 Tail : diveded in 4 zone
Neck, middle pice , principle pice and end pice
Estimate fertile life of sperm = 48 – 72 hours
 The teja or energy generated during coitus activated
vayu which leads to ejaculation of shukra into yoni
which after entering into uterus by running through
avartas of yoni gets mixed with artava.
 And now thus formed garbha with the union of agni
and soma gets stabilized in uterus
 Fertilization is the process of union of mature male
gamete (sperm) with mature female gamete (ovum) to
produce new cell of life which is called (zygote)
through chain of events takes place in the oviduct
(fallopian tubes). Interruption of any event will cause
fertilization failure.
Fertilization events

a) Sperm capacitation:
 Freshly ejaculated sperm are unable to
fertilize ovum. Rather, they must first undergo
a series of changes known as capacitation.
Capacitation is removal of adherent seminal
plasma proteins, reorganization of plasma
membrane lipids and proteins.
b) Acrosome reaction:
The acrosome reaction involves breakdown
and fusion of outer acrosome membrane with
the plasma membrane of the sperm.
 needed for sperm to penetrate the corona
radiata as well as zona pellucida .
c) Sperm penetration:
 Sperm cell penetrate cumulus oophorus by
the enzyme (hyaluronidase)
 corona radiata by the enzyme (corona-
penetrating enzyme)
 zona pellucida by the acrosin (trypsinlike
enzyme)
d) Consequences of fertilization
 In human after releasing the sperm nucleus
into egg cytoplasm it stimulates the diffusion
of cortical granules into the previtelline space,
the erection of a barrier to prevent fertilization
by more than one sperm will occur, this
process is called zona reaction and vitelline
block.
Cleavage
 Begins ~ 12 hours post-fertilization
 Zygote divides into 2 cells (mitosis)
 46 chromosomes in zygote = 46 chromosomes in
both daughter cells
 2 cell into 4 cell stage (24 – 36 hours)
 4 cell into 8 cell stage (36 – 72 hours)
Morula~ 16 cell stage
 Develops ~ 72 hours (3 days) from fertilization
 Morula enters the uterus ~ after 3 days in oviduct
72 hours post-
fertilization
entering uterus
Blastocyst
 Morula, once entering the uterine cavity, floats
freely
 Morula begins to accumulate fluid and forms a
cavity between its cells
 Once cavity appears, it is now called a
blastocyst.
Implantation
Pravistha matram hi beejam rakten
parivesthyate I
kashyapa
Beeja soon after entering in to uterine cavity is
encircled by rakta (maternal blood)
 In humans implantation is the very early stage of
pregnancy at which the embryo adheres to the
wall of the uterus. At this stage of prenatal
development, the embryo is a blastocyst.
 In humans, implantation of a fertilized ovum is
most likely to occur about 9 days after ovulation,
ranging between 6 and 12 days.
 Adaptation of uterus
 To enable implantation, the uterus goes through
changes in order to be able to receive the embryo.
Predecidualization
 The endometrium increases thickness, becomes
vascularized and its glands grow and boosted in
their secretions. These changes reach their
maximum about 7 days after ovulation.
 The luminal cells form the zona compacta of the
endometrium,
spongy stromal cells forms the basalolateral zona
spongiosa,
Decidualization
 The decidual cells filled with lipids and glycogen
Parts of decidua
 Decidua basalis - This is the part of the decidua
which is located basalolateral to the embryo after
implantation.
 Decidua capsularis - Decidua capsularis grows over
the embryo on the luminal side, enclosing it into the
endometrium. It surrounds the embryo together with
decidua basalis.
 Decidua parietalis - All other decidua on the uterine
surface belongs to decidua parietalis.
 Adaptation of embryo
Autocrine
 Human chorionic gonadotropin is an autocrine growth
factor for the blastocyst.
 Insulin-like growth factor 2 on the other hand, stimulates
the invasiveness of it.
Dislodging
 The syncytiotrophoblasts dislodges decidual cells by
degradation of cell adhesion molecules linking the
decidual cells together as well as degradation of the extra
cellular matrix between them.
Immunosuppressive
 The embryo differs from the cells of the mother, and
would be rejected as a parasite by the immune system of
the mother if it didn't secrete immunosuppressive agents.
Such agents are
 Platelet-activating factor
 human chorionic gonadotropin
 Prostaglandin E2,
Prevention of menstruation
 Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) not only acts
as an immunosuppressive, but preventing
menstruation by sustaining the function of the corpus
luteum.
Mechanism of implantation
Zona hatching
 To be able to perform implantation, the blastocyst
needs to get rid zona pellucida. This process can
be called "hatching".
Apposition
 The very first, loose connection between the
blastocyst and the endometrium is called the
apposition
Adhesion
 Adhesion is a much stronger attachment
 The trophoblasts adhere by penetrating the
endometrium, with protrusions of trophoblast
Implantation
Communication
 The blastocyst signals to the endometrium to
adapt further to its presence, e.g. by changes in
the cytoskeleton of decidual cells.
 This communication is conveyed by receptor-
ligand-interactions, both integrin-matrix and
proteoglycanones.
Invasion
 further establishment of the blastocyst in the
endometrium.
GARBH

 According to Vaidyaka Sabda Sindhu, the Sukra

Dhatu gets activated by Agni during the natural
phenomenon of sexual copulation, carried by the
Vayu Mahabhuta to the Yoni Mukha and unites
with Artava, Such a union is said to be the
Garbha.
 The union of Sukra and Sonita inside the Kukshi
can not be termed as Garbha if the entrance of
Atma doesn't occurs.
 Kukshi denotes Garbhasaya (or) Womb.
 Amalgamation of physical components like
shukra and artava with metaphysical element
ATMA associated with prakriti and vikar is called
garbha.

 Prakriti : The Prakriti is defined as the aspect

which is stable from birth . Chakrapani says
that Prakriti is nothing but Swabhavam.
 This Prakriti is influenced by 4 factors when the
Garbha is in the womb of mother. These factors
are
1. Sukra Sonita Prakriti,
2. Kala Garbhasaya Prakriti,
3. Maturahara Vihara Prakriti and
4. MahabhootaVikara Prakriti
 Sukra Sonita Prakriti can be considered under
hereditary factors,
 Eg : illness caused by abnormality in genome
such as- polycystic kidney, sickle cell anemia,
hemophillia
 Kala Garbhasaya Prakriti is the strength and state
of the genital organs, some abnormalities
increases the risk of misscarriage, premature
labour.
 Maturahara Vihara Prakriti is the diet and
behaviour followed by pregnant woman during
prenatal period. Because fetus gets all its
nurishment from mothers bloodstream during
pregnency, eg – fetal alcohol syndrome,
 Mahabhoota Vikara Prakriti is the derivative of
Mahabhootas.
 These four factors influence the Garbha from the
time of conception till labour
 Vikaras : The Garbha which is a culmination
of Panchamahabhootas and which is the site of
Chetana is the said Vikara .

 Physical constitution of garbha: Sthul division

of components of embryo of garbha includes
panch mahabhut and atma, while shukshma
division includes 24 factors governed by atma
 Thank you