Until a couple of generations ago, pregnant women relied on ancient, time-tested home remedies doled out by the elderly women to see them through the period of confinement. But with time, modern medicine became the fad.
The State government is now trying to bring back that faith in the Indian Systems of Medicines. In August, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had announced a special scheme for pregnant women and their newborn. Amma Magapperu Sanjeevi scheme has been allotted Rs. 10 crore annually for the medical component alone.
Under the scheme, a woman who seeks medical care for pregnancy in a government hospital can opt for supportive care from a Siddha practitioner in the institution. The woman will be evaluated by the practitioner and provided a kit containing herbal tonics, tablets and in later stages of pregnancy and post-delivery oils for external application.
Each woman will get two kits and each kit will contain 11 preparations and their intake will be monitored by the Siddha doctor.
The preparations include a tonic made from pomegranate juice, curry leaf powder, oils for consumption and external application and herbal tablets. Each woman would receive two kits, when the Chief Minister formally launches the scheme.
“The kits will not be given at one go. During each trimester the woman’s physiology undergoes a specific change. In the first trimester pomegranate juice helps to alleviate morning sickness and curry leaf powder helps in digestion,” said M. Pitchai Kumar, a Siddha practitioner and member of the Tamil Nadu Siddha Medical Officers Association.
In the second and third trimester, the medicines prescribed help in digestion. The nellikkai lehiyam is administered to improve vitamins. “The kit was prepared following the ancient texts. Between 2006 and 2009, we conducted trials at the Institute of Public Health following the study protocol. Siddha and allopathic practitioners were involved in the trial,” said B. Thamizhkkani, association secretary.
According to Siddha doctors, the products are available in the market. The kits would be prepared by the Tamil Nadu Medical Plant Farms and Herbal Medicine Corporation, Dr. Pitchai Kumar said.
