Abstract

Abstract- Background -. Sutika paricharya or regimen for the puerperal state, as mentioned in the texts is specifically designed Ayurvedic regimen for restoring the health of the women after the exhausting and laborious process of vaginal delivery. In the present times, vaginal deliveries are routinely administered episiotomy to avoid vaginal trauma and tear. This also requires the use of antibiotics and analgesics to prevent infections and reduce patient discomfort. Ayurveda mentions specific vranashodhaka (~disinfecting and cleansing) and vedanahara (~ analgesic) treatments for sutika (~ women in the puerperal state) in sutika paricharya. Aim - The study aims at establishing the efficacy of vranashodhaka and vranaropaka (~ wound healing) attributes of therapy of dhoopana (~ medicinal fumigation) when administered along with oral medications. The present study also attempts to present an effective and viable alternative to the use of antibiotics to prevent the infections occurring post vaginal delivery with episiotomy. Methodology - Oral medications of saubhagya shunthi paaka, balant kaadha and shatavari kalpa were administered to patients post vaginal delivery with episiotomy, within 2 – 4 hrs after completion of labor, for 5 -7 days after delivery. This was followed by dhoopana therapy (~ medicinal fumigation) as per Ayurvedic protocol. Results – A total of 252 patients were included in the study. 28 patients (11.1%) showed signs of infection which were not related to reproductive organs, one patient had non-infected subcutaneous skin gapping which healed without antibiotics on 12th day and only 23 patients (9.1%) required analgesics. Average duration of stay at the IPD was 5 to 7 days. Conclusion – The administration of dhoopana therapy along with oral medications like balant kaadha, saubhagya shunthi paaka and shatavari kalpa as a combination was found to be very effective in preventing puerperal infection. The shatavari kalpa acts as a galactogouge to enhance breast milk secretion. This combination could be an effective alternative for prophylactic antibiotic treatment administered to patients undergoing vaginal delivery with episiotomy.

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